J.S. Bach

[mikeguy53]

One of the greatest composers, if not the greatest. But so much of his music, especially violin, cello, etc. are great for guitar. Technical workout, and you're playing some of the best music ever written, ask Mike Stern, Yngwie, Vai, Jaco, etc. Great music is good to learn.

 

[Scott Miller]

A piano player I know took some blues lessons from a New Orleans piano player. His first assignment: Bach two-part inventions.

 

[mikeguy53]

A guitar teacher of mine at Berklee took lessons from Joe Pass, his first lesson was study the Bach Chaconne.

 

[mikeguy53]

It's not Joe Pass , Jim Hall. Delete function not working for me.

 

[lhallam]

Great fun on electric (one voice) and classical (multiple voices).

 

[projam619]

The best way to study counterpoint is to study Bach.

 

[6Tones]

Yup the guy wrote some catchy jingles in his day

 

[KRosser]

When you get involved with Bach you enter a world that has been challenging, amazing and inspiring musicians for 250+ years. Musicians confront Bach to find out what they're made of. And they'll be doing it for another 250+ after we're all gone.

 

[chervokas]

A piano player I know took some blues lessons from a New Orleans piano player. His first assignment: Bach two-part inventions.

Yeah, I still return to those on piano from time to time. Not only can it brush up your two-hand technique but if you actually take the time to break down those pieces they can teach you a ton about harmony and composing with inner movement.

And of course, forget playing Bach, I also return frequently to Bach's music as a lister.

 

[Bussman]

Been getting back into classical guitar recently. I'm cutting my teeth on Jesus, Joy of Man's Desiring. Great fun even though my right hand technique is more suited for plucking a chicken than playing classical guitar.

 

[KRosser]

A piano player I know took some blues lessons from a New Orleans piano player. His first assignment: Bach two-part inventions.

I use those in my reading classes; I have ten of the fifteen arranged for two guitars in treble clef by David Oakes in my curriculum.

I also have a version arranged by Barry Galbraith where he arranged all fifteen but it's a bit harder, as he uses lots of ledger lines in the higher parts (Oakes drops them an octave) and drop-D in some of the lower parts.

For my really kick-ass reading students I use the originals and have them read the upper line and I read the lower line in bass clef

Those are such fantastic pieces

 

[NeuroLogic]

Also, often missed: "JS Bach was the greatest bass player ever" Jack Bruce.

 

[mds]

Bach is in a class of his own. Amazing music. I spent an enormous amount of time in my teens and early twenties playing the lute suites. Just beautiful stuff. Very challenging as well. I try to play some bach every day.

 

[Scott Miller]

I'm waiting for "I just don't get Bach." Actually, I know a few classical music enthusiasts who in fact don't get Bach. That's OK, I don't get Brahms.

 

[GCDEF]

I love his organ music. Back in my younger years I was a keyboard player and had access to a really nice pipe organ that I'd play some of his works on. There's not a Les Paul and Marshall out there that comes close to the power chords a decent sized organ can put out, and Bach's music took big advantage of that. Putting your foot on a pedal and unleashing a note that shakes a stone cathedral is a wonderful feeling.

 

[Yngtchie Blacksteen]

I'm hooked on Scott Ross' Well-Tempered Clavier at the moment. Great harpsichord sound on these recordings, and nice choice of tempi.

 

[Julia343]

Bach was my specialty. What do you want to know?

Great music. Great feeling to the music. Even the most simple looking pieces are extremely difficult to execute well. I've played the of course the Inventions, Sinfonias, French & English Suites, Partitas, French Overture, Some of the Well Temperered Clavier, Parts of the Art of Fugue (I was working on that the CTS set in), the Sonata in Dm.

Also another composer who is a real fun one an will test you is Domenico Scarlatti. Ha. Ha. I played this one. Talk about a b**ch. But it's fun as hell. And this is the tempo it is supposed to be played. I did manage it. It is a happy, joyous piece, but everyone else on youtube plays it not quite as joyous and happy.

 

[mikeguy53]

Love Scarlatti. I played one of his pieces for Oscar Ghiglia at a master class in Aspen quite a few years ago. It was amazing what a great teacher could point out in a great piece of music.

 

[Julia343]

And this next one is seldom played. She does well with it. When I played it I had to think more like a dancer than a pianist.



I can't even imagine playing these on a guitar, although the classical guitarist will do it.

 

[GovernorSilver]

I plug away at the 2-part Inventions on piano from time to time, and don't ever see myself giving up, even though my progress is slow. I don't even care if I ever become a virtuoso on piano or any other instrument - I play this stuff because it just sounds and feels so good. However, Invention #1 alone was enough to get my hands moving a little more freely on the keyboard.

I've been chipping away at Partita 3 (solo violin) on guitar, but I'll probably switch to the Inventions (one part at a time).