# The Grateful Dead seem Out of Tune often **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2011, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995 "2011-09-12T00:06:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995/41 "2011-09-14T17:03:40Z")
> [@Billy\_Baroo](#): > > I noticed this same thing with the guitar. I think the first time I took note was the ['toob video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5HRSmLlaiA) of Ghost Riders in the Sky on the Muppet show. On review I see he’s capo’ed so he can play G chords. He is strumming upstream of the hole. What do you think? Ah - not holding the guitar up high; you are asking about playing on the upper frets. Well, I don’t know much about his playing skills, but yeah, a lot of Country and Bluegrass is based on G, C, F and D-type chords, so it is not uncommon for non-technical players to just use a capo so that the same chord-shapes work in any key up and down the neck… ---
**Author:** ![Billy\_Baroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/76d3ee/32.png) [@Billy\_Baroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billy_Baroo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995/42 "2011-09-14T18:54:33Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > it is not uncommon for non-technical players to just use a capo so that the same chord-shapes work in any key up and down the neck… I heard it referred to as “Methodist” in church. ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995/43 "2011-09-15T00:41:13Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I have concluded that some folks really value the overall sense of community and the spirit of improvisation that the Dead established - and place that higher than musical craft and tuneful singing. > > 'sall I got. That and a big fat joint. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Troutsqueezer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Troutsqueezer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troutsqueezer)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995/44 "2011-09-15T20:55:12Z")
The tuning and harmonizing of the band was geared towards those under the influence. If you’re listening to it straight and not under the spell of Marywanna nor LSD, of course it’s not in tune. Tune your ears, Dude… ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2011, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995/45 "2011-09-15T22:34:30Z")
Y’all? We seem to be hi-jacking the thread, but for those of us who think Johnny Cash wasn’t a good picker, may I ask your crtitique of this Nick Lowe tune? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkP3KAgyqMw) And I need to let you all know, I **love** Johnny Cash. He rocked me before even Elvis did, so I like to hear ALL comments, pro OR con! Thanks Quasi ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995/46 "2011-09-16T14:23:05Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > And I need to let you all know, I **love** Johnny Cash. He rocked me before even Elvis did, so I like to hear ALL comments, pro OR con! > > Thanks > > Quasi Just listening to a bootleg of Cash with Bob Dylan. When Johnny played in Dylan’s _Girl From The North Country_ Album, they played around in the studio doing various songs. It is great to hear, but nobody would approach Cash or Dylan with contracts to perform opera.😃 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995/47 "2011-09-16T18:10:34Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Y’all? > > We seem to be hi-jacking the thread, but for those of us who think Johnny Cash wasn’t a good picker, may I ask your crtitique of this Nick Lowe tune? > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkP3KAgyqMw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkP3KAgyqMw) > > And I need to let you all know, I **love** Johnny Cash. He rocked me before even Elvis did, so I like to hear ALL comments, pro OR con! > > Thanks > > Quasi Johnny is an effective singer because he delivers his lines like a man; I don’t find any issues with his pitch or other technique that distracts me from that, which I can’t say for most of the vocals I hear from the Dead. In terms of guitar, he is just playing a straight set of chords with a thumb-bass down, light-finger-strum up pattern. Nice and sparse, but anyone could do it once they get the chord changes down comfortably… ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995/48 "2011-09-16T18:16:54Z")
What does a Deadhead say when he runs out of dope?Man, this music _sucks_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-grateful-dead-seem-out-of-tune-often/595995.md?page=2)