The Terrible Stone

[Ruslan]

Greetings.

I was going to go into the new member in the forum speech, but I'll cut straight to the chase, hope y'all don't mind.

I am rather new to the guitar playing, inspired by Jose Gonzalez, I started about 4 months ago, after about 2 months I heard "The captain" by DMB and then "The Stone" and saying that I got "hooked" would be a major understatement. I have been practicing the song for about a month now, few hours every day, but there are a few technicalities of playing the song that are stopping me from nailing it.

Before I go into them I would just like to mention that I have read every single stone thread I could find on the forum, seen about every instructional video there is on the song, and I still do not get it, maybe I'm retarded or musically impaired, but I am really determined to learn this song and I will not move on before I can play it perfectly.

NUMBER UNO

The intro.
Yes, Yes, I know, there has been many posts asking that question, I have to admit that I haven't found any of them partucularly useful. 5-5-2-3-2: if you look at it in the instructional video, that is exactly the way to play it, and I have no problem playing it that way and it sounds exactly like the instructional. BUT if you look at any live preformance or even cover version of the song, there is another sound that's defnitely extra to the 5-5-2-3-2. I cannot figure it out on my own, so could someone please explain how it is played please?

NUMERO TWO

The Verse

This is the part that really drives me crazy, I am completely unable to figure out the strumming pattern on the 31x3. I've tried playing down strum on all 4, then up, down, up on the bottom 3, and repeat it again. But that doesn't sound right. In the instructional it sounds like Dave does down 4; up, down on the bottom 3, but in live preformances it sounds like he does more strums. Now I'm thinking that maybe he does down 4; down, up, down, up bottom 3. Could someone please put me out of my mysery and tell me the right way to play it. I know there are books released on this topic but to my misfortune i can't get ahold of one, hence this post.

NUMBER THREE

The chorus. Although I think I have it, I wouldn't mind having some reassurance on the way it's played and since I made the post I might ask about it as well. Is Down, Up, Down, Up; Down, Up, Down, Up a correct general (i know it varies sometimes) pattern for playing each set of chords of the chorus?

If you have read this essay and you still have the energy to post an instruction or an advice, thank you in advance. And to all of you hardcore guitar players, please save all the complicated talk, explain it as if you were explaining it to a 5 year old, that way, a lot of noobies like me trying to learn one of the very greatest guitar songs will have a very reliable guide.

[jmack]

1. The extra sound you're hearing is Dave's palm muting, and that's what makes the Stone. Palm muting takes alot of practice but once you get it down, it adds alot of character to most songs (the majority of songs dave plays with palm muting). You rest the side of your palm between the soundhole and the bridge while you pick or strum the strings. That's about the most explaining I can do, you really just have to practice it over and over and over to get the Stone down properly.

2. Try playing along with the song, you'll hear right away if you're strumming properly or not.

3. Same thing for strumming the chorus.

Do you have a Dave and Tim Reynolds version that you could listen to, or have you been listening to full band?

[sfmartins]

1. The extra sound you're hearing is Dave's palm muting, and that's what makes the Stone. Palm muting takes alot of practice but once you get it down, it adds alot of character to most songs (the majority of songs dave plays with palm muting). You rest the side of your palm between the soundhole and the bridge while you pick or strum the strings. That's about the most explaining I can do, you really just have to practice it over and over and over to get the Stone down properly.

2. Try playing along with the song, you'll hear right away if you're strumming properly or not.

3. Same thing for strumming the chorus.

Do you have a Dave and Tim Reynolds version that you could listen to, or have you been listening to full band?

Yeah, definitely check an acoustic version of the song.

The stone is not a simple tune, but I am sure with a little bit of practice, you'll be playing and singing at the same time!

As I usually say, if you can't play it now, just try other songs and get back to this one in a couple of months.

Good luck man!

[Pig17]

The Stone - (Dave solo-Charlie Rose-9.10.99)
hxxp://download.yousendit.com/52B14BC9020FB08B


This should help out a lot. Good luck!

[Coldchillin]

1. The extra sound you're hearing is Dave's palm muting, and that's what makes the Stone. Palm muting takes alot of practice but once you get it down, it adds alot of character to most songs (the majority of songs dave plays with palm muting). You rest the side of your palm between the soundhole and the bridge while you pick or strum the strings. That's about the most explaining I can do, you really just have to practice it over and over and over to get the Stone down properly.

2. Try playing along with the song, you'll hear right away if you're strumming properly or not.

3. Same thing for strumming the chorus.

Do you have a Dave and Tim Reynolds version that you could listen to, or have you been listening to full band?

Definitely doesn't use "palm muting". It's muting over the frets with the left hand.

[Twostep13]

1. The extra sound you're hearing is Dave's palm muting, and that's what makes the Stone. Palm muting takes alot of practice but once you get it down, it adds alot of character to most songs (the majority of songs dave plays with palm muting). You rest the side of your palm between the soundhole and the bridge while you pick or strum the strings. That's about the most explaining I can do, you really just have to practice it over and over and over to get the Stone down properly.

2. Try playing along with the song, you'll hear right away if you're strumming properly or not.

3. Same thing for strumming the chorus.

Do you have a Dave and Tim Reynolds version that you could listen to, or have you been listening to full band?

Definitely doesn't use "palm muting". It's muting over the frets with the left hand.

yeah i mute the strings with my fret hand as well... i suggest (like with any song you want to cover) listening to the song religiously until you can pretty much sing the guitar parts.. i listened to dave for about 5 years before i started playing, and ive found that since i listened to him so much, it real;ly helped me know how the songs went - thus the stone never really gave me a problem

[Ruslan]

Alright, it is great to see some helpful posts, but there are still a few questions that remain unanswered, and I think this thread needs to be directed a little bit: it seems like you guys are reading half of what i wrote (hey, i don't blame you, the stupid thing is so long you can fall asleep in the middle), but if you're gonna read selectively, skip the beginning and start with the actual problem.

Next thing I would like to remind you of, is that i have various acoustic live preformances, without the band, just Dave, so it's not necessary to post links to any other ones.

As I also mentioned, despite seeing all the instructionals, i'm still unsure about the strumming pattern, I have tried various ways to try to figure it out, but it's beyond my reach at this point, so I would appreciate if you could just explain it to me, instead of saying things like listen to it more, or play along to it, thanks a lot guys, but it's all been attempted. I mean of course i could figure it out on my own in a couple of months... But time is a factor, there is still Tripping Billies, Satellite, Crash Into Me, etc etc etc. to learn. Plus if everyone could figure out the songs there would be no need for forums like this and kind people like y'all.


Hope to see some great replies, catch you later.

[SPOTLIGHT5584]

Try doing a quick down up down up down strumm. I do not have my guitar with me so im just going off the top of my head. Im like 85 percent sure its like that. If anyone wants to they could make u an instructional video of just that strumming part ur having problems with

[Ruslan]

I'm quite confident that it's not down up down up down, pretty confident that there is at least 6 strums... That's as far as i can tell, I am very confused about how to strum, as in the pattern, but there's gotta be at least 6.

I mean take ourmedia for example, if you look at the instructional made by Pat, it sounds like he's doing 8 strums (don't know how they go cause i can't see his right hand), if you look at DustyDave, he does it nice and slow, it looks like he's doing 7 at first, and then the next time he does 6.

And if you look at the performance of dave matthews on youtube, it definitely sounds more than 6 strums.

I mean this is just a beginners talk, i'm not sure about most of it, this is why i posed this plea for help. So if anyone is in the mood for giving me a lesson... anytime.

[SPOTLIGHT5584]

Ok here is my response that I have gotten in the past. Dont take it the wrong way either Im not trying to be AHOLE.

Dont try to sound exactly like Dave. Do you think u would want to go see someone who sounds exactly like you. Music is an art. It is what you make it. Its ok to play someones music but add ur own like improv to it. If u do want to sound exactly like Dave thats fine too but dont limit yourself. I try playing a Dave song and in the middle of the song I try and go out into my own jam trying to create somethin of my own to add to his song. Im not a great guitarist I have only been playing a year. My advice may not be very helpful but I am tryin to help you as others helped me when I was in your situation.Good Luck and just keep practicing

[iha]

Jose Gonzalez

[clarkbar_07]

The Stone - (Dave solo-Charlie Rose-9.10.99)
hxxp://download.yousendit.com/52B14BC9020FB08B


This should help out a lot. Good luck!

can u repost that link it won't let me go through to it
thanks..i've been tryin to get my hand on that video

[Pig17]

The Stone - (Dave solo-Charlie Rose-9.10.99)
hxxp://download.yousendit.com/52B14BC9020FB08B


This should help out a lot. Good luck!

can u repost that link it won't let me go through to it
thanks..i've been tryin to get my hand on that video

Here's the audio...

The Stone - (Dave solo-Charlie Rose-9.10.99)
hxxp://download.yousendit.com/BAC81FE30C6681EC

And I'll see if I can find a link to the video.

[matts420music]

Much of what dave plays changes, not saying all things, correct me if i am wrong. they don't have live trax and release live shows because they sound the same playing everytime, every show is different. It also isn't just because the other band members play different, Dave does to. If you have played the way Pat and other instructional videos showed, then 99% chance you have played it the way Dave at sometime played it. That goes for pretty much goes for all DMB tunes.

[Easy E]

basically Dave plays the same thing 95% of the songs