Grateful Dead Music Forum

Bm A G A

This is such a simple but beautiful riff that it could be played almost anywhere in any minor key to match the singers voice. I was unaware that the dead usually play it in Bm but it sounds cool. Peace

jonbart wrote:This is such a simple but beautiful riff that it could be played almost anywhere in any minor key to match the singers voice. I was unaware that the dead usually play it in Bm but it sounds cool. Peace

caspersvapors wrote:Bm A G A

the structure of the song is actually
Bm A G A
Bm A G

Now you mention, I agree. Bm A G A sounds like how the Dead play it in most that I've heard. If you listed to Dylan & The dead, I think it sounds like C#m B A B. By my tin ear could be very wrong. Other thoughts?

is there anyone available to do a video on this one?. I can't seem to get the timing down with the lyrics.

thanks in adavance

im still gonna play it in A, i cant go to B in my second octive

So what I'm reading on theory says that songs that go from Am to F, are of the "Aolean" mode.
Other examples besides Watchtower...
Crazy On You - Heart
Stairway To Heaven - Led Zep

bucketorain wrote:is there anyone available to do a video on this one?. I can't seem to get the timing down with the lyrics.

thanks in adavance

I'll do a vid for ya, probably won't be till next weekend though

So what I'm reading on theory says that songs that go from Am to F, are of the "Aolean" mode.

I assume the same holds true for a song with Bm to G in this case. I play a B minor scale for lead on this tume which is the same as a D major scale which is the same as B aolean.

With a Bm A G chord progression the tune I believe is in the key of D. So is the scale considered D ionian because key is D or B aolean because of the Bm chord with the B root note?
Also does the mode always have to do with the key of the song or does it change with the chord being played?

ronster wrote:So is the scale considered D ionian because key is D or B aolean because of the Bm chord with the B root note?
Also does the mode always have to do with the key of the song or does it change with the chord being played?

It is considered B aeolian because the Bm is the main chord so to speak, but I wouldn't limit yourself to just that way of thinking (however if you were fast enough & wanted to think of it like that, you could essentially be playing a B aeolian, A mixolydian, and G lydian, but I think it gets a little too confusing when you do that).

My advice would be to play over the changes while knowing what notes are "available" to you. This is when it comes in handy to know the entire pattern when soloing in a song, that way you don't have to think too much about what mode you're in. Think of it as being in the key of D, like you said, but be able to visualize all those modes at once. Tough at first, but practice all of them up and down the neck and you'll soon realize how easy it is, and you'll see how much the fretboard will open up for you. It may seem like a big place at first, but really - look at it. It's not that big at all. Only 12 notes no matter which way you go or what string you're on. That's it, just 12. They just happen to be in different places.

I think someone else already mentioned this, but learn to play B aeolian while starting on the low E string, then learn it on the A, the D, the G, the B. Know how to play it front and back, and you'll soon realize that you actually know all the patterns in whatever key it is that you are in (in this case, D).

Hope that makes some sense....

shakedown_04092 wrote:

bucketorain wrote:is there anyone available to do a video on this one?. I can't seem to get the timing down with the lyrics.

thanks in adavance

I'll do a vid for ya, probably won't be till next weekend though

thanks shakedown, very kind of you.

Cheers!

shakedown, did you get a chance to do that video?

A vid for this song???? My advice would be just to grab a version off of archive.org and just listen to one, if you need the cadence of the lyrics. Just a suggestion.

This one seems very easy to me, as far as that goes, but I guess there are other tunes I've had trouble with that others find easy.

Anyone know what distortion device Jerry used on this one for the leads? He used to really rip this up in the 80's. I don't quite have the tone and attack right yet, shoulda played more metal I guess.

I have the MXR Distortion Plus, Boss SD-1, Boss OD-2, and even the Boss HM-2 (Heavy Metal pedal)to choose from, or I can get what I need if it's something else.