Phil's Playing Style...

[cozmik_cowboy]

I heard someone - I think it was Bobby, but it's been a few decades now, so no promises on that - say that playing with Phil you spend a lot of time going "What is he doing??"  Then you go back and listen to the tape - and then you speed it up, and you realize "Oh, that's it - he is playing a repeating line; it's just 38 bars long."


Also remember Bob & Jer talking about trying to figure out what Phil was, ad when you do "you start to tailgate on that - but he'll hear you do that and change it up." "Yeah; he'll detailgate you".


Peter

[glocke]

I recently purchased the "Pacific Northwest '73-'74: Believe It If You Need It" 3-CD set compiled from the 19-CD box set. Reminds me that this is absolutely one of my favorite eras of the Dead - some really fresh, interesting jams, the instruments sound great, incredible interaction between the players.

First thing: I noticed my disc 1 was skipping but put off returning it - looking at the comments on the website it looks like maybe it's a fault in the replication, and perhaps ALL of the disc 1's skip in the same place! Buyer beware, but I think the music and performances are good enough to be worth it (unless of course they figure out a way to distribute new versions)

It's been fun and challenging playing along with it. Some of the tunes I know well and have played in bands, others for the first time or not in a long time. I finally stopped playing so that I could just listen to Phil interacting with everyone. One thing I realized - maybe I've said this before - is that Phil just doesn't play what a typical or "normal" bassist would. Sometimes it almost seems like he's going to play a traditional r&b kind of line, but then he goes way up, to a higher octave or to the 5th or some other degree of the scale that normally you "shouldn't" play as a supportive bass player. And of course it's all part of the web that the whole band weaves - sometimes Jerry is the only just strumming the chords, everyone else is almost playing "around" the song.

hmmm...link to comments section where disc skipping is discussed?  Is dead.net replacing them?

I bought the 19 CD set and haven't opened mine yet, been too busy.

[hieronymous]

I heard someone - I think it was Bobby, but it's been a few decades now, so no promises on that - say that playing with Phil you spend a lot of time going "What is he doing??"  Then you go back and listen to the tape - and then you speed it up, and you realize "Oh, that's it - he is playing a repeating line; it's just 38 bars long."

Also remember Bob & Jer talking about trying to figure out what Phil was, ad when you do "you start to tailgate on that - but he'll hear you do that and change it up." "Yeah; he'll detailgate you".

Peter

I think the speed up quote was actually from Jerry - but don't quote me on that!

hmmm...link to comments section where disc skipping is discussed?  Is dead.net replacing them?

I bought the 19 CD set and haven't opened mine yet, been too busy.

https://store.dead.net/special-edition-shops/pnw-73-74/pacific-northwest-73-74-believe-it-if-you-need-it.html

Scroll down and click on comments bottom-right

[Jigmay]

A question about the "Phil Bomb": if he could drop these powerful sound bombs at will, is it correct that he was normally playing softly and a very high volume? If so, it would explain something about his tone.

PS: My first post in this 'new' forum.

[edwardofhuncote]

No help with specifics on Phil's Bombs, (though your theory seems plausible to me) but Welcome. I was wondering about that Test Post. 

[edwin]

A question about the "Phil Bomb": if he could drop these powerful sound bombs at will, is it correct that he was normally playing softly and a very high volume? If so, it would explain something about his tone.

PS: My first post in this 'new' forum.

I think there were a number of aspects as to how he got the bombs. My guess, through trial and error, is that they are from attack but also pickup selection and EQ. Also, Healy, out at front of house, had pedals that would send things to a subharmonic synthesizer for extra oomph. I have a dbx unit from the 80s and I used it sparingly, especially after one FOH engineer was about to drag me into an alley and beat me up for putting his subs at risk. I finally got it through to him that he had final control over what came out of the PA. Sheesh. However, I've discovered over the years that they aren't really necessary.

[glocke]

A question about the "Phil Bomb": if he could drop these powerful sound bombs at will, is it correct that he was normally playing softly and a very high volume? If so, it would explain something about his tone.

PS: My first post in this 'new' forum.

I've often wondered this myself...I always attributed it to dynamics and when I try to drop bombs thats generally how I do it...