Cello Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007 (prelude)

[ravner1976]

Personally I think this is really cool... but i can't help but imagining the look on Bach's face if this was played in front of him...

[JAIJJBold]

Awesome!!! Can you make a tab?

[RobrechtVdm]

@JAIJJBold I have! The Power Tab file I made is available at tinyurl*com/ql2lbd

(replace * with a dot)

[lizzielist]

How have people disliked this?!

[aeromaxmat]

Just epic !

[GarethWonfor]

awesome, I think Bach would have digged it!... would be even better with out the drum but still awesome!

[jmr1410]

i really don't know what to think, i mean, your performance is great, but in some times the drums sound just like crap. it seems thedrummer plays just because

[thecrazyToolfan]

dude bach was into metal!?! nice job man i like this vid....

[TheKobybryant24]

really crapy drums !! :/

[Blckspawn0]

Is their any way I could get tabs for this? I would transcribe the Sheet music, but I can't read notation very well.

[RobrechtVdm]

@Blckspawn0 Sure, I've posted my tab before (as a Power Tab file). Look for the link in the comments.

[darkknight5490]

dude... tutorial PLEASE!

[RobrechtVdm]

@darkknight5490 I'm afraid I don't have time to do a video tutorial. But everything you need is here already! I've posted the tab and the drum track, look for the links in the comments.

Here's a tip: start with an upstroke on the first note and continue alternating up and down for most of the piece.

[Ronaldreaganspotatos]

@RobrechVdm Did you write this arrangement yourself (if you think i mean did you write this song, no, i don't mean that. google musical arrangement)?

[RobrechtVdm]

@Ronaldreaganspotatos I wrote the arrangement myself. Actually it's more of a note-by-note transcription of the original score, since I didn't change anything musically. Biggest challenge was to lay out the notes so that they were playable on the guitar without insane jumps around the neck...

[TheAnthonyMicheli]

leave the drums out next time... you seem to play it really well. how 'bout playing it clean as not to interfere with the beauty and to demonstrate just how smoothly and accurately you're capable of performing it.

[RobrechtVdm]

@TheAnthonyMicheli I'd love to do that... if I ever find the time. This recording, with the drums and everything, is partly gimmick of course. The rigid tempo of the programmed drums leaves little freedom for actual expression. If I were to do a clean version, I'd put in much more effort to interpret the piece musically. But again... don't have the time for that right now.

[TheUltraDude]

badass :D

[Kyle28Fricks]

even though the drums aren't a real person...WOW! I'm impressed with your piece on the guitar with this classic! You did justice! BRAVO!

[MrScotty219]

You said you used and 7 string guitar, i want to learn this on guitar also, would it still be playable if i changed the key for a 6 string guitar?

[RobrechtVdm]

@MrScotty219 You mean by transposing it to one fourth higher, right? The thing is, I use all of those 7 strings, so you can't simply move the whole thing up one string without changing anything else (you'll run out of strings for the highest notes). But with a little creativity I'd say it should be possible by going higher up the neck for those highs.

I've posted my arrangement as a Power Tab file here:

tinyurl*com/ql2lbd

(replace * with a dot)

[PlusVeX]

Congratulations on having this featured on NPR. Search for "Zuill Bailey: Extraordinary Resonance", and this piece comes up in the beginning.

[benhomdav]

@PlusVeX yeah that was awsome

i found this afterword

[NGBigfield]

This is great!

[nullproperty]

this is beautiful!!!!1!one!!11lol111!

[eamyzzz]

awesome....

dude can u gimme the drum track to me...plzzz....

[RobrechtVdm]

@eamyzzz Alright, sorry it took so long but I made you an mp3 track of just the drums. Download here and have fun with it:

tinyurl*com/preludedrums

(replace * with a dot)

[eamyzzz]

@RobrechtVdm ahaha...i almost forgot about this...

anyway thanks a lot dude for the drum track...

really owe you =)

[RobrechtVdm]

@eamyzzz You're welcome! :-)

[silentwolf266]

sickkkkk

[pixithemis]

i just wrote a comment on someone's video with him trying to play this a rock version and didnt like it at all but u tottally changed my mind!

[FreezingSun14]

the drums are good, but this piece is in my opinion better without them. great job though, the guitar really sends it to the top

[TheOfficialRuffan]

I FUCKING LOVE IT :)

[yossiyxxx]

Really cooool !!!

and your drum arrangement is also great !

You are really a genius !

[TheUltraDude]

i freakin love this

[isukatlax]

im a diehard punk fan i mean electric guitar runs thru my veins and yet...i think id rather listen to the original any day...very good job tho 5 stars

[Splittergranate1]

Nice version, I like it.

[disturbed3693]

where did u get the tabs for this?

[RobrechtVdm]

I arranged this myself, based on the original cello score. The link to my tab is somewhere in the comments.

Wait, let me just copy it here:

tinyurl*com/ql2lbd

(replace '*' with '.')

[then00best]

This would be so much better with an actual drummer

[RobrechtVdm]

Yes! :-)

[kriox]

That was... really fun, in a very heretic way ;). Completely different from the one I just recorded.

[DarkSharingan777]

Excellent , very nice version

[TheUltraDude]

VERYYYY interesting interpretation of this music. I like..

[benzodiazapines]

well played. nice guitar. i wish they would stop using this great piece in commercials!

[TheUltraDude]

dear god, i agree SO MUCH... it's practically blasphemy.. this is IMO the most beautiful piece of music ever to exist.

[FordIsBetter]

nice job on the "remix". creative.

[RobrechtVdm]

I don't believe I, or anyone, could ever 'kill' Bach's music this way, except perhaps if one were to claim his is THE definite interpretation.

As to the criticism of sloppyness, I'm afraid that's true, although it's partly due to an overdose of distortion. But my execution could definitely be better. By the way -- and not meant as a challenge or anything -- I put up a link to the tab in an earlier comment. If anyone finds a better arrangement or picking strategy, I'm open to suggestions!

[RobrechtVdm]

Kids! No fighting! :-D

Thanks for both praise and criticism.

I never meant to rival the infinitely more beautiful cello renditions with this. Like I said earlier, it's just an exercise without any artistic aspirations. What it does show, to my ears, is that Bach's work shines in whatever context it's put in. I mean, it kinda rocks, no? :-)

Most parts of the cello suites are meant to be played in a fast pace, by the way. They're based on the rhytmic conventions of traditional dance styles.

[kriox]

"Most parts of the cello suites are meant to be played in a fast pace, by the way. They're based on the rhytmic conventions of traditional dance styles."

Yeah, except the preludes, they are more free-form, possibly as to "open up your ears" to what follows. The other ones, Allemandes, Gigues, Bourrées and what not are all based on dances, though they probably weren't meant to be danced to.

[RobrechtVdm]

You're absolutely right! Still, I feel my tempo's ok; it's even quite slow compared to what some of the great cellists do.

To me, the only problem with the tempo is that it's too rigid. Due to the pre-programmed drums, I didn't have much freedom to emphasize notes by giving them just a little more length, for example. It takes away some of the natural, "breathing" quality this piece should have, regardless of the overall tempo.

[stratthead]

Well I just meant in how it's executed. Same melody but we all play the same 12 notes, it's how you say something. I don't think alternate picking works well here, at least like this it's a little messy.

[carinrichardson]

you didn't kill it man you did great. don't listen to what they say the original song may be absolutely beauitul but this is the same song...

[stratthead]

It's kinda sloppy. Like jacob mentioned, it needs some feel. I think the alternate picking needs work, notes are overlapping and sounding too messy with distortion. Maybe try some economy picking or muting to clean up the sound.

[jacobcolemitchell]

dind't like it.

i mean, it was interesting.

but that peice is ment to be played slowly and beautiful.

you've killed that song-in a bad way.

[akiraacecombat]

suberb arragement mate, its was beatifull

[GuitarRafa78]

That was cool dude, is that your own arrangement?, i love it, please post link to the tab, i can not understand the one you posted below, cheers!!

[RobrechtVdm]

Unfortunately, YouTube won't let me post anything that looks too much like a link (because it could be spam).

I'll try again; just replace the '*' with a '.' in the following line:

tinyurl*com/ql2lbd

I wrote this arrangement for 7-string guitar but you can play most of it on a regular 6-string; only a couple of notes go below E. Have fun with it!

[RobrechtVdm]

Playing tip:

I recommend very strict alternate picking (up-down-up-down) throughout the whole piece. Start with an up-stroke on the first note and you should be fine.

[lodown31]

Great stuff, let me put a bass line on it!!!

[RobrechtVdm]

I'd love that. Let me know if you need anything!

[deathmetalguy2]

where 'd you get tabs?

[RobrechtVdm]

Tabbed it myself, based on the original cello score. You can download my tab at tinyurlDOTcomSLASHql2lbd (Power Tab file).

[deathmetalguy2]

thanx!

[kylechin]

Really great interpretation! The drum lines mesh nicely.

[internationalkid14]

omfg this is awsome

[HellaPala]

FUCK YES, dude I love it.

[caggua516]

wow

[thrashmetal1029]

great dude!

[DrakeRangoon]

imo take the drums out, i wish i could play like that. maybe even slow it down a little, i like this though such an awesome song

[RobrechtVdm]

Naaah!! The drums are what makes it COOL! :-D

Ok, in all seriousness, you're right of course, but I have no artistic aspirations with this. I can't match the cello in expressiveness so I just wanted my version to be... different.

And hey, if Rostropovich can play the piece inappropriately fast, so can I, right?!! ;-)

Anyway, thanks for the comments!