Ted Greene Teaches “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” 12/05/96 – Part 1

Ted goes through his guitar arrangement of the Gershwin tune he played on his "Solo Guitar" LP. Part 1 takes us from the intro to midway into the song, just before the key modulation into the swing section. Video Credits: Nick Stasinos 12/05/96. Ted’s “Solo Guitar” LP was released in 1977 at the same time I started taking lessons from him. I picked up the LP at Valley Arts Guitar that same year and this song was the very first track on the album. I knew this was a ‘mountain’ for me to climb in the future! In 1996, with lessons at $23 an hour, I could finally afford a decent camcorder. Camcorders were very pricey back then. This was my very first video lesson with Ted where it was my intention to start transcribing songs from Ted’s “Solo Guitar” album. Sorry about the guitar headstock showing up in frame. Fortunately for us, it doesn’t block the fretboard nor cause Ted’s hands to go out of focus. This is an excellent overview of how Ted played the entire song from start to finish. He did it all without referring once to the audio . . . 19 years later. What remarkable recall! Not only does Ted explain ‘why’ he chose to play what he played, but also as a bonus, he gives us some nice alternatives along the way. Important Note: Ted is tuned down a half step from concert pitch. If you take the effort grasp these concepts, you can use them in other songs you are working on. This song is not exactly as it is on Ted’s “Solo Guitar” LP, but very close to it. I worked out the “Solo Guitar” version later on with Ted, note for note, but now I actually prefer this version. There are many of resources including chord grid diagrams and a transcription of this song that can all be found at https://tedgreene.com/ Please subscribe here if you haven’t already and you will be notified immediately when “They Can’t Take That Away From Me” Part 2 is posted.