Week 1: A Guitar has Six Strings, Right? 
Welcome to the Main Thread for the first week of the transcription challenge! This is the place to discuss the Week 1 livestream.
- Make sure you've read the guidelines before replying (<- click)
- Watch the kickoff livestream for help with the first section!
If you want to describe your process (optional), feel free to use the following template.
- Things you found easy:
- Things you found difficult:
- (Optional): a video of you performing it!
- (Optional:) questions
↓ Reply below with your Progress Update and Questions! ↓
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I assume the intro sentence should read 'transcription challenge' rather than 'composition challenge'.
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Jack Stewart absolutely, thanks!
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Bach Sarabande (BWV 1012)
So, when does this challenge start? Ahh, never mind!
I thought I'd kick this thing off with perhaps the most transcribed composer of all time. This comes from his sixth cello suite, and it's probably my favorite movement from all of the cello suites. Hearing it played on cello just makes me cry (in a good way)!
You can easily find a bunch of versions of this for guitar online. What I'm playing comes mostly from a transcription I have by Luis Alvarez, but I made several changes. I'd probably play it differently each day, knowing me.
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Very nice Job Eric. Not nearly as familiar with this Suite as I should be. you have a very nice touch …Now I will have to listen again to the whole suiteEric Phillips
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Paul Kennedy Thanks, Paul. The Prelude is really rockin’! I love the Sarabande the most, which is almost always the case for me.
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Eric Phillips Haha, we expected nothing else from you!
What a beautiful rendition of this piece, as Paul Kennedy you found a beautiful color for this piece! Who would be your favorite cellist to perform that piece?
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Martin
i have an old box set of Rostropovich playing all six. I think he is my favorite.
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Martin Thanks, Martin! I am no purveyor of fine cellists, but I do really like Inbal Segev's version. She also has a great masterclass about the piece on YT.
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Eric Phillips great job - your playing inspired me to also make a recording of a Bach Transcription
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Olli I look forward to hearing it!
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Eric Phillips that's wonderful Eric. A beatiful piece and you play it so well. I like how you keep the flow and the emotion right through to the very end
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Derek Thank you, Derek!
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Eric Phillips Beautiful! If I may suggest a cellist, David Watkin has some gorgeous sounding Bach on an early instrument which I've found to be refreshing and inspiring. I think it's easily available on Spotify!
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Emmanuel Thank you, Emmanuel! I just listened to his performance of this Sarabande. Incredible! The longing quality of the music just pours out of every note he plays.
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Eric Phillips beautiful!!! First time I listen to this one!!!!
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Emma Thank you, Emma.
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Eric Phillips it’s very, very beautiful. I had to try this one, but I have a complicated transcription, with more bass notes, I can’t make it sound so smooth (yet?) as you are doing! Thank you for posting.
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joosje Thanks, Joosje. These slower Bach pieces for solo cello or violin are tricky to transcribe it seems to me. You want to be faithful to the original while taking advantage of the guitar's polyphonic ability. Also, with so much less sustain on the guitar, it really needs something added to fill the space. As much as I love playing pieces like this, I think I will always prefer them on the original instruments.
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Eric Phillips i 100% agree, but still, it’s so beautiful. I plan to submit an even slower part from the 3rd violin solo sonata,. It’s so tricky, but also a real challenge…
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joosje Great! I can't wait to hear your beautiful playing of that spectacular piece of music.
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Eric Phillips I came across this piece from a guitar review and I tried to search on youtube for other performances of this lovely piece and you came up
I don't really know much Bach pieces and this is such beautiful music and as always wonderful playing!
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don Thanks, Don! Does that make me a YouTuber now? Should I start monetizing (whatever that means, I’ve just heard other people say it)?
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I have seven
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joosje Hehe, show us what you can do with these strings in the context of transcriptions
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joosje I have 8
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