[st. stephen]

So here is the deal..
Me and my friends decided to get together and do a bit of music just for fun, and it turned out to be very very much fun. Now I want to play a Dead tune with them, it shpuld be quite easy because we are beginners and it should be more instrumental because right now we're not that into singing.
If you got any suggestions what ong we could do or if you remember the song you starte with your band, let me know.
thanx
(PS: we've got a great piano player, and a beginner as bass player)

[jackr]

Fire on the Mountain. 2 chords B and A.

[Tennessee Jedi]

Here ya on the starting the band thing.Seems like I'm always in that mode.One big roadblock has always been singing.I don't sing.I cant think of anything easy the dead do without vocals.The other roadblock was we can never find enough players and end up as a 3 piece.And that sucks for the Dead.So I can really relate to your post.
You could try jamming on Sunshine Daydream.W/piano would be cool.
What about Franklins?You said you didn't have a singer but its easy.
N.F.A.Easy.
One of my favs.for jamming has always been Sugaree.Not too hard to remember.W/ a 2 chord solo part.
G.D.T.R.F.B. Another fav.
Its gotten to the point where I print out cheat sheets for all new guys,just so we can get stuff going.
Also a boom box and cds to listen to.Helps w/learning new stuff.
Good luck,hope you get some jams going.

[tigerstrat]

Fire on the Mountain. 2 chords B and A.

Strongly disagree. Often the "simpler" one- or two-chord songs are the hardest to actually make sound good. Fire is a fairly complex rhythm structure where each instrument has to play a lick that bounces off the others *just right* or it just sounds like a plodding, lethargic mess.

Same deal with Franklin's, it can really sit there like a turd if it doesn't have the right bounce to it.

NFA & GDTRFB are songs the Dead covered, otherwise they are excellent choices.

I guess hard-pressed for Dead originals I might suggest:
U.S. Blues (a rocker with entertaining/inflammatory topical lyrics that cross genre boundaries) or Ripple (a great medium-tempo signature anthem that is also very open to reinterpetations a[see Jane's Addiction on Gratefully Deadicated])

[strumminsix]

+1 to TS Fire is only an easy song to play badly.

Why no singing? Why focus so much on the jams? You are doing yourselves a disservice by placing a limitation so early on in the project.

[Crazy 9.5 Fingers]

First tune my band in college did was Cold Rain and Snow, also a two chord ditty, but easier to make sound tight than Fire for the reasons Tiger mentioned.

The solo is easy, the rhythm guitar riffs are maybe a little tricky, but then again, all of Bobby stuff is tricky until you understand his pocket in the groove and his chord voicings.

I think Cold Rain is good song to work on all aspects of putting a good song from beginning to end together for a new band.

[causebass]

ahh,I foundly remember first dead tunes with young band....I Know You Rider, Franklins, FOTM, Friend of the Devil, Not Fade>GFTRFB ...sure tunes like Franklins and Fire have sophistication that makes them the big tunes they can be, but they are also easy enough to make an inexperienced band feel like they are starting to make some real music, and if it brings a smile to your face, well that's all that matters...you'll pick up more by diving into tunes and not being afraid to see what happens, and that sure is easier with simply structure tunes.

www.theCAUSEjams.com

[Stagger Lee]

trying fiddling around with the jam in jack straw

D Bm A E

[st. stephen]

First of all thanks for all the input

Why no singing? Why focus so much on the jams? You are doing yourselves a disservice by placing a limitation so early on in the project.

because of the gear. we have a crappy amp to sing through but that sounds horrible, but I've got your point.

[Rev_Roach]

You guys might be overthinking it a little with this FOTM bashing. It is a little rhythmically complex, but its got 2 chords, no verse/chorus changes so dont need to worry about song sructure, and can be jammed on pretty well while the vocals can be neglected or given the back seat. It's not like their gonna gig with it (at least soon), just looking to jam. I don't think its a bad choice.

I Know You Rider is a great suggestion too, as are Friend of the Devil and Franklins Tower.

[shakedown_04092]

Fuck it, go straight to Help > Slip > Frank

[tigerstrat]

Cold Rain and Snow, also a two chord ditty, but easier to make sound tight than Fire for the reasons Tiger mentioned.

Cold Rain is a great suggestion! The 2nd break can get a little tricky, but you could also just play the regular break in that spot.

But I didn't see the part about no singing... I'll let my two suggestions stand though, minus the lyric commentary.

How about Golden Road?

[astroman99]

New Minglewood Blues
intro --E
verse
A--G--E X2
B--E
do it again

[I'm on the Bozo Bus]

I'm with Shake.....
GO FOR IT - Terrapin (the whole enchalda (sp?))!

Seriously, Causebass has a great point. Don't be intimidated, jump in, the waters fine. Perhaps you don't want to jump in the deep end just yet.

After hearing, seeing, feeling and playing these tunes over many moons, I find myself coming back to RUKIND to be reminded of that weird "Bobby" chord I knew back in 1982.

Pick a tune, any tune, listen to it for a bit, print the tab's if available and give it a shot. Make it your own.
I think I heard a quote from Jer, "Once we play it, we don't own it anymore it is out there for the masses" or something to that effect.
PEACE

[strumminsix]

Makes sense about bad PA gear. I just hate hearing any band putting a limitation on themselves. That is one thing I always push with mine. It's a great lesson that I learned from a more experienced player a few years back.

Might I suggest you have your band play along to a CD once or twice than play it without. That is really helpful when learning a song!

Franklin's is a great suggestion.
So is any Dylan that the GD covered.
Cold Rain is a good starting point for 2 syncopated guitars.
IKYR is another fabulous suggestion
Deal isn't as tough as it is specific