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Bwv 846 - Prelude 1 In C

Johann Sebastian Bach

Text File

E-|---Prelude No 1 in C----------------------------|
A-|---Author:-JSBach-------------------------------|
D-|---Transcription-by:Christian Liang-------------|
G-|---E-Mail:christian.liang@gmail.com-------------|   
B-|---http://www.chrisliang.com--------------------|
E-|---Enjoy!---------------------------------------|


BWV 846 - Prelude No 1 in C - Well Tempered Clavier Book I


I have included the left (LH) and right (RH) hand fingering. 
p = pulgar = thumb
i = indice = index
m = medio = middle
a = anular = ring



[1]                                                                   
e|---------0-----0-|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-|
B|-------1-----1---|-------3-----3---|-------3-----3---|
G|-----0-----0-----|-----2-----2-----|-----0-----0-----|
D|---2-------------|---0-------------|---0-------------|
A|-3---------------|-3---------------|-2---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

LH 3 2   1     1     3   2 4 1 2 4 1   2     4 1   4 1   
RH p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   

[4]                  * II   
e|---------0-----0-|---------4-----4-|-----------------|
B|-------1-----1---|-------4-----4---|---------3-----3-|
G|-----0-----0-----|-----2-----2-----|-------2-----2---|
D|---2-------------|---2-------------|---0^4-----4-----|
A|-3---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

LH 3 2   1      1    2 1 1 4 4 1 4 4   2   4 1 3 4 1 3
RH p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   p i   m a i m a

[7]
e|---------3-----3-|-----------------|-----------------|
B|-------3-----3---|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-|
G|-----0-----0-----|-------0-----0---|-------0-----0---|
D|---0-------------|-----2-----2-----|-----2-----2-----|
A|-2---------------|-2^3-------------|-0^3-------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|

LH 1     3 4   3 4   2h3 2   1 2   1     3 2   1 2   1   
RH p p i m a i m a   p   i m a i m a   p   i m a i m a   

[10]
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|---------1-----1-|---------0-----0-|---------2-----2-|
G|-------2-----2---|-------0-----0---|-------0-----0---|
D|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----2-----2-----|
A|---0-------------|---2-------------|---1-------------|
E|-2---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|

LH 2     3 1   3 1   4 3               4 1 3   2 3   2
RH p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a

[13]
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|---------3-----3-|---------0-----0-|---------1-----1-|
G|-------2-----2---|-------0-----0---|-------0-----0---|
D|-----0-----0-----|---0^3-----3-----|-----2-----2-----|
A|---0-------------|-----------------|---3-------------|
E|-1---------------|-1---------------|-0---------------|
LH 1     3 4   3 4   1   3     3         3 2   1 2   1   
RH p p i m a i m a   p i   m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   

[16]
e|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-|
B|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|-------0-----0---|
G|-----2-----2-----|-----2-----2-----|-----0-----0-----|
D|-2^3-------------|-0^3-------------|---0-------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------|

LH 2^3 2 1 1           3 2 1 1 2 1 1   3       1     1
RH p   i m a i m a   p   i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a

[19]							 
e|---------0-----0-|---------0-----0-|---------0-----0-|
B|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|
G|-----0-----0-----|---0^3-----3-----|-----2-----2-----|
D|---2-------------|-----------------|---3-------------|
A|-3---------------|-3---------------|-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------|-1---------------|

LH 3 2   1     1     3   4 1   4 1     1 4 3 2   3 2     
RH p p i m a i m a   p i   m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   

[22]II                III               III
e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
B|---------4-----4-|---------3-----3-|---------3-----3-|
G|-------2-----2---|-------5-----5---|-------4-----4---|
D|-----4-----4-----|-----3-----3-----|---3^5-----5-----|
A|---3-------------|---5-------------|-----------------|
E|-2---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|
 
LH 1 2 3 2 4 3 2 4   1 3 1 4 1 1 4 1   1 1 3 2 1 3 2 1
RH p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   p i   m a i m a


[25]				       **		 
e|---------0-----0-|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-|
B|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|-------0-----0---|
G|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|
D|---2-------------|---0-------------|---0-------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-3---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|

LH 3 2   1     1     3     1 1   1 1   4       2     2   
RH p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   
 
[28]I
e|---------2-----2-|---------3-----3-|---------1-----1-|
B|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|
G|-----2-----2-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|
D|---1-------------|---2-------------|---0-------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-3---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------|

LH 4 1 3 1 2 3 1 2   3 2   1 4   1 4   3     1 1   1 1
RH p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a   p i   m a i m a

[31]		     III               I
e|---------1-----1-|----------------------------1------|
B|-------0-----0---|---------5-----5----------1---1---1|
G|-----0-----0-----|-------3-----3----------2-------2--|
D|---0-------------|-----5-----5----------3------------|
A|-----------------|-3-3--------------3-3--------------|
E|-3---------------|-----------------------------------|

LH 3       1     1   1 1 3 1 4 3 1 4  3 3 4 2 1 1 1 2 1   
RH p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a  p p p i m a m i m     

[33]
e|-------------------------1---------------------------|
B|---------------------0-3---3-0-3-0---0----------1----|
G|-2---2-------------0---------------0------------0----|
D|---3---3-0-3-0-------------------------0-3-2-0--2----|
A|---------------3-2------------------------------3----|
E|-----------------------------------------------------|

LH 2 4 3 4   4   3 2     4 1 4   4         3 2     
RH i p i p p p p p p i m m a m m i m i m p p p p

WWW.CHRISLIANG.COM
"Prelude #1 was originally written as an exercise for Bach's 
students and is probably one of the most famous preludes from 
"The Well-Tempered Clavier". In this exercise you can explore 
more on the plucking pattern "ppimaima" and how to make your 
guitar flow. 

Technique:
For the Right hand, it is pretty straight forward "ppimaima" 
going at a constantly speed. ppimaima consists of 8 successive 
notes plucked from the fingers. You cannot play this song with 
a pick no matter how awesome you are.  For the Left hand, 
it takes some practise. Since this is a piano piece, it
 translates onto the guitar fairly kindly except for 2 
monster chords I have marked in asterisk. Make absolutely 
sure you suspend the first 2 bass notes at all times. 

Tip:
Prelude consists of a series of arpeggio's. You now know 
arpeggios and patterns like "ppimaima" go together. Explore 
further by playing any chords you like with appreggios. 

--------------------------------------
Difficult Areas for the Left Hand
--------------------------------------
*
   II   
e|---------4-----4-|
B|-------4-----4---|
G|-----2-----2-----|
D|---2-------------|
A|-3---------------|
E|-----------------|

Take note of the pinky. It bars the last 
2 treble strings.

--------------------------------------
**


e|---------1-----1-|---------2-----2-|
B|-------0-----0---|-------1-----1---|
G|-----0-----0-----|-----2-----2-----|
D|---0-------------|---1-------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------|
E|-3---------------|-3---------------|

LH 4       2     2   4 1 3 1 2 3 1 2
RH p p i m a i m a   p p i m a i m a

The first bar seems awkward but it sets up 
for the 2nd difficult bar nicely.

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Bwv 846 - Prelude 1 In C

Johann Sebastian Bach