I love it when I whip out a new piece that I enjoy playing. Inspired by JS Bach’s C minor Prelude from The Well-Tempered Clavier, I’ve mimicked that same motoric motions at a lower tempo for the high G ukulele. “Little Prelude” will be the first piece in my sixth book in the Pick Pluck Play! Series – Take on Bach – to celebrate his 341st birthday in March.
This “Little Prelude” for high G ukulele is inspired by the solo piano prelude in C minor in the first book of The Well-Tempered Klavier. Johann Sebastian Bach wrote two such books of prelude and fugues, for the 12 major and 12 parallel minor keys – altogether 24 pieces in each book.
The Fine Print
It is possible to play this entire piece using two fingers of the right hand (RH). However, I wouldn’t suggest using pima fingers (one finger for each string). Instead, using three fingers (p, i, m) is ideal.
For those unfamiliar with the terminology, these four letters represent the first letters of the fingers in Spanish. We use them to avoid confusion with the numbered indicators for the left hand.
- p = thumb
- i = index
- m = middle
- a = ring
Furthermore, using the optimal left hand (LH) finger for fretting helps ease transitions between notes. The little numbers below the music notes are left-hand finger indicators.
- 1 = index finger
- 2 = middle finger
- 3 = ring finger
- 4 = little finger
Additionally, I use abbreviations for left hand techniques (LHT) to move from one note to another. For example,
- ho = hammer-on, where the second note is higher pitched (hence a higher fret) than the first
- sl = slide, literally slide your finger that’s already on a string and a fret to another location (same string)
Finger Sliding Motion
The second line (also known as a system) of this piece is particularly interesting for the left hand. To ensure accuracy, I always recommend sliding instead of flying. By maintaining contact with the fretboard, you’ll avoid getting lost.
To begin, press your left ring finger on the 7th fret. You can either leave it there as an anchor while using your middle and index fingers for the 5th fret, or you can perform a sliding motion.
In particular, try sliding your left ring finger from the 7th to 5th fret. Furthermore, you should repeat this motion from the 5th to the 3rd fret to produce a smooth, connected sound.
By doing so, you can easily transition from the 3rd to the 2nd fret. Next, move your index finger from the 2nd to the 1st fret before dropping your middle finger on the C-string 2nd fret. Finally, I’ve indicated a “sl” for the last two notes of the 8th measure to guide the ring finger from the 3rd to the 5th fret.
C Minor Prelude in The Well-Tempered Clavier Book I
The C Minor Prelude (BWV 847) is intense and nonstop. Most recordings show the piano playing at very high tempo. Click on the image below to get the full piano score from IMSLP.org.
The piece has been transposed to A minor and transcribed for classical guitar and other instruments.
You may have heard it in the popular mobile video game Piano Tiles 2 Game first launched in 2015. It’s played and heard at a much slower tempo (and more romantic), transposed to G minor – and known as G Minor Bach.
The piece is also a favorite for film makers and advertisers who want to convey a sense of focus, mechanical precision, or intellectual intensity.
In Film
- Minority Report (2002): Directed by Steven Spielberg, this sci-fi thriller uses the prelude to underscore the high-stakes, “motoric” focus of the future-predicting “Pre-Cogs.”
- The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999): In this psychological thriller, the piece helps establish the sophisticated but unsettling atmosphere surrounding the main characters.
- The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988): Based on the Milan Kundera novel, this film uses various Bach pieces, including the C Minor Prelude, to reflect the emotional complexity of the story.
- Truly Madly Deeply (1990): This cult classic romance features the piece as part of its rich classical soundtrack.
In TV & Advertisements
- British Bank NatWest: The prelude has been used in multiple NatWest campaigns over several years, often to imply reliability and “simplified” banking through its steady, predictable rhythm.
- Poltronesofà (Italy): This major Italian furniture manufacturer featured the C Minor Prelude in a series of TV commercials to highlight craftsmanship and elegance.
- Ameritrade (USA): Used in humorous commercials to contrast the “extraordinary” experience of their platform with the everyday lives of their customers.
- Warburtons Bread (UK): A surreal ad featuring the company chairman Jonathan Warburton used the prelude to lend a “heavenly” or high-art feel to the act of toasting bread.
In Music Mashups
- Hip-Hop Remixes: Because of its driving 16th-note pattern, the prelude is a popular choice for hip-hop producers looking for “classical” samples. You can find several “BWV 847 Hip-Hop” versions on YouTube and Spotify.
Long ago, I wrote a solo piece called “St Valentine’s” in C minor with the same motoric movement on the second page of the score. You can hear my recording on YouTube, Spotify, Pandora, Apple Music, Amazon Music (or here) and other streaming channels. Most of the 37 pieces on my 80-minute piano CD are so short that you can hear the entire piece. My goal is to publish the score to that CD.
About Pick Pluck Play! Take on Bach
March is a special month for organists because we celebrate Bach’s birthday with concerts of his music. Last year, I attended six such all-Bach organ concerts in the Boston area. As a result, I was so inspired that I decided to share this joy with ukulele players.
Nevertheless, Bach’s work is hard to adapt for the limited range of a high G ukulele. Consequently, I struggled to find the right music until I looked back at my old low G scores. Interestingly, those arrangements existed well before I fell in love with high G “campanella” playing.
Half of this book will be my arrangements of Bach’s music for low G ukulele. Meanwhile, the other half will consist of Bach-inspired pieces for high G ukulele, such as this one.
Moreover, I wanted to include a little prelude for high G ukulele that felt both classical and modern. This one-page little prelude for high G ukulele is both short and easy, serving as a warm-up and introduction to the remaining 11 pieces.
As usual, I’ve indicated chord names so you can duet with another ukulele enthusiast.
6 Low G ukulele arrangements
Bach’s Minuets:
- BWV Anh. 114 – from Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (by Christian Petzold)
- BWV Anh. 115 – from Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (by Christian Petzold)
- BWV Anh. 116 – from Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach
Other pieces
- BWV 515 – from Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach – aria “So oft ich meine Tobackspfeife”
- BWV 1007 – 1st Cello Suite
- BWV 846 – Prelude in C from Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1
6 High G ukulele compositions
- Little Prelude (this piece)
- Wachet Auf – reharmonization
- Counting Sheep to Sleep
- Err on a G-string
- B-A-C-H in a Waltz – lead sheet & duet; solo (chord melody)
- B-A-C-H in a Minuet – lead sheet & duet; solo (chord melody)
Release Date
Ultimately, my goal is to have this book published on Amazon by March 12, 2026. By hitting this deadline, I can officially sign it from Maui, Hawaii. This short sojourn on the island has been a wonderful respite from the long, snowy winter in Boston. Therefore, finishing this project here would feel like the perfect way to conclude my trip.
Video Recording
Check out my video of this little prelude for high G ukulele for the 100 Days Ukulele 2026 project. Currently in my fourth year of participating in this global movement, my goal is to document a new piece I wrote for each consecutive day from 1st March to 8th June 2026. Furthermore, these short 90-second videos are viewable as public reels on my Facebook page.
