In this thread:

Ain't Bach brilliant? (JS that is)

I related hearing guitarist Richard Durrant playing the Gavotte No. 1 from Bach's Cello Suite No. 6 in D, on my tenor guitar, and my subsequent dig into the actual music.

Well, Richard has now returned the tenor and, armed with the music, I've written it out for that instrument (his arrangement is far too intricate for me). There are various stages I go through when learning a new, moderately complex like this:

1. Get the musical notation laid out in my computer - I use "Harmony Assistant" to create the score.

2. Get the software to produce tablature in addition to the score - my sight reading is not brilliant and the tab helps with learning the fingering!

3. Go through the piece, section by section, learning the notes for each section.

The Gavotte is in 3 main sections:

Part A repeated, followed by variations on A repeated
Part B repeated, followed by variations on A repeated
Part A again, without repeats

4. Once I've got the notes and fingering for each section in my head, then comes the attempts to play the whole piece without mistakes.

5. Once I get through 4 to the point when I can play it reasonably, then I go through it to check out accents and tone in the piece.

6. Speeding is my greatest problem, so I've also laid down a bass line in Garageband and, with earbuds in my ears, play along to the bass track.

7. Eventually... I'll get to the stage when I can feel comfortable recording/performing it.

I'm about in between stages 4 and 5 at the moment - and I've found the bass track very useful. I'm currently practising the piece for about 6 hours a day - over and over until I start to slip and need a break. I tend to be obsessive about practice, and I'm very lucky that Mrs. F. has got ysed to this routine over the last 50 years!

I'd be interested in how others tackle pieces like this or similar to it.