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Old 03-11-2017, 10:40 AM
jp2558 jp2558 is offline
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Question Uncle John's Band - scale(s) for the riffs

I know the key of the song is G, but what scales other than G major are workable for this song? Our other guitarist will do the rhythm so I've been asked to learn the lead fills. I first tried mixolydian but couldn't tell if that was correct. I do know that the Dm pentatonic over ending works well but can't find much discussion for the fills during the song. Suggestions welcome. Thanks!
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Old 03-11-2017, 10:47 AM
Wyllys Wyllys is offline
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Honestly, I play whatever sounds good to me, then figure out the labels later...if ever.
The common modes all use the same set of scalar intervals. What they're called depends on where you start.
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Last edited by Wyllys; 03-11-2017 at 11:48 AM.
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Old 03-11-2017, 11:29 AM
stanron stanron is offline
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The D minor pentatonic would have an F natural. Most of what I hear Jerry Garcia playing is from a G major scale and that has F#. If you are nervous about using the full major scale you could experiment with the major pentatonic.
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Old 03-11-2017, 11:01 PM
DupleMeter DupleMeter is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jp2558 View Post
I know the key of the song is G, but what scales other than G major are workable for this song? Our other guitarist will do the rhythm so I've been asked to learn the lead fills. I first tried mixolydian but couldn't tell if that was correct. I do know that the Dm pentatonic over ending works well but can't find much discussion for the fills during the song. Suggestions welcome. Thanks!
Jerry is pretty much living in G major on this one with the single exception of using the #4 passing tone (C# in the key of G) on the way up to the D in a few places (bar 2, beat 3 of the main solo on the studio recording is eighth notes B C C# D). But otherwise he's solidly in G major.
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Old 03-12-2017, 07:19 AM
Wyllys Wyllys is offline
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Time for my two favorite Dead jokes:

Q. Why is their music like spaghetti?
A. It's a bunch of long noodles.

Q. What does a Deadhead say when the pot runs out?
A. "What's that noise?"

Now back to your regularly scheduled program...
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Old 03-12-2017, 08:03 PM
GGNJ GGNJ is offline
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Check out this site foe Dead tabs, including UJB

Rukind.com
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Old 03-13-2017, 12:29 PM
jseth jseth is offline
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Cool More Dead Jokes...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wyllys View Post
Time for my two favorite Dead jokes:

Q. Why is their music like spaghetti?
A. It's a bunch of long noodles.

Q. What does a Deadhead say when the pot runs out?
A. "What's that noise?"

Now back to your regularly scheduled program...
Q: Why do Deadheads dance while waving their hands in front of their faces?

A: To keep the music out of their eyes...

(This one was told to Jerry by a soundtech friend of mine)

Q: How many Deadheads does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: Only one, but it takes 10,000 to follow that burned-out bulb around the country...

(Apparently, Garcia loved this one, laughed 'til he cried...)
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Old 03-13-2017, 12:33 PM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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Jerry was probably thinking chord shapes...he played changes.
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Old 09-11-2017, 05:30 PM
Confugued Confugued is offline
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This thread is 7 years old, but if anyone else finds it through a google search, maybe my contribution will help.

As stated here & elsewhere, Jerry plays G major over the part of the song with lyrics, but a lot (most?) of his soloing on this tune is in D mixolydian (the notes of G major, played from D through D).

Jerry switches to D Dorian over the instrumental part at the end of the song (comprised of alternating 4:4 measures of Dmin and 3:4 measures of C, G, D2). Dorian is like minor and mixo grafted together; starting with Whole step, Half step, Whole Step, Whole Step, ending with Whole Step, Half Step, Whole Step. It can sound like either minor or major, depending on what notes you emphasize. It's a great scale to get creative with.
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