why does the moon light sonata sound good on bass?

It sounds good on bass because it sounds good on anything because it's just plain good. Nothing mysterious here...

 

Different things appeal to different people. I don't care for bass tapping, Beethoven covers or otherwise. Why? It doesn't appeal to me.

 

You may be a blossoming star in the making...

 

Perhaps it sound nice on bass because of the way the arpeggios are spaced out somewhat - close harmony doesn't work as well on bass as other instruments (can get muddy), and this piece is very arpeggio-oriented.

 

Would love to hear a clip of your arrangement! How hard is it to play? Did you figure it out yourself or perhaps from tab? I'd love to see a good tab arrangement of it I could work on...

 

Thanks!

 

@bholder Several popped up on a youtube search. Here is one.

check the first part of this one too

 

Because it was clearly written for electric bass guitar.

 

Great musical pieces sound good on any instrument. A Bach piece sounds great with even a $10 recorder.

 

Bholder is absolutely correct; good music sounds wonderful regardless of the instrument used. I started on piano, and played it on piano first. As a solo bass piece the first movement is impressive. I think you'll find a vast array of fantastic bass material in what has historically been the classical repertoire. I don't know how familiar you are with the "Moonlight Sonata," and certainly do not want to patronize. I suspect there is more than one forum member that is not yet familiar with the piece. For those that don't know, there are three movements. Here is the third movement. I hope those that are not familiar enjoy it as much as I do; perhaps it will lead to one or more of you to look deeper into music from days of yore. If you like the first and third movement, search out the second, or the whole piece played by a competent player. You won't be disappointed.

 

These guys really make me look bad...

 

It’s a great song. I often try to push my bandmates to try our songs with acoustic guitars. There are some exceptions where Guitar parts are very percussive where it doesn’t work but it often does. I think great songs should sound good in both electric and acoustic settings. So maybe it’s a similar deal.

 

Maybe your friend needs a favor ? OK, in all seriousness to say it sounds better on bass tapping (no matter who plays it ) then on the piano is stretching a bit Don't you think! That master piece was created on a piano meant for piano not for tapping on bass! Not saying it's not possible or that it won't sound good on bass tapping, just saying i doubght very much it sounds better on bass tapping then on piano!
Or maybe the serious part is your friend really does need a favor and thinks kissing your ass just mite work.

 

Over the years, lots of classical music has been transcribed or adapted from the original instrumentation the composer intended to other instruments, and even other arrangements. Bear in mind that most classical music we hear today is played on modern versions of stringed instruments, and current pianos and pipe organs are light years beyond the clavichords that Bach composed on, much less the gutbag-bellowed pipe organs of his day that were actually driven by a couple guys in the bowels of the organ.

The Moonlight Sonata is one of those pieces most piano students (me included) work up, and is included in programs by touring classical artists as a bone to the the less astute in the audience, something 'everybody knows'.

The bass workup here is admirable, but nothing will replace a great artist sitting at a nine-foot Steinway or Yamaha CFX or Bosendorfer doing it right. Here is one of the great masters, the late Arthur Rubinstein (who I was fortunate to see twice as a kid), playing all three movements. It starts with the one most of us know. Just listen to the command of a master at work. Breathtaking.

 

Thanks - my mom used to play that movement, I'd forgotten all about it...

 

Wow you're on a tear tonight...