[Pete B.]

'Just curious what all the "Jerry Guys" in the various Tribute bands represented here do when other members of the group solo?

I for one can't stand it when someone is stepping on my solo by playing single note runs during the time the solo spot has been turned over to me (by eye contact or nod, usually).

How many times around do you guys "take it", before giving the nod to the next guy to solo (keys, steel, sax, whatever)?

In a band with multiple soloists (2 or more) I'm basically good to take it twice around then pass it (and often completely lay out during others solo if there is already another rhythm instrument playing).
Sometimes I might double the twice around thing to work up something cool... there are exceptions, like Deal where you can take a much longer outro solo.

How do you guys do it in your bands?

[strumminsix]

Should be interesting to hear the replies.

I love being a Bobby player! I can play anywhere from 1-6 strings at any given time and be okay!

Pete, as a listener to Jerry guys and experience in many arrangements I'd advise 2 things:
#1 bring down the volume
#2 only play 3 strings or more only if the chord requires.

This helps to open up the midrange a bunch.

An overly respectful dude could be worse if it then sounds empty.

[IamDocWatson]

if you know what your doing its awesome to add bass runs, single note fills and some riff type stuff behind the solo...it can bring on cool harmonys, and really help push the solo out there...but its hard...you gotta be in tune with people your playing with..i gues that will just take time

[Crazy 9.5 Fingers]

For each band it is going to be different. I tend to prefer guys who can back up and keep in the pocket steady. If they use single note fills, double stops, I don't care as long as they don't occupy my space in time.

When I comp, I think about phrasing and traveling light, that is to say, keep it understated. Volume down, stay out of the soloist's space in time.

Why is Bobby so good as a rhythm player? It has as much to do with his timing, rhythm, and phrasing as it does with his melodic contribution.

You will also find a lot of bass players who aren't wild about guitar players heavy on the low E string when chording. Frequency is very important in comping as well. Soloist goes to the high register, comps should be low, and vice versa.

Again, it is different for every band.

[I'm on the Bozo Bus]

For each band it is going to be different. I tend to prefer guys who can back up and keep in the pocket steady. If they use single note fills, double stops, I don't care as long as they don't occupy my space in time.

When I comp, I think about phrasing and traveling light, that is to say, keep it understated. Volume down, stay out of the soloist's space in time.

Why is Bobby so good as a rhythm player? It has as much to do with his timing, rhythm, and phrasing as it does with his melodic contribution.

You will also find a lot of bass players who aren't wild about guitar players heavy on the low E string when chording. Frequency is very important in comping as well. Soloist goes to the high register, comps should be low, and vice versa.

Again, it is different for every band.

Preach it Brother....
As I tend to ramble, you have said in just a few comments, what would take me pages of ranting....

I'm all about playing what you feel, however you have to listen to the "conversations" going on around you and plug in your comments where they fit.

Tough to describe ...Very easy to hear when "It" happens and very easy to hear when "It" doesn't.
Clear as mud.....
PEACE,
Phil

[myoung6923]

well - in a "tribute" band - if the point is to try to do it like the dead did - then Jerry tended to just kick back on the "Jerry" rhythm - just a bit lighter and maybe a bit lower volume. Jerry played a lot of the regular sort of rhythm parts of a song while Bobby's rhythms kinda filled in the in-between parts. So during a lot of the key solo's Jerry would just go to his rhythm parts. Then as the jam progressed he would alter that rhythm with the jam - maybe adding other small riffs keying off of the riffs from the solo - or changing voicings, strumming pattern...

I guess the key for me is to try to kick back to the background, let the soloist take the foreground and do my best to enhance the jam where I can.

If that makes sense...

[GratefulPat]

i for one, tend to slide into chords for instance in promised land slide into that C then just hit fragments of the chords up to the F then same into the G... i also tend to stay on the lower 7 frets so it sounds more in the background

[Pete B.]

Thanks for the comments on this topic.

I like the "Foreground/Background" analogy.

In one of the bands I play in there is keys, 2 guitars, and steel, all of whome play both lead/rhythm. So you can see where there might be a conflict if you have 3 guys playing "rhythm" against one guy soloing... hence my decision to often lay completey out and just enjoy listening to the other guys solo (I used to have a suitcase full of small percussion instruments to shake or whatever for just such occassions).
Also with that many guys soloing, taking it like twice around and passing the solo makes sence (of course there are exceptions).

While I recognize the DSO method of Dead tribute, I personally don't equate "Tribute" with imitating the Dead as closely as possible.
My take on it would be to have a group of guys who can all take wailin' solos on their respective instruments, can play together without stepping all over each other or having volume wars, and love to jam Dead tunes for Deadhead audiences.

Here's one...
True or False?
In your band, immediatly after the last verse/chorus of Eyes, there is a Bass solo during which time there is no single note guitar riffing.

[strumminsix]

Here's one...
True or False?
In your band, immediatly after the last verse/chorus of Eyes, there is a Bass solo during which time there is no single note guitar riffing.

Interesting. Now I need to think of "what we do vs. what they (GD) did".

For us our Jerry lays out and I play very solid but low volume Emaj7 patterns.

However, I seem to recall hear Jerry play some very soft single tone "bassesque" runs with tons of room between then notes and phrasing.

[myoung6923]

well - I've done eyes both ways - but I do like that bass solo and then I like to jump to a Gm and solo on that for 4 bars - and then go back to the bass solo - maybe do that 3 or 4 times and then go into something else

The dead did it kinda like that in the early 70's - I love that

[strumminsix]

well - I've done eyes both ways - but I do like that bass solo and then I like to jump to a Gm and solo on that for 4 bars - and then go back to the bass solo - maybe do that 3 or 4 times and then go into something else

The dead did it kinda like that in the early 70's - I love that

It's not a Gm it's an Abm

[myoung6923]

you're right - I was thinking G#m - my bad

[Tennessee Jedi]

2 thoughts here-
1)No wonder I cant find anyone to jam with.They are all in Petes band.
2)Why arent you posting any of the band,man?
Bet you guys rock.
Is it Picture Time yet?

[astroman99]

Question, I have seen the dead perform eyes maybe thirty times, never a bass solo, what are you guys referring to?

I guess someone will say the studio version on wake, I always felt the thing about the dead was their live perfomances,
How can a tribute band for a band known for its live performances copy their studio work, I don't get it...

[myoung6923]

the dead did eyes like that in the early 70's only.