Help Transcribing Cello Suite No.1 in G Major for 7-String

[MetalandPot]

I found some sheet music for what I'm looking for (Prelude). I've heard the song played on Viola and I've heard the piece played in different keys. But none captures my attention like the deep happy sad resonance of a cello and something magical about that key?

I've never transcribed something note for note, but I think I might since I'm finding tons of sheet music.

My question. If I changed the key of the song to something my lowest string can tune to (Bb perhaps) will it still carry that feeling as if in G. I guess I can use something like MuseScore and hit Ctrl+A to select everything, then hit it to be in Bb (so my low open note is the tonic or root).

I just know my ears will miss something cuz they're not great yet.

 

[ElRay]

Subscribed to see where this goes.

 

[LordCashew]

During my undergraduate studies on classical guitar I played this suite on a 7 with the low string tuned to D and everything else standard. It sounds weird coming from electric but OG extended-range classicals often had lute-like "floating" bass strings that were tuned to convenient open low notes.

I've also played a bit of Bach on a 7 in drop D with low A, which allows playing lute music with bass notes in the correct octave. For this particular piece, you could use an easily-available guitar arrangement in D (like Duarte) and drop the bass notes down an octave wherever it sounds good. There is a long A pedal near the end that sounds really nice an octave down, resolving up to low D on the final chord.

 

[c7spheres]

This sounds way easier than it probably is. I worked out Bourree and it was hard for me, but I love the way the left hand moves on it. Took me like 40 hours to play it smooth all the way through for a 1 min song. I'm a much better player now because of it. Bach is a genius.

 

[LordCashew]

This is my favorite guitar arrangement, though the Duarte version I mentioned previously is quite similar. Like most guitar arrangements, it's in D. You can see a lot of places where the bass notes alternate octaves, and others where they can't like on C#. On a seven you could keep that going. Approaching the low D from a low C# sounds really cool.

Of course, you could take the whole piece down to a different key, but you would likely lose most of the convenient chord voicings you get in D. I would keep it in an easy key if possible. As someone who's played the whole suite in concert, I'll warn you that although it's easy as far as Bach goes, it's still harder than it sounds.

 

[mastapimp]

Michael Hedges did this one in G using his Harp Guitar.

 

[Lorcan Ward]

I started tabbing it and just had to stop, it sounds awful on guitar. Maybe I'm just to used to how it sounds on a cello. It loses all the expressiveness you get from playing with a bow.

 

[LordCashew]

Michael Hedges did this one in G using his Harp Guitar.

Cool! Can't believe I haven't heard this before.