E-|---Prelude No 1 in C----------------------------| A-|---Author:-JSBach-------------------------------| D-|---Transcription-by:Christian Liang-------------| G-|---E-Mail:christian.liang@gmail.com-------------| B-|---http://www.classclef.com---------------------| E-|---Enjoy!---------------------------------------| BWV 846 - Prelude No 1 in C - Well Tempered Clavier Book I I have included the left (LH) and right (RH) hand fingering. p = pulgar = thumb i = indice = index m = medio = middle a = anular = ring [1] e|---------0-----0-|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-| B|-------1-----1---|-------3-----3---|-------3-----3---| G|-----0-----0-----|-----2-----2-----|-----0-----0-----| D|---2-------------|---0-------------|---0-------------| A|-3---------------|-3---------------|-2---------------| E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| LH 3 2 1 1 3 2 4 1 2 4 1 2 4 1 4 1 RH p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a [4] * II e|---------0-----0-|---------5-----5-|-----------------| B|-------1-----1---|-------5-----5---|---------3-----3-| G|-----0-----0-----|-----2-----2-----|-------2-----2---| D|---2-------------|---2-------------|---0^4-----4-----| A|-3---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------| E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| LH 3 2 1 1 2 1 1 4 4 1 4 4 2 4 1 3 4 1 3 RH p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a p i m a i m a [7] e|---------3-----3-|-----------------|-----------------| B|-------3-----3---|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-| G|-----0-----0-----|-------0-----0---|-------0-----0---| D|---0-------------|-----2-----2-----|-----2-----2-----| A|-2---------------|-2^3-------------|-0^3-------------| E|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| LH 1 3 4 3 4 2h3 2 1 2 1 3 2 1 2 1 RH p p i m a i m a p i m a i m a p i m a i m a [10] e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| B|---------1-----1-|---------0-----0-|---------2-----2-| G|-------2-----2---|-------0-----0---|-------0-----0---| D|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----2-----2-----| A|---0-------------|---2-------------|---1-------------| E|-2---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------| LH 2 3 1 3 1 4 3 4 1 3 2 3 2 RH p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a [13] e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| B|---------3-----3-|---------0-----0-|---------1-----1-| G|-------2-----2---|-------0-----0---|-------0-----0---| D|-----0-----0-----|---0^3-----3-----|-----2-----2-----| A|---0-------------|-----------------|---3-------------| E|-1---------------|-1---------------|-0---------------| LH 1 3 4 3 4 1 3 3 3 2 1 2 1 RH p p i m a i m a p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a [16] e|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-| B|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|-------0-----0---| G|-----2-----2-----|-----2-----2-----|-----0-----0-----| D|-2^3-------------|-0^3-------------|---0-------------| A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| E|-----------------|-----------------|-3---------------| LH 2^3 2 1 1 3 2 1 1 2 1 1 3 1 1 RH p i m a i m a p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a [19] e|---------0-----0-|---------0-----0-|---------0-----0-| B|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---| G|-----0-----0-----|---0^3-----3-----|-----2-----2-----| D|---2-------------|-----------------|---3-------------| A|-3---------------|-3---------------|-----------------| E|-----------------|-----------------|-1---------------| LH 3 2 1 1 3 4 1 4 1 1 4 3 2 3 2 RH p p i m a i m a p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a [22]II III III e|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| B|---------4-----4-|---------3-----3-|---------3-----3-| G|-------2-----2---|-------5-----5---|-------4-----4---| D|-----4-----4-----|-----3-----3-----|---3^5-----5-----| A|---3-------------|---5-------------|-----------------| E|-2---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------| LH 1 2 3 2 4 3 2 4 1 3 1 4 1 1 4 1 1 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 RH p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a p i m a i m a [25] ** e|---------0-----0-|---------1-----1-|---------1-----1-| B|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|-------0-----0---| G|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----| D|---2-------------|---0-------------|---0-------------| A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| E|-3---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------| LH 3 2 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 4 2 2 RH p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a [28]I e|---------2-----2-|---------3-----3-|---------1-----1-| B|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---|-------1-----1---| G|-----2-----2-----|-----0-----0-----|-----0-----0-----| D|---1-------------|---2-------------|---0-------------| A|-----------------|-----------------|-----------------| E|-3---------------|-3---------------|-3---------------| LH 4 1 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 2 1 4 1 4 3 1 1 1 1 RH p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a p i m a i m a [31] III I e|---------1-----1-|----------------------------1------| B|-------0-----0---|---------5-----5----------1---1---1| G|-----0-----0-----|-------3-----3----------2-------2--| D|---0-------------|-----5-----5----------3------------| A|-----------------|-3-3--------------3-3--------------| E|-3---------------|-----------------------------------| LH 3 1 1 1 1 3 1 4 3 1 4 3 3 4 2 1 1 1 2 1 RH p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a p p p i m a m i m [33] e|-------------------------1---------------------------| B|---------------------0-3---3-0-3-0---0----------1----| G|-2---2-------------0---------------0------------0----| D|---3---3-0-3-0-------------------------0-3-2-0--2----| A|---------------3-2------------------------------3----| E|-----------------------------------------------------| LH 2 4 3 4 4 3 2 4 1 4 4 3 2 RH i p i p p p p p p i m m a m m i m i m p p p p WWW.CHRISLIANG.COM "Prelude #1 was originally written as an exercise for Bach's students and is probably one of the most famous preludes from "The Well-Tempered Clavier". In this exercise you can explore more on the plucking pattern "ppimaima" and how to make your guitar flow. Technique: For the Right hand, it is pretty straight forward "ppimaima" going at a constantly speed. ppimaima consists of 8 successive notes plucked from the fingers. You cannot play this song with a pick no matter how awesome you are. For the Left hand, it takes some practise. Since this is a piano piece, it translates onto the guitar fairly kindly except for 2 monster chords I have marked in asterisk. Make absolutely sure you suspend the first 2 bass notes at all times. Tip: Prelude consists of a series of arpeggio's. You now know arpeggios and patterns like "ppimaima" go together. Explore further by playing any chords you like with appreggios. -------------------------------------- Difficult Areas for the Left Hand -------------------------------------- * II e|---------4-----4-| B|-------4-----4---| G|-----2-----2-----| D|---2-------------| A|-3---------------| E|-----------------| Take note of the pinky. It bars the last 2 treble strings. -------------------------------------- ** e|---------1-----1-|---------2-----2-| B|-------0-----0---|-------1-----1---| G|-----0-----0-----|-----2-----2-----| D|---0-------------|---1-------------| A|-----------------|-----------------| E|-3---------------|-3---------------| LH 4 2 2 4 1 3 1 2 3 1 2 RH p p i m a i m a p p i m a i m a The first bar seems awkward but it sets up for the 2nd difficult bar nicely.