Grateful Dead Music Forum

Hes usually playing with a combination right? The "chirping" sounds to me like fingers. Mostly enjoy the 70s shows style..
Thanks!

Jerry went back and forth.

HIs pick of choice is the little Dunlop jazz pick, though I've read that he uses the III and I, so I'm not sure which is accurate.

I've found the best (most consistent) way to get that chirping sound is to hold the pick such that the edge hits the strings along with your fingers (mainly the pointer's fingernail)... I think of it as being similar to doing pinch harmonics, but softer.

Anecdotally, it's also really easy to do Trey's tone this way.

Wow that's cool I'll try it. To get a little touch of harmonic. Didn't think of that.

I'm talking about Bobby by the way....

Recycledsole wrote:Wow that's cool I'll try it. To get a little touch of harmonic. Didn't think of that.

I'm talking about Bobby by the way....

Oh. Sorry. I just have it set up where I see the latest post in the forum, and just assumed it was Garcia you were asking about. I've only seen Bobby use a pick, but am sure he finger picked here and there?

I also think that most of his sound comes from the "up" strum, which I always hit with my thumb nail. I try to play with a reggae type feel, with the offbeat occurring on the up strum.

That being said, I suck, so YMMV.

schmidtz wrote:I also think that most of his sound comes from the "up" strum, which I always hit with my thumb nail. ...

I was going to ask about this, particularly his "bell tones" in '78 and '79 on the Cowboy. I don't have his kind of rig, but with a few specific guitars and settings: the fingernail (index, but easier with thumb upstroke, usually on high E-string) gives that characteristically clear ching and klingggg that typically grace "Peggy-O," et al.
If any of the Bobby practitioners are getting that with a pick, please expound!

Gotta admit I never spent any time studying Bob, but I seem to recall reading something somewhere that said he would "hybrid pick" from time to time. I didn't notice anyone else mention that so I may be off base.

Bob uses fingers/pick all the time. Watch his hand you'll see some "grabs" .

At the very least the introduction to Weather Report Suite is all pick and fingers. You can see him do it in the Movie.