I’ve decided to try sequencing the Prelude from Bach’s Cello Suite No. 2, which I’m currently practicing. Interestingly, as I closely examine the score for this purpose, I’m beginning to notice the structure of the notes in a way I never did when I was simply practicing.
I remember when I had only been taking cello lessons for a short while, and my teacher said, “It’s about time you tried working on Bach’s Unaccompanied Suites. ”Back then, I was tirelessly following the melody of the Prelude from Suite No. 1, chanting “So-Re-Shi-La-Shi-Re-Shi-Re” over and over. Looking at where I am now, I’m honestly surprised at how much I’ve progressed.
For the past few years, I’ve mainly been sequencing Beethoven’s piano sonatas in MIDI, and thanks to the guidance of my pianist friend, I feel like I can now produce much more musical sounds compared to when I first started. Perhaps my musical brain has developed a bit? That said, as I mentioned earlier, sequencing solo string performances in MIDI is technically quite challenging. I’m currently working on Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9, Kreutzer, in parallel, and I’m really feeling the difficulty. Above all, it’s hard to find a sound library that truly captures the natural tone of a live violin. If anything, cello samples tend to sound a bit more realistic.