Grateful Dead Music Forum

Hey heads, I know the mode and chromatic pull offs but when it comes to being really melodic like Jerry, I have a super hard time! Mind you I have been only playing for little over a year but I know the modes/scales and the formal things but I would love some tips on creating a good melody and Jerry techniques!!

When it comes to this stuff there's no magic tip someone can tell you that all of the sudden you'll be able to start recreating jerry lines. You just have to play, play, play, play, and play some more. When the proficiency with your hands comes and your ear gets trained, it will just start to happen. If you've been playing for only a year it's gonna take quite a bit more time unless your practice schedule is 2 hours per day or more.

I will say the biggest thing is to train your ear, not just to sound like jerry but to start being a musician. The best way I know to do that is to listen to solos and various parts you like, and figure out (on your own) how to play them, that is, without looking at tabs, etc.

There are also ear trainer programs like this one: http://www.iwasdoingallright.com/tools/ ... ining.aspx
Doing exercises such as hearing a random sequence of notes and playing it back by ear on your guitar will strengthen the link between your mind and your hands.

Just keep training your ear and your hands, and keep listening and absorbing dead shows. Gradually you'll be able to start listening to recordings and see in your mind's eye exactly what the fingerings look like without touching a guitar. But it takes time and consistent (every day if possible) practice.

All of that, plus I go to you tube,type in what dead song I want and learn solos off of that as well.That's a real quick way of doing it.All of the JGB stuff is good because you can see almost everything he is doing.

I'm far from being in a position to give believable advice (and this should be obvious) but:

when it comes to being really melodic like Jerry...

Play the melody.

In at least one interview the big guy said something to the effect of "the melody is always in there somewhere". So pick a song and learn to play the melody as expressively as you can. I'd bet you'll start hearing where some of those signature bits like the chromatic pull-offs go about half way through the 2nd time you play it through. Plus, playing the melody (more or less) straight will encourage you to work on phrasing, tone and dynamics as well.

WilliamC wrote:
In at least one interview the big guy said something to the effect of "the melody is always in there somewhere". So pick a song and learn to play the melody as expressively as you can. I'd bet you'll start hearing where some of those signature bits like the chromatic pull-offs go about half way through the 2nd time you play it through. Plus, playing the melody (more or less) straight will encourage you to work on phrasing, tone and dynamics as well.

Been doing Brokedown lately - trying to make it as melodic/vocal-like phrased as possible.
Aint easy.
Vic has a Brokedown vid that has a nice solo I have been stealing from.