Guitar Player Wants to Learn Weir Style

[reggie's gone]

I'm from New Jersey and totally lost as far as finding out how to play in Bobby Weir's style. seems this site is only Deadicated to Garcia style. solos mostly. i've played bass for about 35 years. used to play in bands around the Jersey shore when i was a kid. always played guitar some but never got really serious until about 5 years ago. i've studied theory at the local Community College. played in the Jazz ensemble. i have had a private teacher all along. i suppose from all my background on bass and in bands coupled with an intense desire to improve i think i've gotten about as good as one could get in 5 years. just about all my old rock hero's seem easy to copy to me. Stones, Zep, Who, Clapton, you get my drift. Garcia isn't hard to ape. it's Weir who seems so elusive to me. i'm not as interested in songs as what he's doing style wise... fills etc. any info would help. with the exception of one possible two vid's there really is nothing here.

[tcsned]

There's lots of guys here who have a good handle on Weir's style

. . . I ain't one of 'em

Welcome aboard!

[Octal]

I've found this video online a little while ago:


Brief discussion of Bobby's style. The best way to learn would probably be to find shows where he is higher up in the mix and listen to him. Not even necessarily pick out riffs by ear, but just "feel" them. And then try to recreate that feeling while playing.

[JonnyBoy]

yes Jeff is really helpful, well pretty much everyone is here! I see his playing as filling in gaps, allowing the beat to breathe, not confining it with basic strumming patterns. Nailing chords here and there adding texture, with the keys they don't need a guitar wailing out heavy chords. I hear him throwing in some repeating low key rhythmic lead parts too. It seems like he has to listen to hear it clearly and understand it. Listen to the FOX THEATER show 12/12/73 SBD it has bobby high in the mix and easy to hear his approach. There are a bunch out there from each era where he/you can hear the approach like that. I think that would help more than an explanation. Good Luck!!

[mijknahs]

Listen to what strumminsix and mkaufman have to say...

[strumminsix]

Listen to what strumminsix and mkaufman have to say...

Thanks, Jim!

Firstly, learn the CAGED form forms for all your chords, then hear how the C & G forms sound diff than AED forms, then learn it's the order of the strummed notes.

Next learn in versions, then complimentary partial chords, then contrasting chords, then when to add a sus4, toss a diminished in and walk it 3 steps up and down then 3 more steps after that, and think like a piano person.

Um, play on the beat, just after the beat, then far after.

And a tap-tempo delay!

Use effects properly

Get that tone setup right where you are strong down to the low-mids and crystal clear upper range

Learn to play the electric like an acoustic then vice-versa then when to do it!

I can't help you any more than that. Since that's just where I am!

[Tennessee Jedi]

Check out the Dead Movie Bonus DVD for some great shots of Weir and his style

[mkaufman]

Check out the Dead Movie Bonus DVD for some great shots of Weir and his style

+1 - possibly the best GD video!

mk

[paulkogut]

Best of luck in getting your "Weir" style together. Hope this can help.

As I've said in a few "Jerry" style posts, although the Dead can rock out like nobody's business, they're not really a 'rock' band. Bobby's command of harmony and texture draws a ton from modern jazz. (Check out pianist McCoy Tyner, the records "Real McCoy" and Joe Henderson's "Inner Urge" are a great place to start.)

Steve Khan (Steely Dan, Brecker Bros) has a great book, Contemporary Chord Khancepts, that breaks down the McCoy Tyner style for guitar. It deals a lot with triad superimposition (try playing three note G#minor and Bmajor triads over the beginning of Eyes. The small voicings are easy to move around, and with the bass playing in E, sound like Emaj7 and Emaj9 chords) and harmony based in fourths instead of thirds (How may uses can you come up with for a chord voiced e-a-d low to high?)
It's really user friendly, with chord grids and play along CDs. Mick Goodrick's The Advancing Guitarist is another great book, but more philosophical and do it yourself, and you'll need to read standard notation to get the most out of it.

http://www.stevekhan.com/books.htm
http://books.google.com/books?id=atImsI ... &q&f=false

[mkaufman]

thanks for post

This post came from a new member. He/she now has 7 posts and all are the same. I suspect this member has intentions other than being a true member. Maybe just looking to post with links to his/her website...

mk

[erubenst]

hey-

out of a similar desire to see more on weir, i put together three videos as introductory thoughts on his playing style. check out the first one at youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jnRJ7G0LQU

if you find that one useful, you might view the other two as well.

feedback welcome.

-eric

[Grant]

yeah those bonus GD movie videos are great. although i must say there is some pretty bad playing by bob in that dark star, he doesn't seem to get where the band is taking it

::waits::

[Grant]

Dark Star
http://vimeo.com/8719611

The Other One
http://vimeo.com/9108556

Sugaree
http://vimeo.com/8998179

Scarlet Begonias
http://vimeo.com/9107941

[hippieguy1954]

Go see Furthur! Bobby is really using his style and you can hear him very well. There is something about being there and watching him in person that really helps with realizing his style. The vids are very good as well, but not quite the same as being there.

[Adam Deckard]

nobody mentioned doing the head tilt, spitting, or wearing very small shorts? I thought these were staples...