Playing through Ted Greene's MCP

**Liarspoker** · 05-28-2022, 05:05 PM

So I started a little project of playing through Ted's MCP book.

If I ever get to the end I'll hopefully have learned a lot. The main aim now is to try and incorporate some of these fingerings into songs. Either as intros, interlude or just as a fill.

Wish me luck!

**Ralphy** · 05-29-2022, 06:30 AM

I commend you for undertaking this book. Good luck

**Liarspoker** · 05-30-2022, 06:17 AM

Originally Posted by Ralphy

I commend you for undertaking this book. Good luck

Thank you. Would you like to join me?

**Ralphy** · 05-31-2022, 05:38 AM

Thanks for the invite, but my fingers don't move enough much anymore.

**Liarspoker** · 05-31-2022, 08:09 AM

Examples 4 & 5 in B Major. Page 15

**Liarspoker** · 12-14-2022, 06:04 PM

It's been a while. I've played many more examples but have to record them. Here's number 6.

Ted Greene Modern Chord Progressions example 6 in Eb - YouTube

**Liarspoker** · 12-15-2022, 11:57 AM

Example 7 in C

Ted Greene Modern Chord Progressions Example 7 in C - YouTube

**Tal_175** · 12-15-2022, 12:36 PM

It's interesting that he doesn't explicitly encourage students to know the interval of each node in the grips (unless I missed it in the books). It makes it much easier to memorize and retain voicings if you know all your intervals wrt to the root in a position (usually a two octave region).

It's also helpful to see each voicing as superimposed inside the corresponding scale and arpeggio. Then you can integrate the voicings with improvisation. This also makes it easier to move each voice horizontally and come up with new voicings.

**wolflen** · 12-15-2022, 01:09 PM

one thing Ted showed me...with a series of new chord fingerings..

take the first chord in the progression Ima7 iii-vi ii V..I .. (all are four note 7th chords)

say CMA7 then find a iii chord form you know well..and go back and fourth with the two chords until you feel comfortable with the new chord form

then the new iii chord form..find a vi form you know well .. etc

you will begin to notice the fingering for the new chords are not that difficult and are not far away form fingerings you already know for that chord

the logic here is .. rather than trying to play four "new" chord forms you going from one new chord to an old friend chord ..so the transition gets easier

the big benefit is..after a while you can now incorporate the new and old forms in the progression..mix with inversions and harmonic devices

your harmonic and melodic range will increase alot

**Liarspoker** · 12-16-2022, 05:52 AM

Example 8

https://youtube.com/shorts/Mon-MoQtkc0?feature=share

Example 9

https://youtube.com/shorts/97pxqjvXBAQ?feature=share

I'll reply to the above posts later as I'm starting work now

**Liarspoker** · 12-16-2022, 02:08 PM

Hi Tal,

I'm not sure why Ted didn't mention that. At least I think that he didn't. I'll read the intro blurb again this evening.

I'm also involved in the Goodrick study group where David Lee mentioned the importance of all lines especially the middle voicings.

It's a great idea to sing the middle lines in order to be able to hear them better.

Ted uses the scale/arpeggio system in his single string soloing books as you probably know.

Tim Lerch also strongly recommends to know the neighbourhood tones of the chord that you are on.

Have you worked with MCP much?

**Tal_175** · 12-16-2022, 02:28 PM

Originally Posted by Liarspoker

Hi Tal,

I'm not sure why Ted didn't mention that. At least I think that he didn't. I'll read the intro blurb again this evening.

I'm also involved in the Goodrick study group where David Lee mentioned the importance of all lines especially the middle voicings.

It's a great idea to sing the middle lines in order to be able to hear them better.

Ted uses the scale/arpeggio system in his single string soloing books as you probably know.

Tim Lerch also strongly recommends to know the neighbourhood tones of the chord that you are on.

Have you worked with MCP much?

I have I think all his books. I check them out every now and then. I haven't gone through any individual book all the way but I find the MCP book to be the most useable book in his collection personally.

**Liarspoker** · 12-16-2022, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Tal_175

I have I think all his books. I check them out every now and then. I haven't gone through any individual book all the way but I find the MCP book to be the most useable book in his collection personally.

I agree. Everyone always talks about Chord Chemistry but I think that it was a book which was great for it's time.

Tim Lerch's new book is much more useful if you are looking to harmonize melody notes.

The only book that I don't have is his biography.

**Liarspoker** · 12-16-2022, 07:03 PM

wolflen, that makes perfect sense and I have taken both approaches ( with limited success).

I'm also getting back into Tim Lerch's stuff atm so new chord voicings are flying at me from all directions.

It's good to have a system that both allows you to remember the chord shapes/names etc and that also allows you to use them instantly.

I must say that I am really enjoying the journey