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Bwv 997 Prelude

Johann Sebastian Bach

Text File

\---Song:-BWV997-Prelude--------------\
 \---Composer:-Johann-Sebastian-Bach---\
  \---Transcription-by:Christian Liang--\
  /---E-Mail:christian.liang@gmail.com--/
 /---http://www.chrisliang.com---------/
/---Enjoy!----------------------------/

==========================================================================
            BWV997 Prelude by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
==========================================================================

Lute
Time Signature| 4/4
Key Signature| A minor (Originally in C Minor)

[1]
e|-------------0---4-/-5-------5---|-------------0---4-/-5-------5---|
B|-------0-1-----------------------|-------0-1-----------------------|
G|-----2-------------------0======-|-----2---------------------------|
D|---------------------------------|-3======================-2======-|
A|-0=======================--------|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |       
L      2   1       4   4       4     3   2   1       4   4   1   4 


[3]     
e|-------------0---4-/-5-------5---|---3-1-0-------------------------|
B|-------0-1-----------------------|---------3-1-0-------0-------3---|
G|-----2---------------------------|---------------2-1h2-------------|
D|-0=======================--------|-0===============------3p2-------|
A|-------------------------3======-|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-----------------0==============-|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |       
L      2   1       4   4   2   4       3 1   3 1   2 1 2   3 2   4


[5]
e|-------------------0-----1p0-----|---1---------------1p0---3p1-0---|
B|-1p0-----------0-1---3-1-----3-1-|-3=======----0h1-3-----3-------3-|
G|-----2-----1-2-------------------|-----0-----2-----0=======--------|
D|-----------------3=======--------|---------0=======----------------|
A|-0======-3======---------0======-|-2=======----------------2======-|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |       
L  1   2   3 1 2   1   4 1 1   4 1   4 1       2   1 3  1  3 4     4
                   3                 2                       2

R                                    m a i   p i m   m a   m a   m i
                                     p               i       p

[7]                                                      I....  
e|-0---0-3-------3-------3-------1-|-0---0---0---0---------1---0-----|
B|---3-----0---0---1p0-1---3p1-3---|---3---1---0-------------------3-|
G|-----------2-------------0======-|---------------2-1---1---1---1---|
D|---------3======-2=======--------|-------------------4-------------|
A|-3=======------------------------|-3======-3======-2=======--------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------------------0======-|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |       
L  2 3   4 2 1   4 1   1 4 3 1 4 1   2 3   1 2     1 1 4 1 1 1   1 4
                   2                                 2

R                                    a m a m a m a i                
                                     p       p       

[9]                IV..              V..
e|-------0-5---8-------------0-----|-5-------------0-2======---------|
B|-1p0-1-------------5-4-------7-8-|-----0-----2-4-------------1-0---|
G|---------0=======----------------|---5---------------1-2---------2-|
D|-----------------4=======--------|---------4======-1======---------|
A|-0=======----------------7======-|-6=======----------------2======-|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |       
L  1   1   1   4   1 2 1   2   3 4   1 1     3 1 4   4 2 3   2 1   3
                                     2               1


[11]
e|-----0---0-----------2-0-2-------|---0-3p2-3---------2-5-----------|
B|---0---4---0-1---0-4-------0-1---|-0=======--0h1---0=======--1-0---|
G|-0-------------3---------------3-|---------------3---------------2-|
D|-2=======--------1=======--------|-2=======--------1=======--------|
A|---------2=======--------2======-|---------2=======--------2======-|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |       
L  2     4 2   1 4 1 4 2   3   1 4   2   4 3 4 0 1 4 1 2 4   2 1   3
                           2                 2


[13]                                                 II......VII.....
e|-----0-2-3==-2==-0---------------|---------------------------8-7---|
B|---0-----------------------0-1-3-|-1=======------0---------------10|
G|-0===--------------2-1-----------|-----------0-2---2======---------|
D|-2===----------------------------|---3-2-------------2-------------|
A|-----3==-0==-2==-3======-2======-|-0=======------------6-----------|
E|---------------------------------|---------3======-2======-7======-|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |       
L  2   3 2 4   4   3 2 1   2   1 4   1 4 2   3   2   1 1 4   1 2 1 4  
               2                                     1

R                                                    a m i
                                                     p
[15]    
e|-3-5-7-0-3-2-0---0-3-------------|-------0-2==---------0==---------|
B|---------------4-----------2-0---|-0-2-4==---------------------4==-|
G|---------------------3==-0-----3-|-------------2==-0===------------|
D|---------------------2==---------|-1==-4==-1==-----2===----4==-----|
A|---------0==-2==-3==---------4==-|-------------2==-----3==-0==-2==-|
E|-0==-3==-------------------------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  1 3 4   3p2 1 4 2 4 3     1 4 2   1 2 4   4   3   1   2   3   4
       1               1                 3   1   2               1
                               


[17]      
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-------------0---4-/-5-------5---|-------------0---4-/-5-------5---|
G|---------0-----------------------|---------0-----------------------|
D|-----2-4-----------------0======-|-----2-4-------------------------|
A|---------------------------------|-3======================-2======-|
E|-0=======================--------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L      1 3         4   4       4     2   1 3         4   4   1   4        

                                                             

[19]
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-------------0---4-/-5-------5---|---3-----------------------------|
G|---------0-----------------------|-----5-4-2-------------------2---|
D|-----2-4-------------------------|-----------5-4-2-1-2-4-----------|
A|-0=======================--------|-0==============-2====-3-2======-|
E|-------------------------3======-|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L      1 3         4   4   1   4       2 4 3 1 4 3 1 1 3 4 3 2   3       


[21]   
e|---------------------------------|-------------------1p0---0-------|
B|---------------------0---1p0-----|---1p0-------0-1-3-----3---3---0-|
G|-0======---------0h2---0-----2-0-|-2-----2-1h2-----------------5---|
D|---4-2-----1-2-4-----------------|---------0======-----------------|
A|-----------------3=======--------|-----------------2=======--------|
E|-0======-3=======--------0======-|-1=======----------------4======-|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L    4 2   3 1 2 4 3 2     1   2     3 2   3 1 2   1 4 1   4 2 1 4  
                                     1               2        
R                                                            a m i m
                                                             p

[23]                     
e|-------------------0-----1p0-----|---1p0-------0-1-3-6-5-3-5p3---0-|
B|---------------0-1---3p1-----3-1-|-3-----3-2h3-----------------6---|
G|-5-4-2-----1-2-------------------|---------0=======----------------|
D|-----------------3=======--------|---------------------------------|
A|-0======-3=======--------0======-|-2=======----------------4======-|
E|---------------------------------|-----------------0=======--------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  4 3 1   3 1 2   1   4 1 1   4 1   4 1   4 3h4   1 1 4 3 1 3 1 4
                   3                 2                       2


[25]                                             I..     III       
e|-------5-------5-------5-------3-|-1p0---0-1---1---------5---3---1-|
B|-6p5-6---2p0-2---3p2-3---5p3-5---|-----3-----3---1-----------------|
G|---------0=======----------------|-----------------3-2-3==-3==-3==-|
D|-0=======--------3=======--------|-0======-0======-----3==-2==-0==-|
A|-------------------------0======-|---------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------|-----------------3==-------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  4 3 4 3 1   1 4 3 1 3 4 3 1 3 1   1   3   1 3 1 1 3 1 1 4 3 4 3 1
                   2                                 2   1   1


[27]   
e|-0-------0---0---------3---1---0-|-----------------------1---0-----|
B|---3-1-3---1---------------------|-3p1---1-3==-3==---------------3-|
G|---------------3-2-0-2==-2==-2==-|-----3==---3---2-0==-0==-0==-0==-|
D|---------------------2==-0==-----|-------------------3-0==-----2==-|
A|-3======-3=======------------3==-|-1==-0==-----------------4==-----|
E|-----------------1==-------------|---------3==-1==-0==-------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  3 4 1 4 3 1   4 2   2 4 2 1 2     4 1 3 1 4 3 4 2   3   1 4   2 4
                   1   1       3     1       2   1


[29]   
e|-------------------------0======-|-------------------------0======-|
B|-2p0-----------------------------|---------3=======----------------|
G|-----2---------0---3p2-0---0-----|---2p0-------------3p2-0---0-----|
D|-----------2h3---------------3p2-|-3====-3---3-2p0-------------3p2-|
A|-0=====-0=======-4======-4======-|-0======-0======-4======-4======-|
E|-----------------0======---------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  3   2     1 2   3 2 1   3   2 1   2 1   2 3 2 1   3 2 1   3   2 1


[31]II                     I..
e|---------------------------------|-------------------------3p1-0==-|
B|---------3======-----------------|-----------4-3-2-3==-----------3-|
G|---2p0---------------------1-0==-|-0h1-0---0-----------2==---------|
D|-3====-3---3-2p0-1h3-1-0-1-----4-|-------4-------------0==---------|
A|-5=======--------------------0==-|-1==========-------------0==-0==-|
E|---------1======-3==========-----|-------------0==-1==-------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  2 1   2 4 3 2   1 4 1   1 1   4   1 2   4   4 3 2 4   2   4 1   4
   4       1       3


[33]                                             II..III............
e|-----1---------------0---5---6---|-----0-------------------4---5---|
B|-3-----3---------------6---------|---------------------4-5---------|
G|---------2---3-------------------|-------5-----2-------------------|
D|-0==========-0---0==========-0==-|---------6-----------------------|
A|---------------4-----------------|-3==========-3-2-3==========-3==-|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  4   1 4 2   2 3       4 3   4     1     3 4   1 1 1   2 3 2   4
                                                 2               1


[35]      
e|---3-1-0-------------------------|-------0-------0-------0---------|
B|---------3-1-0-------0-----3-1-0-|-1p0-1-------------------0---0-3-|
G|---------------2-1h2-------------|---------1---1---2p1-2-----2-----|
D|-----------------------3-2-------|---------0-4=====--------2======-|
A|-2===============----------------|-0=======--------3=======--------|
E|-----------------0==============-|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  2 4 1   4 1   2 1 2   3 2 4 1     1   1   1 4 1   2 1 2   2 3   4
                                                     3


[37] 
e|-----------------------0---------|---------------------------------|
B|-1-0---0-1---1-------------3---1-|-0======-0---0---------3---1---0-|
G|-----2-----2---0-----------------|---2-0-2---0---------------------|
D|-----------------3-2-3==-3==-3==-|---------------3-2-0-2==-2==-2==-|
A|-0======-0======-5==-3==-2==-0==-|-----------------3==-2==-0==-----|
E|---------------------------------|-3======-3=======------------3==-|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  1   2   1 2 1   2 1 3   3 4 3 1   3 2   2 3     4 2   2 4 2 1 2
                   4   2   2                         3   1       3


[39]       II.....     I..    
e|---------------------------------|---------7---------------7-------|
B|-----------------------1---0-----|---6/5-----6/5-----6/5-----6p5---|
G|-2-0---0-2==-2==---------------2-|-------7-------7-------7-------7-|
D|-----3==---3---2-1==-1==-1==-1==-|-6======---------6=====----------|
A|---------5==-3==-2-4-0==-----2==-|---------------------------------|
E|-1==-0==-----------------2==-----|-0======-0======-0=====----------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  2   3   1 2 1 1 1 4 1 1 1   1 3   2 3 1 3 4 2 1 3 2 3 1 3 4 3 1 3
   1       4   2   2       2   2


[41]
e|---------0---------------0-------|---------5======---------5-------|
B|-2-------------------------------|---4/3-----4/3-----4/3-----4p3---|
G|---3p2-0---3p2-0---3p2-0---3p2-0-|-------5-------5-------5-------5-|
D|---------------------------------|-4======---------4======---------|
A|-0==============-4==============-|-5======-5======-5======---------|
E|-----------------5==============-|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  2 3 1     3 1   3 2 1     2 1     2 1 1 4 4 1 1 4 2 1 1 4 4 2 1 4
                   4                 3       3       3


[43] 
e|---------------------------------|---------3---------------3-------|
B|-0-------3---------------3-------|---2/1-----2/1-----2/1-----2p1---|
G|---1p0-----1p0-----1p0-----1p0---|-------3-------3-------3-------3-|
D|-------3-------3-------3-------3-|-2======---------2======---------|
A|-----------------2=======--------|-3======-3======-3======---------|
E|-3======-3======-3=======--------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  3 1   4 4 1   4 2 1p  4 4 1   4   2 1 1 4 4 1 1 4 2 1 1 4 4 1 1 3
           3       3                 3       3       3       


[45]       
e|-------------1-------------------|---------------------------------|
B|-------2-3======-------------0-1-|-3======---------0======---------|
G|-2-0-2-------------2-1-----2-----|-------------1-2-----------------|
D|---------3======---------0======-|---3/2-----4---------------3-2-0-|
A|-----------------2======---------|---------2======---4-5-----------|
E|-1=======------------------------|-4======---------0======-4======-|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  2   3 4 4   1   2 3 1     3   2   2 1 1   2 4 1 4   3 4   3 2 1
   1       3                         3


[47]II.. 
e|---------------------------------|---------------------------1-0---|
B|---------------------0---0======-|-----1-0-1======---0-3---------3-|
G|-----2-1-2======---1---2---------|---2-----------------------------|
D|---2-------2-3-1-2---------2h3-1-|-2======---2-3-1/2---------------|
A|-3======-------------------------|-0======-------------------------|
E|-5======-0======-4======-0======-|---------0======-4======-0======-|
L  |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
   2 1 1 1 3 2 3 1 2 1   1 4 2 3 1   2 3 1   1 2 3 1 1   2     1   4
   4               4                                 3


[49]               III..       
e|---0-5-7-8==-7==-5======---0-1-3-|-1=======------0-----------1-0---|
B|-1-----------------3-------------|-----------1-3---3========-----3-|
G|---------------------6-----------|---3-2-------------2-1-----------|
D|-----3===--------3======-2======-|-0=======------------------------|
A|-0===----5==-6==-----------------|---------3======-2=======--------|
E|---------------------------------|-------------------------0======-|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  1   3 4 4   3   3 1 4   1   1 4   1 4 2   3 1 4   4 3 1     1   4
       1   1   2   1                                 2

R                  a m i
                   p

[51]       I..                                   VII................     
e|-----------1-0---0---0---0-6-5-4-|-5---0--10-8-7-----7-8---8-7-----|
B|-1-3-1-0-1-----4---6---4---------|--------------10-10---10----10-8-|
G|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------0==-|---------------------------------|
A|-0==========-2==-3===========----|-3==-0==-----7==-9==============-|
E|---------------------------------|---------0===--------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
L  1 3 1   1 1 2 4 1 4   2   4 3 2   4       4 2 1 4 4 1 2 4 2 1 4 2
                                     1           1   3
                                                     

[53]V............. II......
e|-----5---5-------5==============-|-4========---------------0---1p0-|
B|-7-8---7---8-7-5-4==============-|-5========---------0-1h3---3-----|
G|-5---------------4==============-|-4========-----1-2---------------|
D|---------------------------------|-0========-2-4-------------------|
A|-0==============-2==============-|-----------------3==============-|
E|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
   3 4 1 3 3 1 3 1 4                 2         2 4 1 2   1 4   4 1 
   1               3                 3               3
                   2                 1                
                   1
 
[55]
e|---------------------5===----4==-|-5===============---------------||
B|-3---0-----------1===----0==-----|-5===============---------------||
G|---5---2-1-----------------------|-5===============---------------||
D|-----------3-2-0-----3==-0==-2==-|-7===============---------------||
A|-----------------0===------------|-0===============---------------||
E|-4=======------------------------|--------------------------------||
   |       |       |       |         |       |       |       |   
   2 4   1 1 3 2   1   4       4     1
   3                   2       2     1
                                     1

===============
ADDITIONAL INFO
===============

BWV997 Prelude is definitely the hardest Bach piece i know and i have 
posted 25 Bach pieces so far in my blog. http://www.chrisliang.com

This piece is very intricate and beautiful at the same time. The challenge 
is all left hand with the multiple finger positions. Why i like bach above 
all is his usage of counterpoints. Multiple voices-abundant in this tune.
You have to hold the bass in every measure. (=======) 

Memorize all of it also because it is over 50 bars (page flip). It took me 
3 weeks to memorize. Good idea to break the piece into chunks. Give 
yourself time to work through the parts and then put it back together. 
I've browse through youtube to further understand the fingering. Free feel 
to change the tab. There are a lot of possibilities in left hand fingering, 
i have chosen the easiest way, best suited for me. Lastly, dont slur too 
much. Use pull offs and hammer ons only if you find right hand plucking too 
fast or awkward. 

-----
Notes
-----

[8][32][39][51] Hinged barred Chords. Flatten index to barre to sound note. 
Fast to deliver, save you one finger to sound the second note.

[11]-[12] Tricky Quaver double stops. (2 notes) with bass/treble. I often 
stumble here as I find it to be a finger tangler. Go slow at first.

[16][28][39] Semi quavers double stops. There are 3 of them that took some 
time to get familiar. Go slow to get familiar with the notes. 

[40][42] Holding a chord. In a C chord shape. slide index half step down 
(1 fret) as your pinky interchange between (e and g) strings. Keep the 
chord in place by using you thumb to firmly hold down the chord.
 
[46][47] Tricky left hand. My left hand feels hot after these bars because 
they are a lot of stretches and positions. I stumble here a lot as well.  

======
Legend
======
Left                       Right                   
p = pull off               p = pulgar = thumb  
h = hammer on              i = indice = index     
/ = slide                  m = medio = middle     
= = suspend/hold Note      a = anular = ring      


Nov 12, 2010

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Bwv 997 Prelude

Johann Sebastian Bach