Team. History Album. Request a custom instrument. Youtube. Does anyone have any information on phil lesh's SG style bass he used back in 60's early 70's? This is one of the most famous Grateful Dead shows that has yet to receive an official release, but it’s surely only a matter of time. He plays almost exclusively notes from a D major pentatonic scale (D-E-F#-A-B). Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. Playing the root of the chord (or key, mode, etc.) Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. Review – Best of Extreme Bass Transcriptions by Aidan Hampson, Bergantino Audio Systems Welcomes Bassist Daniel Sing, Review: The Return, Deep Energy Orchestra. He was crushed when it sounded nothing like Jack. “Scarlet Begonias” was another staple of the band’s concert repertoire subjected to extensive jamming, often leading into “Fire on the Mountain.” Example 2 is a transcription of the first 16 measures of the jam section in the performance from Alexandra Palace on 9/9/74, starting at approximately 4:35 in the recording. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. And for the most part, once the jam section of the song begins, what Lesh plays in one version won’t translate seamlessly to another. Logged sonicus. You can think of it like sitting in a chair. At a certain point, the band abandons A mixolydian altogether in favor of some atonal improvisation. r/Bass. Knowing Phil, it could have been anything. Doug Irwin is a luthier, best known as the designer of 5 custom guitars for Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. The longer you do that, the more tension you create–at least to a certain point. More information on # DemocracyComesAlive, which raised more than $40,000 an counting for HeadCount and participating artists: https://bit.ly/33CPqHe. I’ve only provided the first 16 measures of this jam, but it’s a good starting point. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. Doug also built more than 50 other guitars and basses including a bass for Pete Sears and a bass for Phil Lesh. u/blts. Once you begin moving away from the root, avoiding the downbeat, and/or introducing or increasing syncopation, you are creating tension in the music (leaning back in the chair). Strings spacing and scales. One issue is the improvisatory nature of the Grateful Dead’s music. The verse of the song is based on repetitions of a 10-beat pattern (4+4+2). Example 3 is from about a minute later in the jam (approximately 5:44 in the recording). Ritter 3D Bridge. I know it isnt a standard gibson SG bass. By the early 1980s Lesh had moved to a Modulus 6 string. So far, so normal, but after around 15 minutes, the band backed off to create an on-the-spot opportunity for Lesh to deliver one of the most gloriously unkempt bass solos in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. Mult-screw neck joint. The songs are given life on stage, not in the studio. Believe me ,it's a no-brainer! It’s another example of Lesh moving away from the root as a way to build tension, then landing back on a strong A to release it. Phil Lesh has an unusual approach to the bass. Grateful Dead (englisch für Dankbare Tote) war eine 1965 gegründete US-amerikanische Rockband aus San Francisco um den Frontmann Jerry Garcia, die eine wichtige Rolle in der US-amerikanischen Musikszene und Gegenkultur einnahm. Ritter Swordsteel strings. Posted by. Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. Welcome to episode 2 of the Nature of Sound! Notice the arch shapes in Phil’s line each time he moves away from A. For most bands, the studio album version is thought of as the definitive version. “Dark Star” usually lasts longer. He repeatedly ascends, then gradually descends back to A. That kind of tension and release is important in all music, but in improvised music, you as the bass player have a lot of control over how that tension builds and when it is released. He then begins C the same as A and B, but varies it slightly after a few beats. He's been playing Modulus since the early eighties with the occasional use of his Ken Smith. show on 5/8. Personally the only of Phil's basses I thought sounded awful were the Irwin in the early 80s and the Eye of the Horus Ritter he was playing around 2010, the one that looks like he is strangling a swan when he plays it. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. Available at dealers. When I was first learning how to read music it was painful. Phil Lesh’s bass parts represent the very antithesis of this standard. 2 and 6). A transcription of a few measures of three different versions is by no means exhaustive, but it will give us an idea of how Phil builds a bass line and how he varies it from performance to performance. Phil Lesh’s line here isn’t as syncopated as the ones discussed above, though it remains anything but regular. Sep 20, 2011 #2. funkytoe In Memoriam. The first 6 beats of A and B are exactly the same, a rare instance of Lesh repeating himself. Phil Lesh with The Grateful Dead live in 1974 with Custom Alembic In the late 1970s Lesh briefly played a Fender Jazz and a handmade Doug Irwin bass (Irwin had built Jerry Garcia’s iconic Tyger and Wolf guitars amongst others). Performances of “Playing in the Band,” “Truckin’,” and “Bird Song,” among others, often last 15 to 20 minutes. This presents a hurdle if you want to learn to play a song the way Phil played it. You can subscribe at any time. Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. Most bass players probably would have played this riff with the guitar and keyboard. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. For the Dead, the studio version is often the least definitive. Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. Lesh was born in Berkeley, California, on March 15, 1940. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. This is a common way Lesh builds tension. Doug also built a limited amount of other guitars and basses including a bass for Pete Sears and a bass for Phil Lesh. By his own admission Lesh finds it impossible to play exact repetitions of a bass line. Watch: Phil Lesh, Ross James, Jason Crosby and More Collaborate on Hebrew Version of “Samson & Delilah” Grateful Dead HQ Shares Pro-Shot “Row Jimmy” from Egypt ’78 In fact, sometimes you need that. Ritter Pickups. Phish.net is a non-commercial project … Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. 18). In most situations, we can’t get away with Phil’s approach to playing. Make sure you # VOTE on November 3. The performance from 1973 is the most syncopated.Notice how few notes fall on the beat. In this section of the song, the band is playing a 4-measure pattern. We can see what is consistent and what is not. 16. In fact, the only note outside of D pentatonic in the transcriptions is the G# near the end of the 3rd measure of the performance from the Alexandra Palace. I’ve transcribed four passes through this pattern and labeled them A, B, C, and D in the excerpt so it’s easy to keep track of where we are. I’ve included a transcription of the riff Jerry and Keith are playing, because it’s important to see how Phil Lesh plays against it. Ritter TV. He had never played bass much before joining the Grateful Dead, though he was an extremely talented composer and musician. Phil opts for an independent line that acts as a sort of counterpoint against the main riff. As we see from these three performances, Lesh does not have a specific bass line that he plays for this song. Twitter. Given that this song usually includes an extended jam section, Lesh will gradually discard these parameters as the band moves toward free improvisation. Share your email with us and we'll send you a new jam everyday! Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. It is one that suits the Dead’s style of music very well. News of round-wound strings had yet to make it to San Jose . Looks like a Gibson EB-3 bass with an upgraded bridge and a mudbucker pickup installed in place of the smaller bridge pickup. “Playing in the Band” is one of the Dead songs that became a vehicle for extended jams. Garcia’s gorgeous re-entry three minutes later came in … Phil Lesh doing what he does best. I've never heard anything like that, ever. Lesh continues in much the same manner, playing syncopated lines and, at least for a while, hitting a strong B on the downbeat every 4 measures, usually accompanied by a crash in the drums. But it also requires a lot of trust and understanding from other members of the band who may be expecting more traditional bass lines. Sep 20, 2011 #3. Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. As the band begins to jam after this transcribed example, it is clear they’re still thinking and playing in 4-measure groupings. Again, as the jam goes on, he gradually adds dissonance, but he periodically reasserts A mixolydian to keep things from going completely off the rails. Here are some pics. Do it too long and you run the risk of losing the sense of cohesion the music originally had. Ritter Electronics. In the 1980s, Phil would gravitate toward 5- and 6-string basses, but the D he plays in these transcriptions (5th fret on the A string) is the lowest available on the 4-string basses he favored in the 1970s. Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. Copyright © 2020 Bass Musician Magazine, All rights reserved. In this... “Jingle Bell Rock” Hello bass players and fans of bass playing! The Basses of Phil Lesh Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by boogiebass, May 29, 2002. When all four legs of the chair are on the ground, you feel entirely stable. The arrows above the 5th and 9th measures indicate where we expect him to land on B, but he consciously avoids it. The performance shown in example 4, from Veneta, OR 8/27/72 (released as Sunshine Daydream), begins with the song’s intro riff, which leads to an “opening jam.” In this particular performance, the opening jam lasts over 11 minutes before Garcia sings the verse. Another issue is that the Dead aren’t just known for improvisations—the Dead are known for long improvisations. Something else Phil Lesh is consistent about in these three performances is his note choices. His bass line from the 1978 show in Madison is the most regular. … Logged Mission Control. Events. Otherwise, bass notes on downbeats are scarce. Several things make it difficult to describe, characterize, or analyze Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh’s style of playing. The Rick Turner/Alembic/Phil Lesh “Mission Control” bass, aka “Osage Orange”, aka “The Omega”. Join over 5,000 live music lovers who receive our free daily jam newsletter and score 15% off a new tee or hoodie in our store! The Nature of Sound, part 3 in this music theory series. 1, 5, 9, and 13 of the example). Even the songs with a fairly strict structure will vary from performance to performance. Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. Archived. When he finally lands back on B on the downbeat of the 13th measure, he releases the tension and can begin building it up again. You can release that tension by putting all four legs back on the ground. Publisher V.I.E., LLC. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. 16. Aug 16, 2000 ... No idea about the headless bass. Jan 17, 2008 Northern California. Even in Grateful Dead cover bands, many times bass players either don’t attempt to play like Phil, or perhaps were told not to by other band members. Phil Lesh – bass/vocals Alex Koford – drums/vocals Grahame Lesh – guitar vocals Jason Crosby – keys/vocals Stu Allen – guitar/vocals. Phil plays the root B on the first beat of each pattern (i.e., downbeat of mm. Contact. Floridabwoy. In most situations, we can’t get away with Phil’s approach to playing. Follow This Thread Bookmark Bookmark with Email Notifications Do not follow Thread Order Oldest First Newest First Pagination Show 10 comments per page Show 25 comments per page Show 50 comments per page Show all comments on one page Share; Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Back to Forum. Wood Samples. Instagram . As was so often the case, the centerpiece of this show was the big jam in the second set, which kicked off with a beautiful “Dark Star”. Listen to "Scarlet Begonias" from the Cornell Univ. Phil Lesh has an unusual approach to the bass. Bass & Guitar models. We hate spam as much as you do! Finishes & Inlays. The whole band was really on their game, especially Phil, but that bass there... wow. So, if you’re going for that authentic Grateful Dead sound, give your bandmates fair warning, then dive headfirst into the Phil Zone. He does, however, seem to have basic parameters for his groove that he follows as a sort of framework for variation: 1) improvise with the D major pentatonic scale, 2) accent the first beat of each repetition of the 10-beat phrase with a strong root D, and 3) emphasize the off-beats everywhere else. In many ways, Phil Lesh's experimentation with custom basses paralleled Jerry's pursuit of tailored hardware in the 1970s. The riff and accompanying parts are based around a B mixolydian scale (think B major but with a lowered 7th—so A natural rather than A sharp), but Lesh is mostly playing notes of a B major pentatonic scale with the occasional addition of E. In the excerpt transcribed, he completely avoids any kind of A, although as the jam continues over the next several minutes, he does begin incorporating A naturals. “Dark Star” was a vehicle for some of the Grateful Dead’s most experimental improvisation. Two other guitars are documented as being built by Irwin: Rosewood and a Les Paul type guitar. But it also requires a lot of trust and understanding from other members of the band who may be expecting more traditional bass lines. 7); and 2/3/78 from Madison, WI (Dick’s Picks Vol. Future Zone. r/Bass: Reddit's Loudest and Most In-Tune Community of Bassists Electric, acoustic, upright, and otherwise. 1); 9/9/74 from Alexandra Palace in London, England (Dick’s Picks Vol. Community resources, and extensive FAQ … Press J to jump to the feed. Sep … Facebook. Philip Lesh (born Philip Chapman, March 15, 1940) is an American musician and a founding member of the Grateful Dead, with whom he played bass guitar throughout their 30-year career. a close up look at Phil Lesh's Big Brown bass. The farther you lean back, the more the tension builds. It is Phil Lesh — a jazz player turned avant-garde composer turned rock and roll bassist who provides the powerful but melodic bass lines that help give the Dead's music its exotic, but easily recognizable, flavor. This makes the song feel lighter and less grounded and creates a bigger impact when he finally lands back on the root so heavily. User account menu. Phillip Chapman Lesh (* 15. It is one that suits the Dead’s style of music very well. 34: Community War Memorial, Rochester, NY 11/5/77 ℗ … Not one he regularly used on stage, however. Hitting the root at the beginning of each pattern is like a release valve. The Grateful Dead played this song almost 600 times between 1971 and 1995. Close. Phish.net. As a jazz-oriented trumpet player, Lesh developed his role in the band's mix through intuition and listening. Coverpages. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. May 29, 2002 #1. boogiebass . We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Glancing at these three transcriptions (example 1), they seem to be wildly different, but there are several things Phil does consistently between all three versions. Even that G# is short and is very much just a passing tone to get to A. As they keep playing, though, Phil Lesh begins to avoid hitting that B at the beginning of each 4-measure pattern. This helps keep the band together, but also keeps the jam relatively grounded. Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. Lesh’s playing, though, is a key component of the sound of the Grateful Dead, probably second in importance only to Garcia’s lead guitar. Grateful Dead Dick's Picks Vol. Welcome to MM3! Everything takes off from here. The first two times through the pattern, he plays a C# on the downbeat of the 2nd measure (mm. If you begin leaning back in the chair and the front legs come up off the ground, there’s a certain amount of tension created. Below are transcriptions of Phil Lesh’s bass line from the first verse of three different performances of this song: 12/9/73 from Tampa, FL (available on Dick’s Picks Vol. Which version are you going to learn? In the extended jam section after the verses, the same is true… for a while. Significant degrees of repetition are present only with respect to the underlying harmonic-rhythmic core of the compositions, rarely within or across his own phrases. In other words, he’s playing his lowest, strongest D as a way of keeping the band anchored in this unusual time signature. Probably a one-off promo shot, I'm guessing. März 1940 in Berkeley, Kalifornien; meist nur Phil Lesh) ist ein Musiker, der vor allem als Bassist von Grateful Dead bekannt wurde. log in sign up. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass: 37,00€ 2: Feinde - Hostiles: 4,86€ 3: Black Mass: Der Pate von Boston [dt./OV] 3,99€ 4: Poltergeist: 3,89€ 5: POP Funko The Witcher 3 561- Leshen 6" Super Sized Special Edition: 49,99€ 6: Funko 41508 POP Games: Guild Wars 2 - Rytlock Collectible Toy, Multicolour: 10,11€ 7 Ritter Tremolo. This is where Jerry Garcia and keyboardist Keith Godchaux play the riff that ends the song proper, and is the starting point for the jam that follows. The longer he avoids it, the more the tension builds. Internships. The guitars he built for Garcia included Eagle (Alembic), Wolf, Tiger, Wolf Jr. (headless) and Rosebud. Jede Gitarre PL-408 ist ca. The groove is stable, and sometimes you want that. on beat 1 is the equivalent of having all four legs of the chair on the ground. Another similarity is that Lesh emphasizes the “off-beats” in all three versions, though to different extents. In ’71 the bass player (Spike Daley, now living in Grass valley, CA) in my first all-original band wanted to sound more like Jack Casady (Spike liked Jack, Phil Lesh, John Entwistle, and Rick Danko—good taste), so bought himself a bass just like Jack’s—the Guild Starfire. Songs are never played exactly the same way twice. Omakase. 3 years ago. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. He gets into the higher register of his instrument early and often. Lesh will usually stick to a basic feel like it’s a road map, but how he navigates from point A to point B in each performance varies. The guitars he built for Garcia included Eagle (Alembic), Wolf, Tiger, Wolf Jr. (headless) and Rosebud. Lesh is primarily improvising with an A mixolydian scale. One thing to notice is that Lesh lands on a strong root D on beat 1 of each 10-beat measure (i.e., the first beat of A, B, C, and D). As I understand it, the WoS was retired well before this tour, but however they had the bass amped up, it was working just fine. Axe Heaven PL-408 Phil Lesh Alembic Miniatur Bass AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarren sind ein großartiges Geschenk – vor allem für einen Totenkopf; Jede AXE HEAVEN Miniatur-Gitarre ist im Maßstab 1:4 und ist einzeln aus massivem Holz handgefertigt, mit Stimmschlüssel aus Metall. Counterpoint against the main riff 3 in this section of the Grateful Dead Phil! It difficult to describe, characterize, or analyze Grateful Dead, he! Standard gibson SG bass he avoids it drums/vocals Grahame Lesh – bass/vocals Alex Koford – drums/vocals Grahame –. Played this song almost 600 times between 1971 and 1995 the definitive version chair! Away with Phil ’ s line each time he moves away from a 50 other guitars and including! 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