Classical pieces for electric bass

Just to give you a couple of ideas . . .

Bach Cello Suite #1 Prelude


Violin Partita No.3 In E Major


. . . and if you are a member of his web site (free membership), Talkingbass, he did a two week vlog learning Solfeggietto. And the sheet music (w/tab) is provided for this piece.

 

I'm working on Bach's Cello Suite #1, using a piccolo-strung 5-string so I can get that low C. I have the Prelude (more or less) and am partway through the Courante. The Allemande I find confusing: it's beautiful, and I listen to it with appreciation, but I can't seem to grasp the underlying structure, so I'm hesitant to try learning it.

B.

 

There is a Bach book for electric bass.
Joaquim DesPres I believe.
It's a knuckle buster.

 

I'll probably get flamed for saying so, but this is the sort of thing that kills any case for the bass guitar to be used for classical or baroque music. No dynamics, no form, no phrasing, just rat-a-tat-a-rat-a-tat-a. Just a series of individual notes, and not even the right ones in places.

 

Ask for lead sheets. Treble clef with chord name. Melody from the treble clef and do what you can with the chord notes.

 

I hate to admit it, but I agree. I've been listening to a lot of bass-range string instruments and pieces from the Renaissance period to the Modern, recordings featuring instruments like viola da gamba, violone, cello, double bass, and even lutes and theorbos for inspiration for a good number of years. I even bought my 6-string Ibanez SR506 a few years ago for this, and I think the electric bass guitar is rather underwhelming and ill-suited for this repertoire.

It doesn't really sing like a bowed instrument, and it lacks the dynamic subtleties of a lute, classical guitar, theorbo, etc...
Even listening to Dave Grossman, the #1 player playing JS Bach on electric bass is underwhelming - no offense to him or anyone playing Bach's suites and partitas on electric bass. But it just sounds awkward and rather strained.

I think our best bet as bass players is to try a baritone or "contrabass" classical guitar like this: or something to play classical, baroque and renaissance pieces on.

 

This is a great book for 'classical' type playing. Great melodic feeling. No reason to pick on ole Bach, and it is difficult. Try these. You won't be disappointed.

https://www.amazon.com/Melodious-Tr...=1586128540&sprefix=melodious+,aps,172&sr=8-6

 

Josquin des Pres - J.S. Bach for Bass
Great book. I own it and it's a must have for anyone interested in the subject.

 

I'm not sure I meant that the electric bass is entirely unsuitable, but it is so easy to find really poor examples that one might just start to believe it...

 

Good point.
I agree that electric bass can't match the articulation and dynamics of the cello or violin. And many attempts on EB sound pretty thin.
But that need not stop you from playing, or trying to. It's a fun challenge. And some pieces work better than others. Since it is an electric instrument we can take advantage of the various effects available. Just a bit of delay and chorus can add some meat to the bones.

By the way, the OP specifically asked about resources. This book is designed as a work book for baroque techniques on electric bass
https://www.amazon.com/Solos-Bass-G...=Solos+for+bass+guitar&qid=1586180293&sr=8-22

 

Couldn't agree more, and I love playing these pieces. What concerns me is versions that barely get the right notes out in the right order are being held up as exemplars.
YMMV

 

Just seen this video:



Trying to apply it to a (painfully) slow "Flight of the bumblebee". Guess it may work for improving technique.

 

Solo works and etudes for bassoon.

 

That's an excellent book for anyone who's interested in exploring the baroque/classical possibilities of the bass guitar. Lots of cool pieces at varying levels of difficulty, and a modest but helpful section on techniques. The author did a great job of finding repertoire material from a variety of sources.

The only issue is that the book comes in a binding that's impossible to lay flat on a music stand. I ended up cutting the pages away from the binding and putting them in a 3-ring binder using plastic sheet protectors. If you do this, note that the pages are A4 size, not 8.5 x 11 inches!

 

There is a difference between a note-secretary (the one who plays the notes) and a musician ( the one who plays the music)...

 

I bought the Suzuki books/recordings when I first got a fretless to help me with learning by ear.

 

I have nothing useful to add. I do think a 6 string would be helpful, you've got more notes within reach.

 

For a change, put on a Looney Tunes or other classic cartoon theme channel and try to play along with the melodies, and then try to come up with a reasonable bass line. A lot of up-tempo classical music, you've probably heard them a bunch of times, and just plain fun as well, and the melodies are a good exercise.

Here's one list: 15 Pieces of Classical Music That Showed Up in <em>Looney Tunes</em>

Edit: Here's two and a half hours worth from cartoons!

 

I can't believe this hasn't been mentioned yet!