Hardest songs to play

[PilotC150]

In response to the "middle stage" thread, it got me to start thinking, what are some of the hardest songs. In your opinion obviously, cuz that's all you can give me. For me, at this point at least they are:

The Stone (I just learned that one though)
Rhyme and Reason (Although I haven't tried it too much)
Best of What's Around (can't figure out any of the rhythm)
Grace is Gone (the riff is too long)
You Never Know (I guess I haven't tried cuz of the messed up tuning)

[Levi]

I suck at Ants Marching. My brain goes, "Time for Ants, get ready hands," and my hands just go retarded. Sometimes when I'm in the "guitar zone" I can play it okay, but usually it just sounds bad.

I also suck at the Stone, I need to get about 10% faster, but that's just the intro, I haven't even started on the rest of it.

And for the life of me I can't get So Much to Say right...

[waffle_house_jam]

hey levi, i might have a little help for you with so much to say. one part that i play different than the tab on this site is this bit here:
E:------5-------------------------------
B:------5-------------------------------
G:------5---4\6-------------6----------
D:---------------7------5---x--------7--
A:--------------------3-----7------5----
E:-3\5--------------1------/5----3------
(2) 4 (1) 2 1 2 4 (3) 1 2 4

after the 1-3-5 bit dmbtabs says to slide up to like the 10th fret or something, but that chord i have there hits the same notes and you dont have to go way up the neck to play it. i learned it this way, and it might give you a little less trouble.

[Levi]

Hey waffle, thanks for the tip but the problem that I have is the 5s on the e,B,G strings and the little 4/6 slide after it. I'm putting my fingers in the right spot but it just doesn't sound right at all. I can do everything at the right speed but it just never sounds good to me...



E:------5-------------------------------
B:------5-------------------------------
G:------5---4\6-------------6----------
D:---------------7------5---x--------7--
A:--------------------3-----7------5----
E:-3\5--------------1------/5----3------
(2) 4 (1) 2 1 2 4 (3) 1 2 4

[DmBillies41]

Grace, Stone (to sing and play), YNK too lazy to learn it, Fool to think is hard to sing and play, the version from 10.24 grew on me and i love it now and thats about it, BOWA i found to actually be pretty easy

[waffle_house_jam]

the way i play that bit is as follows: i do all the bass slides on the top E string with my middle finger, just for reference.
on that e,G,B barre thing, i use my ring finger. that way, i just put my 1st finger down on the 4, slide up to 6, and hit the 7 with my middle finger. the reason that might not sound right is that you may be playing it too clinically. as with most Dave Matthews songs, So Much to Say isnt about what youre playing, its about how youre playing it. you should be using a lot of muting. also, when you do that 4/6 slide, try muting the strings around it or playing one or two open. also, you might try picking it really lightly, and only putting emphasis on the 6 and 7. in so much to say, a lot of the slides dont really start anywhere, they just end, so you've got to slowly come out of a mute while youre sliding. i hope that helps a bit...

[Corona5k1635]

Ok holy crap Ants Marching is pissing me off! I can't get the strings muted during the lick between the D and G notes in the verse! It sounds so bad. I watch dave play on Storytellers and it looks very fluent, but when i do it i can't help but get lots of UNWANTED sound from the other strings! Can someone who has this song down pretty well give me a tip on how to just hear the slide etc.? Its such a cool song! Help please........

[jsgksu]

For ants I just play the D chord first, then lay my pointer finger across the neck at the fourth fret and do 3 muted strums then I just hold down that finger at the fourth fret and make sure to hold down the a and d string and just use my middle finger to hammer on the 5th fret and youve already got your first finger layed across for the d string part. Then I just slide my hand down and play a g with my pointer and middle finger without holding the low e string down. Then I just go back up to the 4th fret with my pointer finger layed across and this time when I hammer on the 5th fret I lay my middle finger across the a and d string to play the second part then I just slide from 5 ot 7 the second time I play it. I know Ants is supposed to be played with slides but I think it sounds just as good with hammers and its a lot easier that way, give it a try tell me what you think.

[Corona5k1635]

Yeah, that does sound pretty good, and it is alot easier. Its on the slide that i lose the mute and hit a lot of crap sound. Thanks man.

Corona5k

[gcom007]

I honestly think that DMB stuff is really easy, I picked it up fast having never played it and I've found it just to be easy in comparison to other things, he does nothing that a semi-proficient guitarist can't do, try jazz guitar...that'll give ya a whirl, and a lot of john mayer's stuff is a lot harder yet more rewarding, dave stuff solo just lacks a punch, I'm considering reworking a lot of the songs to sound better solo acoustic though, what would you guys think of that? I'm sure some would be anal about it because it's not exactly what Dave plays, but I say screw that, it'll sound a lot better, anyways, thoughts?

[gravedigger]

thoughts? yes.

I surprised to hear that DMB stuff is really easy for you. I love hearing Dave play solo acoustic - I think it sounds great. His percussive techniques are what gets me, and his muting abilities take forever to master. He's not an easy guy to replicate. Most of his songs are very difficult to sing and play at the same time. I don't think they need to be changed or messed with to sound better - I think they just have to be practiced more to get them sounding good.

peace,
Ken

[gcom007]

thoughts? yes.

I surprised to hear that DMB stuff is really easy for you. I love hearing Dave play solo acoustic - I think it sounds great. His percussive techniques are what gets me, and his muting abilities take forever to master. He's not an easy guy to replicate. Most of his songs are very difficult to sing and play at the same time. I don't think they need to be changed or messed with to sound better - I think they just have to be practiced more to get them sounding good.

peace,
Ken

I hear your side, but I do feel that many of his songs lack a lot of depth to them when played solo that can be added by using more full sounding chords and more fills, I've got what he's doing down cold, and it's cool, but I'm just not satisfied with it in many instances for solo, let me work something out and then I'll post it and you can tell me what you think then

[gravedigger]

cool, I'd like to hear it.

peace,
Ken

[gcom007]

cool, I'd like to hear it.

peace,
Ken

what should I hit up first you think?

[gravedigger]

hmmm. Can ya spruce up Proudest Monkey? Timmy's work on that song is so sweet but the Dave part gets old quick.