What Jerry Garcia’s Acoustic Playing Can Teach You

Explore the acoustic side of Jerry Garcia and how it can improve your own acoustic playing.
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[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

🎸 Take The FREE Jerry Garcia 5-Day Guitar Challenge! 🎸 www.jeffwilliamsguitar.com/Jerry-Garcia-5-Day-Challenge

[@FrittenFritzgerald]

i take it :P

[@ber334]

Good job

[@thejamnasium6447]

one of the best things I've learned from Jerry's playing/soloing style is to avoid the 4. he hits the sharp 4 90% of the time when doing his solo stuff. just has such a unique and more compelling sound to my ear.

[@seancushnie974]

Really would look at more as a b5, the blue note. The flatted 5th is used all throughout the blues

[@seancushnie974]

Really would look at more as a b5, the blue note. The flatted 5th is used all throughout the blues

[@seancushnie974]

Really would look at more as a b5, the blue note. The flatted 5th is used all throughout the blues

[@seancushnie974]

Really would look at more as a b5, the blue note. The flatted 5th is used all throughout the blues

[@seancushnie974]

Really would look at more as a b5, the blue note. The flatted 5th is used all throughout the blues

[@comedycrackhead]

Shout out to Jeff for the free yet thorough info and challenge/lesson. You rock in multitudes my friend

[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

No prob, glad it was helpful.

[@jlukeschmidt]

Great video man! I studied the JGAB's 'Ragged but Right' record and it completely changed my view of the fretboard. Jerry's leads were incredible but I think his rhythm playing was just as good! He had the music in his mind and each instrument allowed him to bring it to life. That is true musicianship.

[@jammininthepast]

I love Jer-Bear, what a refreshing individual and musician. Jerry was not pretentious or assuming. Great player, good man. His greatness is shown, nobody can imitate his style or (his) chops. Thanks brother appreciated.

[@adambrunner9462]

Great video Jeff!! Did you know I just got a new acoustic? Been without for a while... Not sure what I was thinking! It seems freeing to not have to tinker and think about all that goes with electric playing. Just grab and play and it sounds fantastic every time. Then to hear Jerry acoustic... Inspirational indeed!

[@mitchkenvin259]

He was a monster acoustic player. Loved his solo on Dire Wolf acoustically.

[@Alcookeverybody]

That was pedal steel right?

[@xianshep]

​@@Alcookeverybody On Workingman's, yep.

[@ThinkGarza]

Nice job and good messages for playing in this video

[@GordiansKnotHere]

Jerry Garcia is one of my favorite musicians and guitar players. Always has a special place in my heart. EDIT: Open chords and chromatics leave a lot of options...

[@stephenhenion8304]

Nice tribute to Jerry, and his acoustic chops. I got to Radio City in October 1980, and saw that acoustic set from the first balcony. Great channel. 🎵🎶🎵

[@johnwerner3714]

Bro I was there Oct 30 1980. I was a senior in highschool . My posse and I all wore black suits. Great night!

[@maxtylersmusic]

So jealous of you!

[@MysteryZenSide2]

Jerry puts his heart and soul into each note- that's the magic

[@Blues40]

This is an awesome lesson. Thank you.

[@bernhardnizynski4403]

Lovely playing!

[@surfinganddancing1609]

Appreciate you, man!

[@larrycavallucci3258]

I play on a worship team at church, either AG or EG. The worship leader plays keys sometimes, and AG when I play EG. SO I use a Capo when the song calls for one, more so, due to the chord shapes, and also based on the song we're doing. BUT another Key reason is to create a wide Dynamic. I find that some EG's are harder to work with a Capo, but two that work the best for me on certain EG's are the D'Addario capo with the adjustable tension spring, or the G7th ART. GOOD video.

[@The-11]

Thank you Jerry !

[@GregPentecost]

I'm not a big Grateful Dead music fan, but I am a huge fan of their musicianship! They played music and truly lived the dream lifestyle of musicians (up until they got popularly famous). I truly understand why they had so many followers!

[@keithchilvers7434]

I love what Jerry says about electric and acoustic being different instruments. I think this is something we lost track of during the development of guitars, both electric and acoustic, during the 20th century. Rather than explain what I mean by that let me just say I am currently searching for a 12 fret acoustic with bar frets, a long way from my 24 fret Lightning Bolt replica with T frets, that is how I see the difference. Another thing I have started doing recently on acoustic is the old Maybelle Carter thing of tuning the guitar down and then capoing back up, I love it, it totally changes the resonance.

[@jamesturk5426]

Listen to Lonesome Prison Blues. Just him and Kahn. The way he mixes major and minor in his leads is so great. Cinninger from UM made a video about it and played Jerry's Takamine i believe. Fun stuff

[@sam-ww1wk]

Ha, I'm the same. I like the idea of a capo, but never use one. I guess when I'm playing acoustic I just stick to the keys that work in open and call it groovy. And, pretty powerful the idea of expressing yourself and gaining style through your limitations on guitar. Never thought of it that way, but extremely true and practical. Love it.

[@whimpypatrol5503]

Both the Greatful Dead and CSNY had fantastic PA systems unparalleled in their day. Such changed the face of how acoustic instruments and vocals impacted rock music.

[@dustylense]

Holy moly! You approaching 30k subs! Been here since the OG 500 subs! Get it Jeff!

[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

I can't believe it! I really neglected my channel last year to focus on free and paid courses but this year will be different. Also been taking a ton of different courses myself so now it's time to implement and put it out there!

[@nathanphillips1409]

Love it!

[@jasonmathis7662]

Love this… I signed up for

[@bongobeatbox4020]

I love the footage from the Dead Set shows.

[@mongoarts]

Yes! ❤

[@pmccarty]

Jerry played with more vibrato than all of us combined!

[@rimmersbryggeri]

Never thought about that capo thing though I use it alot. My first real capo revelation was "The Weight" By the band. I thought the open chord positions were so impractical and contorted that there was no way any guitarist would play it like that so I started working with the capo and found that the chord positions were much nicer with the capo on the 2nd fret. The chord positions then were all basically the same as other band/ dylan songs, for examole Girl from the north country or The night they drove old dixie down. Have never gone back. Never seen a tutorial of The Weight with a capo on the 2nd fret though.

[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

I actually made one myself! The Weight » Acoustic Guitar Lesson » The Band: kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2m0ZaBqdqmYp8U And a backing tracks too, The Weight » Backing Track (Acoustic Guitar) » The Band: kzbin.info/www/bejne/sH-VhnRop52kepo

[@waynegram8907]

JEFF, can you make a lesson about how Jerry Garcia used MODES? which Jerry Garcia Band songs & Grateful Dead songs did Jerry Garcia use MODES or did he mostly just use Mixolydian all the time.

[@GratefulGrove]

Play the chord changes

[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

Great topic. He definitely used mixolydian the most then dorian, the major and minor scales, pentanics etc... threw in lots of notes in between. But above all I say he focused on the the melody and yeah, the chord changes for sure.

[@waynegram8907]

@@JeffWilliamsGuitar Yes he would keep Recycling the vocal melody and paraphrasing it but the hard part I'm talking about is how do you use the Mixolydian scale to "make it sound like jerry garcia" because he has his trademark habits. Make a video lesson about the TOP 10 Jerry Garcia scalar habits

[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

@@waynegram8907 "TOP 10 Jerry Garcia scalar habits" that's a great idea!

[@ChetraHor-tt6sm]

កកម

[@FrittenFritzgerald]

thanks :)

[@kevtop351]

I'm always amazed how having long fingers make you a better player.

[@captainkangaroo4301]

The students that I’ve had over the years who’ve had some experience with the electric guitar struggle with the acoustic guitar because they want to barre everything. They don’t appreciate the beautiful sound of the open chords. It’s probably because sustain is not an issue with the electric guitar.

[@christophersuma492]

I've grown to prefer most chords on my acoustic as less than a full barre.

[@tgmurph8511]

Thats great. I am sorry what song is that live number. I don’t think I have heard it. Thx

[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

Thanks. The live songs are in this order: 1. ripple 2. it must have been the roses 3. friend of the devil 4. bird song

[@azcharlie2009]

Cowboy Movie was big influence on my playing. My understanding is Jerry played most of the lead guitar on it. Regardless, whether it was him or Stephen Stills, it helped me understand there was more to lead guitar than just pentatonic scales.

[@xianshep]

That's mostly Jerry on Cowboy Movie. (I don't even hear Stills there, although that certainly doesn't mean he wasn't.)

[@jixxxxer17]

is that a D15M ? sounds great and looks even better, Peace !

[@counterconformity]

Jerry’s a beast

[@scillyautomatic]

Gerry played Slide Guitar on "Teach Your Children Well" also.

[@xianshep]

Not slide.guitar. Pedal steel (at which he was exponentially better than slide).

[@user-bi5gs8mj4d]

Never struggled on Acoustic, as it was my first choice when learning… the Electric was my struggle after learning on Acoustic.

[@ronlight7013]

So ... why does the demo with the capo sound more open and harmonically rich than when playing a barre chord?

[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

That's a great question. I'm no expert on the physics of sounds waves so I can't really tell you. To my ears it sounds so much more harmonically rich but can't really explain it. There are limitations to open strings though, like less techniques that can be applied.

[@meeheal]

Possible theory here... A capo isn't going to mute vibrations from traveling down the neck to the headstock, not like playing a bar chord does. More sound comes if all parts of the guitar can be excited and in turn vibrate, which is lessened by a) not allowing the strings to vibrate all the way to the nut, so essentially fingering at higher frets, and b) the grip you exert over the back of the neck as you bar a bar chord. If you get a tuner that clamps to the headstock, you might be able to try some different tests with capos vs a bar style chord. I've not done this, but I don't have that kind of tuner.

[@melodymaker135]

The #4 (or b5) is intriguing and fun to use…. not so sure about using it in place of the 4 90% of the time, or whatever the prev poster said! Note Jerry’s friendly and melodic maj3rd-to-4 bend around 2:51 here. Sounds great. Not trite, and not a so-called ‘avoid note’ (I’ve always hated that didactic pretentious term, sounds like a nun rapping knuckles with a ruler 😂)

[@jimschilling3289]

Was that Paul Schaefer playing the piano with Jer and Grisman?

[@ejtonefan]

For some unknown reason, Jerry Garcia could not flat pick bluegrass style on acoustic guitar. His work with David Grisman was limited in that regard.

[@ber334]

That type of flat flat picking involves hours and hours of practice in order to be able to facilitate like the way you hear most bluegrass flatpickers do and in my opinion Jerry Garcia was too lazy for that type of playing. Don't get me wrong Jerry was a natural musician who was lucky enough to find others that were similar to him in his Outlook with music and life and like he himself says his limitations brought him to the electric guitar. Jerry and his cohorts were not interested in spending 6 hours every day alone in their room practicing technique so they could be a great jazz player or bluegrass player but what they did is just as valid

[@treborocerg8810]

What tuning did Jerry use? Does not sound like standard.

[@jamesturk5426]

It's all standard tuning. I didn't use to believe it either

[@Noitisnt-ns7mo]

Jerry, the master of meander.

[@skullduggery3377]

@2:45 - Is that ship of fool's or some Dylan cover or neither?

[@MarvinMonroe]

I'd say Ship of Fools

[@maxtylersmusic]

What’s the song at 2:55

[@5jfru]

It must have been the roses

[@coopcoop8]

Babe, wake up! Jeff Williams Guitar just uploaded a new video! Wake up!

[@JeffWilliamsGuitar]

Haha!

[@rabbidpc]

Let's get that guitar in tune please, (at 1:39-1:40)

[@goldenbanjo197]

Jerry actually did audition for Bill Monroe. I have heard the story first hand.

[@xianshep]

So did you hear it from Jerry or Bill?

[@goldenbanjo197]

@@xianshep someone that was there at bill Monroe’s place. He was the caretaker while Bill was on tour. He said Jerry showed up while bill was on the road and asked if he could camp out until Bill returned. He told him he could and then when Bill got back he auditioned. Bill told him to keep working at it and come back and try again.

[@jonathanmiller8131]

Hay I got Jerry Garcia in a pouch man I'd send you A GIF of half backed but you tube said no

[@sgg6927]

Jerry never used any alternative tunings either as far as I know.

[@whosthis9369]

Doc Watson used a capo often, and actually called it a cheater bar.

[@ZionForman]

2mm flatpick

[@Rancanfish]

Willie Nelson like, but on a steel string.

[@madlove1581]

O K WOOP DEE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[@byrdie47]

nice guitar.... do you ever play it?

[@AlBowly]

Some sounds like Willie Nelson.

[@simplejones4364]

Garcia as a guitarist is a clear and sad example of the Emperors new clothes.

[@xianshep]

Ah, you're either the same guy who wrote an excoriating letter to Guitar Player about 30 years.ago, or you stole that line from him. Regardless of his debatable skills on the guitar, he was unquestionably a fine songwriter, banjo player, and had an astonishing aptitude for the pedal steel - also a sparkling intellect and fine human being.

[@olddude3266]

That's why Jerry is a legend and most guitar players aren't.

[@sawmillguy9706]

I'm not saying the guy didn't have mad talent, he just never played in a disciplined, focused type of manner, you need to accomplish your objective in less than twenty minutes if we're talking about one track.

[@ber334]

A 4-Hour grateful Dead concert is 3 1/2 hours of pretty mediocre meandering type of music for just 20 to 30 minutes of a convergence of the musicians and the audience. Those few moments of musical Bliss is what attracted The grateful Dead Jerry Garcia crowd to put up with 3 1/2 hours of what amounted to pretty boring music

[@davisworth5114]

You would look MUCH BETTER with a haircut.

[@Whatzzzz999]

Garcia's acoustic playing sounds like ten bags of nails chucked down a flight of concrete steps. Appalling noise.

[@MatthewSmith-fy5hk]

Acoustically, he's a poor man's Willie Nelson. No offense.

[@przybyla420]

Uh what? Jerry could play circles around willie on any stringed instrument, let alone guitar.

[@ollielindsay]

Willie’s cool but I don’t get what you are getting at.

[@unschoolyourselffirst6522]

Jerry was a CIA loser

[@jtaustinmusic]

You gave a poor example of his acoustic playing, because of course he strums in first position, and used the entire neck when soloing. Like...everybody

[@ber334]

Unless you're a jazz player. If you're not familiar with jazz guitar players like Joe pass or West Montgomery or the new guys like Peter Bernstein you could always Google jazz guitar or I guess you could type in jazz guitar players on KZbin probably get the same results

[@elgringovagabundo]

No Jerry's first instrument stringed or otherwise was not banjo. If you want to get technical he learned piano as a little boy. Also he learned to play guitar the mid 50's as a young teenager, BEFORE picking up a banjo. Furthermore lead is lead, whether on acoustic or electric. Ridiculous

[@mlm9964]

Jerry wasn't actually what anybody would call a shredder. The only thing anybody needs to know to get the Garcia method is to take acid and smoke a lot of weed before you play, and make sure your audience has done the same thing so everyone can imagine how great you are when you can barely play anything

[@dada1952]

"Limitations..." aka a crap guitarist.

[@ber334]

Well maybe you feel better for saying that but it really shows you don't understand what they meant by limitations because even the greatest of the classical musicians and jazz musicians will also tell you the same thing about limitations. Why don't you just be honest and say you're not wild about Jerry's guitar playing.. Jerry was a natural musician who unfortunately was too lazy and his friends that he surrounded himself with were also in that mindset of getting high was the priority and music was the way

[@whitex4652]

Jerry Garcia is the most overrated guitarist ever. That sound of hitting the string brainlessly hard in the "Green Green Grass Of Home" clip is telling everything. And show me one (1!!!) Grateful Dead live solo where he isn't lost at least after the first 4 bars. Such a feeling ... but doesn't know how to come out of his own set up traps. Nah ... Jerry Garcia is BS on the whole scale. :-(( Of course not for deadhead lunatics ...

[@xianshep]

Okay, here's one: The solo on Live/Dead's "Death Don't Have No Mercy." If he'd played like THAT more often, he'd have been far more deserving of the accolades.