Dave Matthews = Steve Vai

[Dloz]

Ok hang on & wait for my argument. I primarily strum & enjoy like artists. Guitar is my hobby & I love it & am in awe for those here that have guitars & skills far exceeding mine. I'm also in my late 40's making Pearl Jam my Beatles(influence wise) & the likes of them my music. Back to my point. I've seen DMB live several times & watch his recent live @ home stuff a lot. As a strummer I find him rediculously difficult to play. More to my point I don't think he gets enough credit( from a guitar skills perspective) for creating what sounds so simple but is yet difficult to play. He is a strummers version of Steve Vai. He is all over, across 4 frets & just a hell of a talent.

[zoopeda]

No question, Dave Matthews is HUGE talent, technically impressive, soulful, rhythmic, and quick. He writes most of his music and isn't overly produced. You don't get that big all on your own like that without being fairly Epic. I agree, his stuff is high level and impressive.

Re: Steve Vai, I don't know an enormous amount about Steve but I do know to hang with Frank Zappa you not only have to have the technical proficiency but the heady music theory side of things as well. I have no idea what's in Dave Matthews head but I get the sense he's musically smart but playing a lot 'from the gut.' Steve Vai is in a special intellectual level in terms of understanding how music is composed. But maybe both roads lead to Rome!

If you know Dave, you must know Tim Reynolds? That guy is equally Epic. And an electric, like Steve. I wonder if he's your DMB Steve Vai?

[FOG01]

Agreed. The stretch on Crash Into Me does me in pretty quickly. Even his more basic stuff like Crush is so nuanced by the dynamics he plays with, it's next level stuff.

https://youtu.be/yJA8sF5aYLU

[Stratcat77]

We recently learned DMB What Would You Say in my duo. Deceptively difficult to play well!!!

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by FOG01

Agreed. The stretch on Crash Into Me does me in pretty quickly. Even his more basic stuff like Crush is so nuanced by the dynamics he plays with, it's next level stuff.

https://youtu.be/yJA8sF5aYLU

His left hand is like a spider in this clip. His eyes are watching his left hand; this is not easy even for him. Agreed, this is higher level stuff that it appears.

[reeve21]

I never really “got” Dave Matthews. It’s probably the vocals, I can’t wrap my head around his sound. Or maybe because I’ve never seen him live, and I am unintentionally biased against people who came along after I had already established my musical preferences. He doesn’t move me emotionally, but he is certainly one heck of a rhythm guitar player. As an aging deadhead I can hear a lot of Bob Weir what he does. So, I agree, he is definitely an underrated and superb rhythm player.

[zoopeda]

I can’t imagine singing to that degree while playing like this. He and Timmy are professionals. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cQ4RH35Tbqk

Weird, anyone notice Tim R has one black bridge pin at the low e on his HD-35? What’s that about?

[Dloz]

"If you know Dave, you must know Tim Reynolds? That guy is equally Epic. And an electric, like Steve. I wonder if he's your DMB Steve Vai?"

The work that Tim & Dave do together is great. I've never seen them together live acoustically. I listen & watch them together a lot. Both great. Tim is an absolute ninja in all aspects. Dave just does his thing...seems reasonable to replicate..yet...

[Brucebubs]

As good as Dave Matthews is ... he just doesn't come near this guy for strumming ...

[Emil]

I love DMB and a lot of his stuff is fun to play and anove all great to play on your own.
However i cant stand his live sound most of the time.
I realize that when playing with the band he needs to avoid feedback etc but even when he’s alone his tone seems to be just as artificial.

[WiseAxe]

Originally Posted by zoopeda

... He writes most of his music and isn't overly produced.

Maybe not over-produced, I don't know/don't want to know. I will, however, say his music seems over-instrumentalized. Just keep throwing more instruments at it, it will seem complex.

Dave Matthews = Steve Vai ? Fine. But you can keep it as your own little secret.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

You want to see Dave’s “spider fingers” technique (while singing, no less) in full effect? Try playing The Stone. There are better quality full band recordings out there, but this old solo acoustic one shows his left hand prowess in full effect.

[rokdog49]

No doubt Dave is talented...not my thing it’s too esoteric I guess. I get bored quickly..
Anyway he “strikes a chord” (pun intended) with a lot of folks.

[zoopeda]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

As good as Dave Matthews is ... he just doesn't come near this guy for strumming ...

I don’t think anyone here would question the deserved legendary status of The Who. But the stuff Dave is doing while he sings is far more complicated than the big windmill right arm rhythm going on here. Nothing wrong with either approach; I love this Townsend clip. I think the point above is that Daves style is so complex. Yet he’s so original it just sounds effortless. Pete’s a broad strokes guitarist; not much like Steve V, in my opinion.

[fregly]

Steve is more advanced in terms of theory and such, and the music is more "difficult". I think he was writing out charts for Zappa when he was 19 or something, and as a player he is more of a virtuoso. I'd much rather listen to Mathews though, and he certainly is a great player without question.