Classical music suitable for playing on bass...

[So Low Bass]

I think terminology is the difference here.

Think of a key in terms of a three-story house. The music starts on the ground floor and moves within the three floors and in-between, perhaps jumping floors. The size and shape of the house can be the form of the piece. Now, there’s a house next to it, with three floors and the music now modulates to that house. Perhaps there’s a third house etc…

I THINK we’re saying the same thing. Just because a piece modulates to a new “house” and ends there doesn’t mean the ground floor of the new house isn’t tonic... the new tonic. The old house tonic is only a memory. True, Handle, Palestrina and co. began and ended their multi movement pieces in the same house; Haydn, Mozart, Mahler, etc started their movements in different houses, BUT always in the same neighborhood…related keys.

What I’m saying to FA is Bach didn’t invent, but embodied the three floor house…I, IV, V and to absorb as much Bach as he can. Blues, folk, rock, and a great deal of jazz are built on it and rarely modulate to new houses. The one thing rock contributed was a fourth floor: the double plagal cadence…what I hear as VIIb chord…C, Bb, F, C for example.

The experiment of the serial composers… would have baffled Bach.

So FA: The question one man asks is more revealing than another man’s answer. Listen AND play!!

 

[sedgwick1489]

Here are links to a couple of classical pieces I've worked up. The first one is Bach's Invention #13 in A minor. The second one is from Handel's water music. I did this with two of my guitar playing friends. Lots of good stuff in the classical genre that lays well on bass.

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Good luck!

 

[NoobOnRoad]

One guy I know (Yannick Racine) is what I consider a Classical Electric bassist. He is a virtuoso, and the only problem is that I nerver filmed him.

But one piece he arranged and played on his bass(5 string bongo 2008 LTD) is La ronde des Lutin. And guys, I heard it 2 times and I ****ed in my pants the 2 times I heard him play it!

 

[groooooove]

depending on how much of the original music you want to keep, will decide weather this is doable or not.

i've played small parts of beethoven 6th "arranged" for 6 string electric bass, just in block chords and the important melodies. but i was only able to do so because i know the score, and ive played the piece in orchestras before. without an understanding of the piece, i wouldent say to "not dare try it," but i think all you'll be able to do is figure out melodies by ear, wich is a little less fulfilling than digging into a symphony score.

and dont run too quickly away from the bach cello pieces. theres a lot of reasons why theyre so popular. or any cello pieces, really.