Descending chord thing

[Emoto]

Hi,

Has anyone tabbed out the beautiful descending chord thing that they used to do in the song intro? There is another one that Jerry used to do at the end of his solo, too. anyone have that one? Going down in the basement to try to figure them out, but no point in re-inventing the wheel if someone has already done it.

I'm thinking it is kind of like E > Emaj7 > Asus4 > A > Em > C7 > B7 starting at the 7th position > 5th > 4th > 3rd > 2nd if you know what I mean...

Thanks!

[jonarobb]

Stella Blue descending intro....
E|---------------------------0-----------------
B|---------------------------0--------------------
G|--7-----6-----3-----2------1-----------------------
D|--9-----7-----5-----4------2--------------------------
A|---------------------------2--------2--1--0--------
E|---------------------------0-------------------2--0--

[Emoto]

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.

I am going down the practice room right now to try it out and see how badly I can %^&# it up.

[jonarobb]

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.

I am going down the practice room right now to try it out and see how badly I can %^&# it up.

That is by far my favorite simple intro that Garcia ever came up with. In the earliest versions, 72' or so, he throws it in after the first half of each verse... enjoy.

[Emoto]

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.

I am going down the practice room right now to try it out and see how badly I can %^&# it up.

That is by far my favorite simple intro that Garcia ever came up with. In the earliest versions, 72' or so, he throws it in after the first half of each verse... enjoy.

Thanks again. I just came back upstairs after playing it, and it is JUST EXACTLY PERFECT! That fills in a HUGE hole for me.

FWIW, here's what I do at the end of the instrumental in the middle of the song, which is really just the middle strings of the full chords. Maybe you have another variation or improvement. can't line 'em up right, but they're all hit as triads.

E|-------------------------------------------
B|-----9----9---5---5--5--5--4------------
G|-----9----8---7---6--4--3--2-----------
D|-----9----9---7---7--5---5--4---------
A|-----------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------

[jonarobb]

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.

I am going down the practice room right now to try it out and see how badly I can %^&# it up.

That is by far my favorite simple intro that Garcia ever came up with. In the earliest versions, 72' or so, he throws it in after the first half of each verse... enjoy.

Thanks again. I just came back upstairs after playing it, and it is JUST EXACTLY PERFECT! That fills in a HUGE hole for me.

FWIW, here's what I do at the end of the instrumental in the middle of the song, which is really just the middle strings of the full chords. Maybe you have another variation or improvement. can't line 'em up right, but they're all hit as triads.

E|-------------------------------------------
B|-----9----9---5---5--5--5--4------------
G|-----9----8---7---6--4--3--2-----------
D|-----9----9---7---7--5---5--4---------
A|-----------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------

Check this video out at 2:50 Jerry does his take on this, all partials. I'll tab it out later...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI0LORi2XHc

[bodiddley]

Regarding those triads: Do you strum it, or pick all 3 strings ant the same time?

Thanks for those triads btw, they work out real nice. I have a slightly diff. intro that's closer to the tabs on the rukind version. I'll tab it later on when I get the time.

[Emoto]

Check this video out at 2:50 Jerry does his take on this, all partials. I'll tab it out later...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI0LORi2XHc

Great vid. Would love to see tabs on that. He's doing the most wonderful bends as he throws those chords.

[Emoto]

Regarding those triads: Do you strum it, or pick all 3 strings ant the same time?

Thanks for those triads btw, they work out real nice. I have a slightly diff. intro that's closer to the tabs on the rukind version. I'll tab it later on when I get the time.

Well, bear in mind that the first time I ever played that with other people was this past Saturday (and I f%&#ed it up), so I may not be the best person to follow on this. But, since you asked, I strum. Hopefully, I'll get to play it enough to experiment on what sounds good. Looking forward to anything else that anyone can offer up about how to play this stuff. I'm really just shooting from the hip.

[bodiddley]

FWIW, here's what I do at the end of the instrumental in the middle of the song, which is really just the middle strings of the full chords. Maybe you have another variation or improvement. can't line 'em up right, but they're all hit as triads.

E|-------------------------------------------
B|-----9----9---5---5--5--5--4------------
G|-----9----8---7---6--4--3--2-----------
D|-----9----9---7---7--5---5--4---------
A|-----------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------

I can see all of these but the fifth chord voicing looks to me to be a CMaj7 when it's supposed to be an Em. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[jonarobb]

FWIW, here's what I do at the end of the instrumental in the middle of the song, which is really just the middle strings of the full chords. Maybe you have another variation or improvement. can't line 'em up right, but they're all hit as triads.

E|-------------------------------------------
B|-----9----9---5---5--5--5--4------------
G|-----9----8---7---6--4--3--2-----------
D|-----9----9---7---7--5---5--4---------
A|-----------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------

I can see all of these but the fifth chord voicing looks to me to be a CMaj7 when it's supposed to be an Em. Correct me if I'm wrong.

That fifth voicing is correct for an Em (E,G,B). It is a similar shape to a Cmaj7 but you would add the C to make it that chord. The triad shown above is an example of the classic inside chording that both Garcia and Weir had quite a handle on. When using these partials in various inversions it shows more of a masterful take on chording in general.

[bodiddley]

Stella Blue descending intro....
E|---------------------------0-----------------
B|---------------------------0--------------------
G|--7-----6-----3-----2------1-----------------------
D|--9-----7-----5-----4------2--------------------------
A|---------------------------2--------2--1--0--------
E|---------------------------0-------------------2--0--

Here's how I hear it and like to play it. When going back to some versions for reference it sounds like he descends only 3 times then hits on the E.

E------------------4--------------------------------------------
B------------------5--------------------------------------------
G---7----6---5---4--------------------------------------------
D---9----8---7---6--------------------------------------------
A-----------------7---------------------------------------------
E-----------------4---------------------------------------------


Then I play the other descending/ ascending run and land on the same E.

E---------------------------------------------------------------4-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------------------5--------------------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------4---------------------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------6---------------------------------------------------------------------------
A----5po4----2po1--O------------------1s2-----4----6------7----------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------4--O-------------------------------4----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Obviously those last 2 E chords on the 4th fret don't line up correctly. I wish I could blame it on being drunk, but I am not.

[Emoto]

FWIW, here's what I do at the end of the instrumental in the middle of the song, which is really just the middle strings of the full chords. Maybe you have another variation or improvement. can't line 'em up right, but they're all hit as triads.

E|-------------------------------------------
B|-----9----9---5---5--5--5--4------------
G|-----9----8---7---6--4--3--2-----------
D|-----9----9---7---7--5---5--4---------
A|-----------------------------------------
E|----------------------------------

I can see all of these but the fifth chord voicing looks to me to be a CMaj7 when it's supposed to be an Em. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Usually, when I play that voicing of a minor chord I also include the high E string. For an Em, it would be:

E|-----3--------
B|-----5--------
G|-----4---------
D|-----5---------
A|---------------
E|---------------

It is movable and takes it's name from the note on the B string. I like to arppegiate (sp?) that minor form during leads in various songs with minor chords. It isn't the most mournful sounding minor form, but has a nice color to it.

[bodiddley]

Ya, that high E makes all the difference to my ears. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Emoto]

Ya, that high E makes all the difference to my ears. Thanks for clearing that up.

And yet, that is also a note present in the Cmaj7 in the 3rd position. Go figure.