Dave's Style

[LIPESU56]

This may be seen as a stupid question, but I no nothing about music theory or guitar theory or anything like that. I'm just teaching myself to play. Anyway, I always see on posts here that Dave has a "percussive" style. What exactly is a percussive style? What are some other styles and who are some guitarists who use them (so I can try to listen and compare)?

[taparoo]

Percussive means that he plays aggressively, really attacking the strings. For example, listen to the way he plays the riffs on What Would You Say, Rhyme And Reason, Warehouse, and So Much To Say. Notice that he doesn't just pick the individual notes, but hits more than just the string he's playing the riff on and mutes the rest (which is also what he's known for - his muting ability).

Another guy with a percussive style would be Stevie Ray Vaughan. Listen to a tune like Rude Mood and listen to how aggressive his attack is on the opening riff (he's really digging into the strings).

[Hydro120]

I go to college for music, and we just started playing a some songs in the funk genre. I was amazed at how natural playing funk came to me, and I attribute that to learning DMB's style of play.

[AlpineValley]

Percussive means that he plays aggressively, really attacking the strings. For example, listen to the way he plays the riffs on What Would You Say, Rhyme And Reason, Warehouse, and So Much To Say. Notice that he doesn't just pick the individual notes, but hits more than just the string he's playing the riff on and mutes the rest (which is also what he's known for - his muting ability).

Another guy with a percussive style would be Stevie Ray Vaughan. Listen to a tune like Rude Mood and listen to how aggressive his attack is on the opening riff (he's really digging into the strings).

are you talking about muting with the left hand?????

[taparoo]

Percussive means that he plays aggressively, really attacking the strings. For example, listen to the way he plays the riffs on What Would You Say, Rhyme And Reason, Warehouse, and So Much To Say. Notice that he doesn't just pick the individual notes, but hits more than just the string he's playing the riff on and mutes the rest (which is also what he's known for - his muting ability).

Another guy with a percussive style would be Stevie Ray Vaughan. Listen to a tune like Rude Mood and listen to how aggressive his attack is on the opening riff (he's really digging into the strings).

are you talking about muting with the left hand?????

Yeah

[AlpineValley]

^is that where you put your finger tips right on top of the fret so it sounds like you are almost palm muting it???

[taparoo]

^is that where you put your finger tips right on top of the fret so it sounds like you are almost palm muting it???

No, it's where you put your finger(s) over the strings, but don't fret anything, so that nothing sounds (so that you are muting the strings, no sound is coming out). You'll get a kind of percussive sound.

[AlpineValley]

so take this for example:

Code: Select all

Verse

E:-------------------------------------------------------
B:-------------------------------------------------------
G:---------3------------------------x-----9--------------
D:-3/5----------------5----------7--x-----------10--(0)--
A:------5-----5\6--------6\8--------x--------------------
E:-----------------6----------8-----x--8-----6-----------
   (3)  2  1  (3)  2  1  (3)  2  1     2  4  1  4

the "x's"would be the "percussive muting" you are talking about??

[taparoo]

so take this for example:

Code: Select all

Verse

E:-------------------------------------------------------
B:-------------------------------------------------------
G:---------3------------------------x-----9--------------
D:-3/5----------------5----------7--x-----------10--(0)--
A:------5-----5\6--------6\8--------x--------------------
E:-----------------6----------8-----x--8-----6-----------
   (3)  2  1  (3)  2  1  (3)  2  1     2  4  1  4

the "x's"would be the "percussive muting" you are talking about??

Yes, and it's not shown in the tab, but Dave doesn't focus on hitting the notes precisely in that riff, he just hits in the general area and mutes the strings he doesn't want to be sounded.

[AlpineValley]

yeah, exactly, thanks for clearing that up tap

[Taylor2885]

He's good at muting with his left hand ... but better known for his palm muting with his right hand.

[SPOTLIGHT5584]

i still dont get how someone can strumm and mute with their right hand i get soo messed upp trying to do that

[Yakko]

It just takes practice.. And lots of it too!

[taparoo]

i still dont get how someone can strumm and mute with their right hand i get soo messed upp trying to do that

Palm muting is different than actual 'muting' (totally blocking sound of the strings). Palm muting is resting your palm near the bridge of the guitar lightly to get a more mellow & more quiet sound from the guitar, more staccato-ish (the notes do not ring out). Dave does not mute (not talking about palm muting) with his right hand nearly as much as he does with his left.

[AlpineValley]

iI love palm muting