I think you can "get it" and still like DSO. I also saw several Grateful Dead shows, both good and bad. I've heard Phil's influences, but I think this discussion could be even more valuable with more specifics. I realize we don't want to say tabs necessarily when the approach is to play songs differently every time, but we can tab phrases and such that are common or essential. There's not much of that available online and I think it helps to spread the music and keep it alive. Let's say this helps a player like me whose ear is still developing after starting to play music as an adult rather than at a younger age.
I think this is a good idea, but I would greatly discourage the use of tabs. It's an inaccurate method of notation. Anyone who really wants to get it would be well advised to learn standard notation, both clefs. Phil (and the other GD guys) are all well versed in standard notation and spent a lot of time studying various kinds of music. With tabs, you are limited to the variation of instrument notated. With standard notation, you have the world of music right on your music stand. As Spacebassed said "The key is to not just "recite" the tabs, but look at what the notes are and what their function is." It's much harder to analyze function and/or transpose, etc., with a tab than it is standard notation.
Tabs also don't address one of the big aspects of Phil's playing: rhythm. Learning to read and notate rhythms is a huge milestone in any player's life, as it can unlock some deep understanding of just what is going on. I was playing for years before I learned to read (at least for bass. I started reading music when I was 3 or so). Learning what the rhythms I had played for years looked like on the page was hugely ear opening.
So, for a start, as a background, I would begin to hack away at the Bach cello suites for two reasons: 1) It's a great piece of music that every bass player should work on throughout their life time and 2) Bach writes great melodic bass lines.
I would also look for Paul Chambers transcriptions and Jimmy Garrison transcriptions. Or better yet, transcribe them yourself. Both of them were hugely influential in how bass players approached modal playing.
Then move on to LaFaro and others.
I think the point is that particular phrases aren't as important as learning the approach and the approach requires at least a moderate understanding of and experience with jazz and classical harmony. Phil's note choices and phrasing become, if not obvious, at least pretty clear once you have a working knowledge of this stuff. Lessons can be very helpful. I studied theory and its application to bass with a jazz guitarist in Boston who had studied with Mick Goodrick and Charlie Banacos. I learned a huge amount in that process and pretty much all of it was applicable to being able to play Phil lines. (I do teach his method, but I guess you'd have to be in Colorado. Of course, there's always Skype
.).
So, perhaps if people have specific things they want to learn, they could bring them up and we could all submit what we think might be the "reality" and compare notes.
Also, thanks for the kudos. I have to admit, it was a strange journey to get here. I turned down an offer to join DSO more than 10 years ago, swearing I'd never play in a cover band, let alone a GD cover. I was a lot more interested in original funk, jazz, and just plain weird experimental music and I felt like I'd rather work a day job than play in a cover band. However, when I started law school in 2009 it seemed like a good way to keep my hand in the game without having to rehearse a lot and a little extra income didn't hurt. One of the things I feared has come true, which is that now I'm somewhat typecast as something which only reflects about 10% of my musical reality. But it's also been a lot of fun. I get to go back and scratch an itch I had 30 years ago.
