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#524089 07/21/04 12:55 AM
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I, for some reason, have an amazingly and unusually hard time playing Bach and I dont understand why. It is a different style than what im used to, but I want to improve 'my Bach'
Does anyone have any tips? I know not to use my pedal and detach quarter notes and such, i just need a litttle help if its possible to give

#524090 07/21/04 03:25 AM
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Quote
Originally posted by JimmyTownsend5:
I know not to use my pedal and detach quarter notes and such,
Who told you that?

What are you playing by Bach, and what problem(s) are you having?

#524091 07/21/04 04:33 AM
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You're not alone. Bach is very hard to play well. I'm not sure I can offer any tips, but I can give you a whole load of empathy smile

#524092 07/21/04 07:49 AM
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A simple concept which helps me, is to consciously focus on the left hand.

I learn it first. I memorize it. I accompany it with the right hand. That counterbalances the premise that the left hand accompanies the right hand that is found in most contemporary music, and you are probably used to. The left hand is as important to Bach as the right hand.


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#524093 07/21/04 09:14 AM
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Quote
Originally posted by liesle:
[QB] A simple concept which helps me, is to consciously focus on the left hand.
yes, that is if you're right handed, if you're left handed (or the dominant hand is left hand), focus on the right. Like she said, both hands ate important in Bach's works. Anyway, it would help if you would mention wat are you playing from bach- sinfonias? inventions? fugues?

#524094 07/21/04 09:17 AM
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Bach's music usually have 2 or more voice lines. so, if you do have difficult time to play Bach, you might want to start HS first and sort out a single voice line first before joining your hands together.

#524095 07/21/04 09:22 AM
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Better yet, master some of the two part inventions before attempting the three and four voice stuff. Forget that drivel about detached quarter notes and no pedal (I never use pedal but would never state categorically that it is wrong). You are not playing a harpsichord and there is no need to try to and make a piano sound like one. Bach sounds very good on a piano.


Better to light one small candle than to curse the %&#$@#! darkness. :t:
#524096 07/21/04 09:28 AM
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Bach is very difficult in that his LH and RH's don't necessarily follow patterns, even his scales can be unorthodox. The best advice I can give you is, practice one measure at a time. Drill the youknowhat out of each measure, then move on to the next measure. With the current French Suite I'm learning, I drill each measure until I can play it perfectly 8 times in a row. Bach is time consuming. It probably took me 2 whole hours just to drill my way through a single movement, like a Courante or Allemande. After one day of this you might still be terrible at the movement, but keep drilling it.

From then on it gets better, by the end of one or two weeks you should be able to play the entire movement through and through 8 times in a row without hiccup. At that rate you could learn an entire French or English Suite in the time frame of two months.

#524097 07/21/04 10:29 AM
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The best method I have of practicing Bach is simply really slow practice with the metronome and gradually increasing the speed. Also try to bring out the melody (or melodies) so they don't get lost amid everything else. If there are any particularly hard spots that consistently give me trouble, I work out the hands separately using alternating rhythms (like long/short/long, or long/short/short/long, etc) and then put the hands back together...works every time.

#524098 07/21/04 11:20 AM
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Selection of repertoire is also important. For some, jumping into a prelude and fugue can be murder if you haven't done some simpler things yet. Trying 3-part counterpoint without much experience with 2-part is also a recipe for frustration.


"If we continually try to force a child to do what he is afraid to do, he will become more timid, and will use his brains and energy, not to explore the unknown, but to find ways to avoid the pressures we put on him." (John Holt)

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#524099 07/21/04 12:28 PM
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What would you consider easy Bach starters? Ive been trying the French Suites...(its the only sheetmusic i have of him other than pieces in these essential piano rep. books) and i dont have a printer, but i have no problem with ordering something

#524100 07/21/04 12:37 PM
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usually, people play Bach in this order:

2-part inventions -> 3-part inventions -> WTC -> suites

#524101 07/21/04 12:52 PM
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Quote
Originally posted by signa:
usually, people play Bach in this order:

2-part inventions -> 3-part inventions -> WTC -> suites
Really? I have always thought of WTC to be more difficult than the suites.

#524102 07/21/04 01:28 PM
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I would consider them to be similar in difficulty. I think it's fair to say neither is easy. The thing about the suites that I have learned is that you get really really good at trills and all sorts of embellishments.


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