Learning arranging/transcribing

Hello Tonebase, Tonebasers,
My name is Joost from the Netherlands, and I am enjoying all of your content!
My passion lately has been arranging/transcribing classical pieces for classical guitar. I'm loving it. A great way to engage with my favourite music. I'm relatively new to this game, my background is in many other genres but classical, so I am eager to educate myself. This is my wish list. Maybe someone can give me some pointers...?

  • I am looking for resources on arranging for classical guitar. Any books maybe? I very much enjoyed the workshop by Koen Claes! Are more workshops on this topic planned? Or maybe a Challenge?
  • I'd love some professional feedback on my arrangements. Any idea where to get that?
  • I have some specific questions about notation: regarding multiple voices, and also note length. Does anyone know resources that deal with the topic of notating for classical guitar? Or maybe for piano, which shares similar characteristics.
  • What's a good platform for sharing my arrangements? I heard about Musescore. Is that the place to be?

I published my first completed arrangement on YouTube, as midi playback, with a download link for the sheet music. (Aria from cantata 'Widerstehe doch der Sünde' by Bach). I could paste a link here, but I'm not sure what the policy on sharing links is here.

All the best,
Joost

8 replies

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    • Brooke
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    There was a great composition livestream given a few months back here on ToneBase that you may like checking out.   Look it up!

      • Johabe
      • 4 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Brooke Do you mean the Composition Challenge series?

      • Head of Guitar
      • Mircea
      • 4 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Johabe Hi Joost! Happy to hear you've been enjoying tonebase.

      Yes, I assume Brooke meant to composition challenge series - based on your reply, I think you already know about it, but just in case, here are the links to it:

      Otherwise, we have more composition and arrangement workshops coming up - at least a couple of them with our very own Ashley Lucero, who hosted the composition challenge series.

      • Johabe
      • 4 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Mircea Thanks for your reply, that's great to hear Mircea. About the series you mention: is notation among the topics? I often struggle with notating multiple voices, and also with note length. Specifically: choosing to notate the actual note length when played on guitar, or the musically intended note length. Often a note is sounding shorter than notated, because of fingering. This must be a common challenge in notating for guitar, I think.

      • Head of Guitar
      • Mircea
      • 4 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Johabe My pleasure, Joost!

      I don't think that particular topic is explained in a lot of detail in this series, although I personally mentioned it in some of my previous technique and music reading livestreams.

      Generally, a compromise will be reached, where rests will only be written in places where it is important for notes to be stopped, or where the composer wants to inform the player that there is no need to struggle to find a fingering that would maintain a long note.

      Since it's one of these things that must be decided on a case-by-case basis, it's quite hard to give a general rule that's any less vague than that. But I hope this helps at least a little bit!

      • Johabe
      • 4 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Mircea Yes it helps, thank you. If only because I realise I'm not alone in this :)

      'inform the player that there is no need to struggle to find a fingering' is certainly a helpful perspective to me. 

      • Head of Guitar
      • Mircea
      • 4 yrs ago
      • Reported - view

      Johabe wonderful! Happy to hear.

    • Johabe
    • 4 yrs ago
    • Reported - view

    Thanks, I will check it out!

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