J.S. Bach’s Invention 14 BWV 785 arranged electric guitar & bass guitar in the key of Bb is a rhythmical work and a movement in which figuration is a substitute for ornamentation. Remember that the guitar and bass guitar are transposing instruments sounding an octave lower than written. There are some octave transpositions in the bass guitar part to keep to the range of the instrument. Guitarists have the choice of reading a notated or TAB score. TAB scores have a useful function because they locate the position of the notes on the fretboard although the same note can be played on different strings in different positions. The PlentyMusic TAB score is a literal translation of the score and not necessarily the best solution for playing the notes. Ornaments are omitted in this movement but are replaced by challenging and rhythmic figuration. Players need to have a vision and understanding of the phrasing needed before playing this movement. Bach’s music is from the baroque era in music history and presents the added challenge that there is generally minimal score detail in place in sheet music scores. The realisation plays back at 56 quarter note or crotchet beats to the minute. The music editor suggests playing the movement with an awareness of an eighth note or quaver pulse. An 8/8 time signature would in many ways be very appropriate for this movement. Accompaniments are in place allowing electric guitar and bass guitar players to participate in ensemble activities as part of practice routines. The electric guitar sounds on one side of the stereo channel and the bass guitar on the other. The accompaniment tracks play back at 52, 54, 58, 60 and 62 quarter note (crotchet) beats per minute. Accompaniment backing tracks are recorded with a dry acoustic to encourage accuracy in playing. There is one bar count in /click track at the beginning of the accompaniment tracks. There are generally similar approaches to playing this invention although instrumentalists should spend time listening to performances of the work by a range of musical instruments and instrument combinations on streaming media. The Bach Inventions are generally intermediate level movements when played on a keyboard instrument. The principle behind J. S. Bach’s two part Inventions is to take a musical idea or motive and then process it following the rules of good contrapuntal writing using the compositional processes of the baroque and at the same time referencing the closely related keys in the key journey. Inversion, repetition, sequence, transposition, rhythmic augmentation/diminution amongst other processes are evident in Bach’s inventions as most other music of the baroque period. J. S. Bach composed 15 Inventions in a collection dating from 1723 intended to introduce keyboard players to composition techniques of the baroque. They are excellent pieces for developing secure performing techniques whatever the instrument being played.
