#171469  by Phrygian
I have spent a fair amount of time learning some of my favorite Jerry solos note for note in order to understand his approach to soloing and why he sounds so distinctive. I have found several instances where Jerry hits an open string in the middle of playing a phrase higher up the neck than 1st position. At first I thought this was accidental, but there are enough instances to make me think this was done on purpose. The open string notes are always within the chord of the song at that time.

I wonder if Jerry ever mentioned this in an interview?
 #171593  by FromWichita
Hi Phrygian (love the flat 2nd!),
First, to answer your question - I don't recall Jerry discussing it in any of the interviews I've read.
Secondly, can you give any specific examples so I/others can hear exactly what you're referring to?

When I read your post the first and best example I could think of hearing Jerry using open strings the way you described is in Bird Song from Greek Theater 7.15.84
Check that out. It's the second song of set I, which has got to be the record of "earliest occurrence of Bird Song during a show." Bobby is high in the mix and he as well as Jerry are on fire, playing-wise; the jam stands out in my mind as being the best I've heard with 12.31.87 being second.

I'd love other RUKindians to post their favorite Bird Songs and/or examples of what Phrygian originally posted about.

Bird Song's jam as I've played it is from E7 to D; so in a 4 count measure it's E7 for 1 and 2, then D for 3 and back to E7 for 4.
(Please, anyone with a more accurate chord progression, share it here!)
And I specifically remember, while jamming on it during a practice with my first Dead cover band, using both the open D and open E notes, while otherwise playing higher up the neck, for a contrast of voicing. Doing that occurred spontaneously during the jam, though I may have been inspired by the aforementioned 7.15.84 Bird Song! This reminds me of "the chicken or the egg" paradox - no pun intended!

"Avis nota sua distinguitur."
A bird is distinguished by its note.
 #171602  by Phrygian
Hi Wichita,

I should have given examples in the first place. Maybe that would have generated more of a discussion.

Here are a few examples with approximate time stamps:
Me And My Uncle - Skull and Roses album - 1:36 open B, 2:33 open low E
I Know You Rider - Europe 72 album - 3:49 open D
Brown Eyed Women - International Amphitheater show 7/25/74 - 1:52 open A

All these examples are just one quick note within a larger phrase. The open notes are almost trivial but it seems to me that it was a little device Jerry used consciously. It certainly shows how mindful he was of the chords being played while he was soloing or playing fills. This may have been something that he dropped after this time period. At the moment, I can't think of a later example.