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Bach Prelude in C Minor

Piano Tutorial

Please note, this piano tutorial is only suitable for you if you already know how to read music and are beyond the basic levels of piano playing. E.g. it helps if you are up to or past grade 3 level. If you are a complete beginner, try my beginner's tutorials instead.
Here is a video demonstration of Prelude in C Minor by Bach, on the piano:
Here is a free PDF of the sheet music: Bach Prelude in C Minor
Preview:
Bach Prelude in C Minor Sheet Music Preview
This piece of music consists of repeated broken chord patterns throughout. In order to train your fingers to move to the correct keys quickly enough, it can be helpful to practise the piece as block chords. For example: For the first bar of the right hand, instead of playing C Eb G Eb C Eb C C C in quick succession as written, just play C Eb G as a chord, and follow the same principle for each new bar. This helps you to learn the correct hand positions and have your fingers ready and placed over the notes you need to play for each whole bar, so that you are better able to anticipate the notes and play them quickly enough. You can also do the same with the left hand, because each bar consists of a broken chord too (apart from the last two bars).

As this piece of music is in C minor, it can be helpful to practise C minor scales, both melodic and harmonic versions. This will help you to remember which flats and accidentals to play. It can also be useful to practise any related scales, e.g. the relative major, which is E flat major.

In my video above, I have performed the piece with added dynamics (variations in loudness and softness) which add expression and interest to the sound. When you play it, listen to the sound, the changes of harmony, any building up and release of tension, and the direction the music is going. See if you can feel where a build up or fading of the volume would sound good, or any sudden contrasts.

In J S Bach's time, the Baroque era, this piece would have been played on a harpsichord which didn't have the same capabilities as a modern piano - it wasn't capable of the dynamic gradations of tone that can be achieved on the piano. Interest was added to Baroque keyboard music by other means, such as articulation details and ornamentation. If you are playing this piece on a piano, you can make the most of the piano's capabilities by adding expressive details in the dynamics.


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Qualified graduate piano teacher.
Fellow of The Independent Society of Musicians.
More than 25 years of experience teaching piano and music theory in person and online.
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Videos
  • Articles & Tutorials
  • About
  • Fees & Payments
    • Fees
    • Make a Payment
  • Learn Online
    • Beginner's Piano Lesson Package
    • Classical Compilation
    • Free Downloads
    • How to Play Fast eBook and Studies
    • Instruction Video and PDFs - Berens Study in A Minor
    • Music Theory Tutorials
    • Online Music Theory Lessons
    • Online Piano Lessons by Video Exchange
    • Piano Tutorials
    • Skype/FaceTime Lessons
    • Shop
    • Zoom Lessons for Adults
    • Zoom Lessons for Children
  • Contact