Bach Johann Sebastian - Toccata And Fugue Tabs

Toccata (and Fugue) in Dm
BWV 565
by Johann Sebastian Bach (the greatest composer who ever lived)


Submitted by:  Ben Pratt
jaminben@aol.com

I have seen a few transcriptions of this song in =

the Guitar/Tab directory, and I would like to =

submit my version.  Unlike the other transcriptions =

I have seen, this one is in Dm, but it is virtually =

impossible to play the Fugue in Dm, with the =

counterpoint, on the guitar, so this is simply the =

Toccata.  I was originally turned on to this piece =

by the obscure heavy metal band 'Cirith Ungol' who =

has a version of this song on their CD 'King of the =

Dead'.  My version is very similar to theirs, except =

that mine is for solo guitar whereas theirs was for =

two guitars and a bass. I think they also used an ebow, =

which gave the song a neat tone.  The piece is written =

in Common Time(4/4) and begins Adagio.  One thing to =

keep in mind is that adagio in the Baroque Period =

was faster than that in following eras, so it should =

be played at about 80bpm.  In measures six - eight, =

the rhythmic pattern is 16th triplet, 16th triplet, =

16th triplet, 16 duple, 16th triplet, 16th triplet, =

16th triplet, 16th duple.  It gives the section a very =

forced sound and adds to the feeling of solemnness =

that horror movie composers have liked for so long.  =

Measures 9-13 are the most difficult of the whole song.  =

I have tried tapping it, but it presents the problem of =

running up and needing to be picked at the beginning of =

each run with another finger.  If anyone can find an =

easier way to play it, please let me know.  Their are =

also 4 or 5 measures near the end that I did not include =

because it sounds very weak without both staves and is =

impossible to play without 2 guitars.  One other thing =

to keep in mind is that the rhythm sounds very broken =

because it is riddled with fermatas and other devices.
Instead of worrying about the time, play it how you =

think it should feel.  Oh yeah, drop the low E to a D.  =

I hope you enjoy it and I would appreciate any comments.





E--17--15--17---------15--13--12-------------------------|
B---------------------------------15--14--15-------------|
G--------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------|
A--------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------|


E--------------------------------------------------------|
B--10--8--10---------------------------------------------|
G---------------------9----10----------------------------|
D--------------------------------11----12----------------|
A--------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------|


E--------------------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------------------|
G--------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------|
A--12--10--12--------10--8--7----------------------------|
D------------------------------12--11--12----------------|


E--------------------------------------------------------|
B--------------------------------------------------------|
G------------------------------------6-----9-------------|
D----------------------5-----8---------------------------|
A--------4-----7-----------------------------------------|
D--0-----------------------------------------------------|


E--2-----3----0----2-------------------------------------|
B--3-----------------------------------------------------|
G--2--------------------------------------------------6--|
D--0-----------------------------------------------------|
A--------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------|


E--------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------6--8--5--6--8--5--6
G--7--9--6--7--9--6--7--9--6--7---9----------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------


--------------------|
--8--5--6---8-------|
--------------------|
--------------------|
--------------------|
--------------------|


E--------------------------------------------------------|
B--10--11--8--10--11--8--10--11--8--10---------------14--|
G--------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------|
A--------------------------------------------------------|
D--------------------------------------------------------|


E------------------------------------------------
B--15--17--14--15--17--14--15--17--14--15---17---
G------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------


-13--15--12--13--15--12--13--15--12--13---15--|
----------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------|
----------------------------------------------|





E--17--18--15--17--18--15--17--18--15---17----17--|
B-------------------------------------------------|
G-------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------|
A-------------------------------------------------|
D-------------------------------------------------|

                                            =

E--15--18------15--18----------17----------17-----
B----------17----------17--18------15--18------15-
G-------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------


------15----------15-----------------------------|
--17----------17----------15--18------15--18-----|
----------17----------17----------15----------15-|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|
-------------------------------------------------|


E-------------------------------------------------
B------17----------17----------15----------15-----
G--17------14--17------14--15------12--15------12-
D-------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------




------------------------------------------------|
------13----------13----------11---------11-----|
--14----------14------10--12------9--12------9--|
----------15------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------|


E-----------------------------------------------
B------10---------10--------8--------8----------
G--10------7--10------7--9-----6--9-----6-------
D-----------------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------------

------------6-----------------------------------|
------------8-----------------------------------|
------------6-----------------------------------|
------------0-----------------------------------|
------------------------------------------------|
--0---------------------------------------------|


E--18--17--15---------------------------------
B--------------18--17--15---------------------
G--------------------------18--16--18--14--18-
D---------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------

       ^  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^  ^
-----15-13-15-13-15-13-15-13-12|
-17----------------------------|
-------------------------------|
-------------------------------|
-------------------------------|
-------------------------------|


E--5----------------------------------------
B--6----------------------------------------
G--7----------------------------------------
D--7----------------------------------------
A--5----------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------


-------------------------15------|
-15--17--18--15--17--18------17--|
---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|
---------------------------------|



E----------15--17------15--17--18--15--17-
B------18----------18---------------------
G-----------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------
A-----------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------


-----15----------------------|
-18------17--18--15--17--14--|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|


E-------------------------------------
B--15---------------------------------
G-------14--15--12--14------12--------
D----------------------15------14--15-
A-------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------


-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|
------12---------------------|
-12------14--15--12--14--11--|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|


E-------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------
D--12---7---8---5---7-------5---------
A-----------------------8-------7---8-
D-------------------------------------


-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|
------5----------------------|
--5-------7---8---5---7---4--|
-----------------------------|


E--------------18--------------17---------
B----------18------18------17------17-----
G------15--------------14--------------12-
D-----------------------------------------
A--5--------------------------------------
D-----------------------------------------


------15------------------17--------
--15------15------14--16------------
--------------14--------------------
------------------------------------
--------------------------------5---
------------------------------------


E------------------------------|
B------------------------------|
G--3-----------2-----------0---|
D--3-----------2-----------0---|
A--------0---------------------|
D--------------------5---------|


E--0------------18--------------17------------
B--2--------18------18------17------17--------
G--2----15--------------14--------------12----
D--2------------------------------------------
A--0------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------


------15------------------17--------
--15------15------14--16------------
--------------14--------------------
------------------------------------
--------------------------------5---
------------------------------------


E------------------------------|
B------------------------------|
G--3-----------2-----------0---|
D--3-----------2-----------0---|
A--------0---------------------|
D--------------------5---------|


E--0------------------------------------------
B--2------------------------------------------
G--2---14--12---------------------------------
D--2-----------15--14--12---------------------
A--0-----------------------16--14--16--12--14-
D---------------------------------------------

-----------------------------
-----------------------------
-----------------12--14--12--
-----12--14--15--------------
-16--------------------------
-----------------------------


------------------------------|
--------------------------14--|
----------------------14------|
--15--14--15--12--15----------|
------------------------------|
------------------------------|


E-------------------------------15--17--18----
B--15-----------14--15--17--18----------------
G-------14--16--------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------


--------------------------------------0-------
--------------------------------------2-------
--------3-----------2-----------0-----2-------
--------3-----------2-----------0-----2-------
--5-----------0-----------------------0-------
--------------------------5-------------------

--------------18-------------|
----------18------18---------|
------15---------------------|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|
-----------------------------|


E----------17--------------15-----------------
B------17------17------15------15------14--16-
G--14--------------12--------------14---------
D---------------------------------------------
A---------------------------------------------
D---------------------------------------------


-17-----------------------------0---4--|
--------------------------------2---3--|
---------3-------2--------0-----2---4--|
---------3-------2--------0-----2---3--|
-----5-------0------------------0------|
----------------------5----------------|



E--5--------------------------15---18-
B--5----------------14---17-----------
G--5------16---14---------------------
D--5----------------------------------
A--5----------------------------------
D--5----------------------------------


-17--15----------------------
---------18--17--18--17--15--
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
-----------------------------
-----------------------------



--------------------------------------|
--14--15------------------------------|
----------17--15--14--12--------------|
--------------------------15--14--12--|
--------------------------------------|
--------------------------------------|


E--3----------------0--------0--------|
B--2----------------2--------3--------|
G--3----------------2--------2--------|
D--2----------------2--------3--------|
A-------------------0--------0--------|
D-------------------------------------|


E--3------------------------------------------|
B--3-------------5----------------------------|
G--3-------------6----------------------------|
D--5-------------5----------------------------|
A----------------0----------------------------|
D------7-\-5--------------14--15--12--14--11--|


E-------------------------
B-------------------------
G-------------------------
D-------------------------
A-------------------------
D--12--9--11--8--9--7--8--



----------0----1----1----0--|
----------2----3----3----3--|
----------2----2----2----2--|
----------2----0----0----0--|
----------0--------------0--|
--6--7-------------------0--|



E--0----3----1----0----1-------------------|
B--2-------------------3-------------------|
G--2-------------------2-------------------|
D--2-------------------0-------------------|
A--0-------------------0-------------------|
D----------------------0-------------------|


J.S.Bach: toccata and fugue in D-minor
Parts from this famous piece arranged for guitar (solo, classical)

So far three different arrangements were published at OLGA for this piece,
this file contains many new elements compared to them.
the arrangement is at several places for classical guitar
at other places for solo-guitar.
0/                            0//
/0  means repeat last bar     //0 repeat last two bars

====================toccata===========================
...
6-5------------------
5--865----586~8-5-6--
6-----76-6--------7--
0-------7---------7--
4-----------------5--
---------------------

-------------15----1517--1517181517--15------------------------------
-151718151718--1718----18----------18--171815171415------------------
---------------------------------------------------1415--14----------
-------------------------------------------------------17--15171415--
-------------------------------------------------------------------17
---------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------
-171415--14-------------------------------------
-------17--16171213--12----------10-------------
-------------------15--1315121310--12131012910--

----------------------5-------------------5---|--|
-----12-----10---8---5--------11---10---8-5---|--|
---11--11--9--9-7-7-6---------10----9---7-6---|0/|
-12------10----8---7-------12----7----8-------|/0|
----------------------------------------------|--|
---------------------------10----8----6---5---|--|

---------------------------------------------------------------131517(b)18
---------------------------------------------------15----141517-----------
-(14)----------------------------14------------1418--1416-----------------
-----171514----------------141517--17151415--15---------------------------
-----------17161416--151617----------------17-----------------------------
-------------------17-----------------------------------------------------

...

-------6--5---------------3---
------8----86565----------5---
----69----------7675------3---
-9-7----------------875---5---
-----------------------8754---
--------------------------3---

==============fugue===============

-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-
--8-6-5---------5-6-------------5--
----------7-6-7-------4-6-7-6-7----
--------------------7--------------
-----------------------------------
-----------------------------------

this part is not very playable
---10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10--10-
-----13--11--10--------------10--11--------------------------10---
-10--11--12------12--11--12--------------9---11--12--11--12-------
-------------10--------------10--12--12---------------------------
-----------------13--12--13----------9---10--12--13--12--13--9----
------------------------------------------------------------------

my favourite part:
-----10------10--|11----11----|----8-------8---|10---10---|6---6---|9---9-----
-11------11------|---8-----8--|10------10------|---6----6-|--8---8-|--5---5---
---12--12--12--12|--8--8--8--8|--10--10--10--10|--7-7--7-7|-9-9-9-9|-6-6-6--6-
---------12--12--|10-10-10-10-|10--10--10--10--|8--8-8--8-|8-8-8-8-|7-7-7-7---
-10--10----------|------------|----------------|----------|--------|----------
-----------------|------------|----------------|----------|--------|----------

-5---5---|--------|--------|---------
---6---6-|8---8---|6---6---|5---5----
--7-7-7-7|--6---6-|--7---7-|-0-0-0-0-
---------|-8-8-8-8|-7-7-7-7|--8---8--
-8-8-8-8-|7-7-7-7-|5-5-5-5-|7-7-7-7--
---------|--------|--------|---------


...
from here in solo-guitar style
-----------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------10-------
---10------9-------------------7--------------------1211...
-----131211---11--131210913--9--108710-7--10---------------
-10---------12-------------10---------9-----131213---------
----------------10------------8---------10-----------------

-17--------------|--|15--------------|--|
---181718--181718|--|--17151713171517|--|
---------17------|0/|----------------|0/|
-----------------|/0|----------------|/0|
-----------------|--|----------------|--|
-----------------|--|----------------|--|
...

-13151312--------|--------131713-------------------
---------151312--|------15------15-----------------
---------------14|161216--------------------14-----
-----------------|------------------------15--15---
-----------------|----------------14--1417------17-
-----------------|------------------15-------------

---------121512-------------------
-------13------13-----------------
-151215--------------------12-----
-------------------------14--14---
-----------------13--1315------15-
-------------------15-------------

-----------13--------------------|-------9129------------------|
-------1315--15------------------|-----11----11----------------|
-14--14--------15----------------|12912------------------------|
---15--------------------121512--|---------------------111411--|
-----------------12--1215------13|-------------10--1013------13|
-------------------13------------|---------------12------------|

------6----------|------10-----------|---|----696---------|
----58-85--------|---610--106--------|---|---8---8--------|
-6-6-------------|7-7-------------7--|0//|969----------6--|
--7----------585-|-7-------------7-7-|//0|-----------58-85|
---------4-47---7|-----------5058---8|---|--------747-----|
----------5------|-------------------|---|----------------|

---------101310------------|---|-------9129------------------|
---------------------------|---|-----11----11----------------|
-10--1014------14-----7107-|0//|12912------------------------|
---12----------------7----7|//0|---------------------111411--|
-----------------8--8------|---|-------------10--1013------13|
------------------10-------|---|---------------12------------|

-----------13----|----------------|----------|------------------------|--|
---------15--15--|----------------|----------|------------------------|--|
-14--1418------14|151915----------|-7--------|--------151412--12------|0/|
---15------------|------17151915--|8-8---7---|1211--11------15--151412|/0|
-----------------|--------------17|---108-8--|----14------------------|--|
-----------------|----------------|--------10|------------------------|--|

---------------1312-------------
---------121415----15...--------
-----1214-----------------------
-1415---------------------------
--------------------------------
--------------------------------

---151718--------------------------------------------------------|
-18------------15--151618--------------15--------------13--------|
---------141517--17----------1415141517--1412----121415--12------|
-------------------------1517----------------1513----------151312|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|
-----------------------------------------------------------------|

-----------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------
---121415--------------------------------------------------------
-15------------12--121315--------------12------------121312------
---------121315--15----------1213121315--151312--1315------151312
-------------------------1315------------------15----------------

----------------------------
----------------------------
-------11----------121415..-
---1214--1312----15---------
-15----------1513-----------
----------------------------

---------------------------------|------------------------------------------
---------------------------------|----------------------8--8----------------
---------------------------------|------7--7-979--109107-10-9------7--7-----
------------7--7------979--------|109107-10-9---10-----------109107-10-96-6-
-1081077--7--10-8878-----10108107|---------------------------------------9-7
--------10-8--------10-----------|------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------578...---
-------------------------------------------------8---------
-----------------------------------------------------------
-109107-----979-7--7-6-6-----------------5---75------------
-------878-------10---8-7----532-75--875--875--87----------
----------10---8----7----8754---5--87---8------------------
arranged by Pinter Denes
(dpinter@eik.bme.hu)