3 Unique And Creative Ways To Arrange Bourree In E Minor For Fingerstyle Guitar

By Simon Candy

In this video, you learn some of my favourite things to do when arranging fingerstyle songs on guitar.

We are going to take one of the most popular and famous classical pieces of all time and look at ways we can make it sound amazing on acoustic guitar via various fingerpicking concepts and techniques.

Typically, it is frowned upon in the world of classical music when you do something different with a piece. There really isn't much room for interpretation, at least not as much as I have taken here.

The piece is Bourree In E Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach, and you are going to learn how to switch this piece up using the following approaches:

Harp Harmonics:

First, we will transform Bourree In E Minor into an incredibly beautiful arrangement using harp harmonics.

Chords:

Next, we will fill out the piece using chords, opening up other possibilities for the arrangement. The chords in the original version of Bourree In E Minor are implied by the harmony created between the bass and melody line.

Travis Picking:

Finally, we transform Bourree In Em into a travis picking arrangement reminiscent of Chet Atkins’ take on the piece

Watch the video below to learn more:

Below are transcriptions for each of the 3 ways I have arranged Bourree In E Minor by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Watch the video that accompanies this article for detailed explanations and breakdowns for each approach.

Bourree In E Minor: Harp Harmonics

Here is the first section of Bourree In E Minor arranged using the magical sound of Harp Harmonics:

Watch the video above to hear how amazing harp harmonics sound.

Bourree In E Minor: Chords

Next is Bourree In E Minor arranged using chords.

The original is made up of harmony’s formed between the bass and melody, there is barely a chord in it:

Watch the video above to hear full the arrangement sounds using chords.

Bourree In E Minor: Travis Picking

Finally, here is the second section of Bourree In E Minor arranged using Travis Picking:

Download my free masterclass and learn how to get creative with your fingerpicking