# Baroque counterpoint on guitar? And improvised?!



## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

Having taken up the guitar more seriously over the last few months I have been obsessed with a guitarist called Ted Greene, who has a wealth of material on YouTube (dead sadly, so most of it is clinics and videos of the many lessons he gave to students).

It's been hard to go through his catalogue of achievements and not end up viewing him as perhaps the God of guitarists. I like to imagine that if Bach were given a Telecaster instead of a harpsichord, he would've been a similar musician to Ted Greene, who I think explored the harmonic potentials of the guitar (indeed harmonic potential generally) more than almost anyone else. He transcribed Bach fugues and chorales, but most staggeringly had such an intimate knowledge of baroque harmony that he could improvise it on the guitar.

All those interested in harmony and music in general might be interested. Watching this clinic over and over again I feel that I've come more in touch with the musical psychology and intellect of 'a cat like Bach' than through anyone else.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

yes, Ted Greene was basically the Yoda of the guitar. Or the Johann Bach, he also look similar to me, imagine if he had a wig in that video 
Those baroque counterpoints videos are incredible, and he's also able to talk while he's doing it like he's nothing. But his album too is fantastic (and the other recordings of songs available).
I've been a fan of the "lap piano" style for a long time, and of guitarists who don't see the electric guitar just as a single line instrument. Greene, Lenny Breau, Genil Castro, Ed Bickert, George Van Eps, Jimmy Wyble (another guy who was great with counterpoint), Toninho Horta, Jody Fisher...amazing musicians, it's a style that deserves more recognition.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Amazing stuff. Thank you for putting me on to this, I have never heard of Mr. Greene. It appears he has not recorded much music in the studio?


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

This was an amazing performance. I would not call this baroque music but one can sure hear the Bach influence.


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

Thank you for posting about him. First time I heard about him but loving watching his videos and reading up on him.


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## classical yorkist (Jun 29, 2017)

If you go on BBC iPlayer you'll find an episode of Julian Bream's guitar masterclass or something where he focuses entirely on Bach. I think you'd enjoy it.


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## norman bates (Aug 18, 2010)

flamencosketches said:


> Amazing stuff. Thank you for putting me on to this, I have never heard of Mr. Greene. It appears he has not recorded much music in the studio?


He has just one album, Solo guitar. Besides the beautiful arrangements he did, I love also the sound he's able to create. While he's playing he uses a vibrato for full chords pushing on the neck of the guitar, something that some think it's useless but as it's possible to hear on this album it's not, at all. Add to that his spectacular use of harp harmonics and the reverb (the only effect he uses) and you have a sound that especially then was (but I think it still is) completely unique.
Besides that, he sadly has very few recordings. He actually has some more beautiful recordings of songs like Once in a while or Both sides now, but the sound quality is quite bad.
But still it's beautiful music that deserves to be heard.






Before he apperared in the second album of the psych rock band United states of America called "The American Metaphysical Circus" (1969). And later if I remember correctly on a track or two of a Jimmy Bruno album.
Not much else for what I know. My dream is that the recordings I read years ago he did with Lenny Breau will be released. That could be awesome, two of the greatest guitarists ever playing together.


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## regenmusic (Oct 23, 2014)

norman bates said:


> He has just one album, Solo guitar. Besides the beautiful arrangements he did, I love also the sound he's able to create. While he's playing he uses a vibrato for full chords pushing on the neck of the guitar, something that some think it's useless but as it's possible to hear on this album it's not, at all. Add to that his spectacular use of harp harmonics and the reverb (the only effect he uses) and you have a sound that especially then was (but I think it still is) completely unique.
> Besides that, he sadly has very few recordings. He actually has some more beautiful recordings of songs like Once in a while or Both sides now, but the sound quality is quite bad.
> But still it's beautiful music that deserves to be heard.
> 
> ...


I made a playlist you can find by typing into YouTube "spiritual silent movies." The Both Sides Now by Greene is playing and it's an amazing soundtrack for these kinds of films.


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

flamencosketches said:


> This was an amazing performance. I would not call this baroque music but one can sure hear the Bach influence.


Yes, he transitions from jazz harmony to something more baroque upon an audience request. The nature of the guitar means that certain sacrifices must be made when imitating baroque methods (the rule against parallel fifths may be more difficult to follow on guitar than keyboard).


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## Tallisman (May 7, 2017)

classical yorkist said:


> If you go on BBC iPlayer you'll find an episode of Julian Bream's guitar masterclass or something where he focuses entirely on Bach. I think you'd enjoy it.


Thank you sir! I will follow up on that immediately.


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