I Got Rhythm

Ted Greene Comping Study — 2003, April 1

Ted wrote up two separate comping study pages for “I Got Rhythm”—one for the A section and
another for the B or “Bridge” section. I’ve combined both studies onto one “compilation” page. Ted
referred to these comping pages during his California Vintage Guitar Seminar on May 18, 2003. Please
watch these video clips located on the TedGreene.com website (also available on YouTube).

I utilized a lead sheet format with the “standard” chord changes as a reference. For the A section
Ted wrote out only one version (except 4 optional chords for the first two measures. On the Bridge section
he made three versions, which I stacked above one another. I tried to space them according to their
rhythmic placement in the bars, as indicated by Ted’s slash marks. On Ted’s Bridge page he wrote,
“Anticipates & such are necessary to bring these to life”—so once you’ve learned the chord moves you
should feel free to play around with the rhythms and break up the chords with “delay,” arpeggios and “right
hand rolls” as Ted often suggested.

None of the chords are difficult to play, however, just to clarify: for the F7b9 in the second measure
of the A section (alternate version) Ted provided an optional voicing which includes a C# and an E note (the
unfilled dots). If you play these notes instead of the D# and Gb notes, then the chord becomes a Bb°²9.
Ted wrote “i°²9” to indicate a “one” diminished chord with an added natural 7th and 9th.

For most of the chord diagrams Ted wrote only the letter name of the chord. The chord quality was
left for the student to write in. We’ve taken the liberty to add those in blue. The Eb/9 in measure 6 of the A
section was unnamed and no fret number was given. I believe Ted intended this to be at the 4th fret as
we’ve marked. Another possibility would be at the first fret, making it an Eb9/11 chord (or Db/Eb), but this
just doesn’t sound right to my ears in the flow of the progression.

We hope these pages help you to add a few new moves to your comping bag of tricks.
Enjoy!
 Longer Chord Progressions Using Modern Chords (Level 1)
Ted Greene – 1976-06-08

When any chord is given for 2 beats like so, ------------

you might try the following right hand technique:

1) On the first beat, play the whole chord.

2) On the second beat, play all the notes except the bass note (do let the bass keep ringing from the
first beat though).
With the occasional addition of up-beats to some chords (ask for demonstration if necessary), this
will create a nice, happy feel.
_____________________________________________________________________
Longer Chord Progressions Using Modern Chords Ted Greene, 1976‐06‐08 page 2

Means to hold G note down,

but not to play it again, just
let it ring.

X’s played after ’s

 Manhã de Carnaval
Ted Greene Accompaniment Chords, 1990-07-24

Manhã de Carnaval is a classic Brazilian Jazz/Bossa Nova written by Luiz Bonfá for the 1959 film, Orfeu
Negro (English title, Black Orpheus). The Portuguese translation of "Manhã de Carnaval" is “Morning
of Carnival.” It is also known in the USA as “A Day in the Life of a Fool” or “Carnival.” This song is
often mistakenly referred to in English as Black Orpheus (this is how it’s listed in many fake books).

Ted’s July 24, 1990 original lesson sheet is what he is reviewing during this video lesson:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNXP1QiIkb8

Please watch the video to hear Ted play through this page. This isn’t a chord-melody arrangement, but a
combination of some rich chords that Ted chose for playing an accompaniment to a singer or
instrumentalist. (Ted adds the melody with his famous whistle as he plays!) Later in the video lesson
Ted improvises a Lenny Breau-type chord melody solo for part of the song, but that isn’t covered in these
pages.

Also included is Ted’s handwritten lead-sheet that he wrote up in September 1973. As you can see Ted
didn’t write anything for the 4-bar Tag at the end of the song, so you’ll need to add something here
yourself. You might want to use some textures similar to what Ted used throughout the song, i.e., lush
close-voicings, open strings, throw in some 9ths and 6ths, and maybe a bass pedal or a descending bass
line.

Enjoy!
~Paul
 Walking Bass and “Walking Chords” Guitar Styles
(Simultaneous Bass & Comping)
For Solo and Accompanying Situations
Ted Greene 1982-07-11

Main Facts or Observations:

1) The Main resources of nice bass lines are: 1. Chord tones and 2. Approach tones.

2) Chord tones are played on (at least) beats 1 & 3 normally (in 4/4 time), especially on beat 1.
In 3/4 time, a chord tone on beat 1 is also essential.

3) The chord tones to use in the bass at the above mentioned stable spots are:
For Major type chords
For Minor 7th type chords
For Minor 6th type chords
For Dominant 7th type chords
For Diminished 7th type chords
For Augmented type chords
Æ 1, 3, 5, and 6
Æ 1, b3, 5, and b7
Æ 1, b3, 5 and 6
Æ 1, 3, 5, and b7 Some dominant types require
modification of the basic 1, 3, 5, b7
in the bass. Let knowledge and
common sense be your guides here.
Æ 1, b3, b5, and 6 (bb7)
Æ complete whole-tone scale (1, 2, 3, b5, #5, and b7)

4) Theoretically (and as a good starting point for us), a bass line can be comprised of just chord tones.
Examples:

Assignment #1: Take some standards or show tunes and apply this principle of using only chord tones. Use the
bottom 2 strings only. Just play bass notes first, then later add some chord forms with or without various
syncopations. Strive mainly for a good feel—this is far more important than any particular order(s) of chord
tones. Do Not Write Anything Down! Your ideas should be different every time, every chorus—Remember you
are only dealing with 2 STRINGS!! (for your bass notes).

If you get lost periodically, the trouble is in your memory or your “visualizing.” You don’t need or want
pieces of paper for this subject—you must carry it in your head as soon as possible.
Practice away from the guitar, totally in your head (at least some of the time). Visualize—it is the main
key to this subject. Almost any order of chord tones sounds just fine on the bass, so don’t worry about “hearing”
it as much as “seeing” it (unlike other subjects).
Also, don’t worry about playing fancy chord forms—they’re not necessary in this style because the ear
will be drawn to the bottom line…unless you start adding chord forms on every beat…which you shouldn’t do
(that is what “walking chords” are about) for now if you want to really hear the effect of an independent bass.
Just add a chord here and there over some of the bass tones you choose and, to repeat myself, with or without a
little syncopation now and then.
When you play a chord form in this style, it is more common to release it rather quickly, but, where
physics permits, you may wish to sustain one for a beat or two (or more?).
So this all is step one—there’s a lot of work here; it takes more time than you’d wish…but at least it’s
logical, learnable, repeatable. You don’t have to be “having a good day” to play some bass lines.
Take simple tunes at first, otherwise you’re up against too much.