He's not a soloist, that's for sure, but at the same time I don't think you have to be a soloist to be a great player.
(Taxx- I know your not saying he's a bad player, but I quoted your to emphasize my point.)
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Stefan Lessard
- Thread starter PocketGroove82
- Start date
He's not a soloist, that's for sure, but at the same time I don't think you have to be a soloist to be a great player.
(Taxx- I know your not saying he's a bad player, but I quoted your to emphasize my point.)
I've loved DMB for a long time and actually got me into also playing guitar back in high school
. I really enjoy what he plays like many of you have said, but I also like how he plays. He's not all over the stage just has the neck up, grooves with his parts and kinda does the knee-bend-with- the-beat thing. Definitely one of my main influences. I will have to agree that his All Along the Watchtower intro solo upsets me a little. But he'll hold it down allllll day.
. I really enjoy what he plays like many of you have said, but I also like how he plays. He's not all over the stage just has the neck up, grooves with his parts and kinda does the knee-bend-with- the-beat thing. Definitely one of my main influences. I will have to agree that his All Along the Watchtower intro solo upsets me a little. But he'll hold it down allllll day.
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Back to the OP: one thing to remember with DMB is the vast age spread represented by the individual members. At the beginning ('94) Stefan was 16 while Carter (the oldest) was TWICE that age, at 32 years old. Dave was the second youngest at the time, at 25 years old, still 9 years older than a kid barely old enough to drive.
Let's also remember that in 93/94 Carter was just coming out of teaching in public schools, where he could have been teaching kids who were Stefan's age!!! At the same time Stefan is coming out of school, . . . as a student!!
So, it would be only natural for Stefan to sort of yield himself to the rest of the band, particularly Carter, who was twice Stefan's age and who has a very dominant personality. (Check out the youtube of Carter being angry at a concert if you want evidence of his dominance.) Stefan himself speaks of Leroi and Carter in almost fatherly terms, you know?
So, that age dynamic is definitely going to play itself into the formula.
If you go back and listen to the earliest live stuff available, it really is quite amazing what Stefan was doing at such a young age, surrounded by so many excellent musicians who were that much older than him; and he was doing it in an environment where he was always the kid in the room. Hats off to Stefan!
For the last 3 years I have been working my way through the DMB/Lessard catalog. I think his playing is the perfect blend of jazz/blues/rock styles to emulate if one wants to get better, faster.
Let's also remember that in 93/94 Carter was just coming out of teaching in public schools, where he could have been teaching kids who were Stefan's age!!! At the same time Stefan is coming out of school, . . . as a student!!
So, it would be only natural for Stefan to sort of yield himself to the rest of the band, particularly Carter, who was twice Stefan's age and who has a very dominant personality. (Check out the youtube of Carter being angry at a concert if you want evidence of his dominance.) Stefan himself speaks of Leroi and Carter in almost fatherly terms, you know?
So, that age dynamic is definitely going to play itself into the formula.
If you go back and listen to the earliest live stuff available, it really is quite amazing what Stefan was doing at such a young age, surrounded by so many excellent musicians who were that much older than him; and he was doing it in an environment where he was always the kid in the room. Hats off to Stefan!
For the last 3 years I have been working my way through the DMB/Lessard catalog. I think his playing is the perfect blend of jazz/blues/rock styles to emulate if one wants to get better, faster.
Solid technique, but maybe a little anonymous -- I suppose you might describe his playing as "understated" and "tasteful".
I've never been a fan of DMB to begin with, although Carter Beauford is a monster.
I've never been a fan of DMB to begin with, although Carter Beauford is a monster.
DMB played SNL last Saturday and Stefan laid down a great grove and had incredible tone IMO. He played his Smith on the first number and palyed a different bass on the next. I did't recognize the maker of the second bass.
Jeb
Jeb
Was that him? Saw the show too and was wondering if that was him. He looks different if it was him. Maybe the hair?? Band sounded good though!
He may not be show-boat-y, but he gets to do this:
For an 18 year old, playing with these guys just starting out...he was a wunderkind. Now, he's an extremely talented player in a worldwide phenomenon of a band. I find it funny that in all these years, he still looks goofy and uncoordinated on stage.
For an 18 year old, playing with these guys just starting out...he was a wunderkind. Now, he's an extremely talented player in a worldwide phenomenon of a band. I find it funny that in all these years, he still looks goofy and uncoordinated on stage.
Stefan's parts aren't extremely difficult, but they're not super easy to play, either. Sometimes I think he still feels like the kid of the band, and is afraid to do too much to call attention to himself, but he can play, no doubt about it.
is he using a pc based studio program in his rig ? seems like I saw a laptop in his rack while watching DMB on FUSE TV.
I grew up with Dave Matthews Band songs being played as background noise to my youthful adventures with friends but I never really paid attention to them. A few months ago #41 came on my iPod while I was working out and I was floored by how beautiful the music was. It was like discovering fire!
Since then I've been paying a bit more attention to their music, and I actually just finished a biography of theirs called So Much to Say. It was a good read that covered the genesis of the band up until around 2013. In the book, Stefan is often referred to as a child prodigy. Listening to DMB's music never gave me the impression that he was a Victor Wooten type of savant but then I learned he joined the group at 16. Within a few years they released Remember Two Things, which is a compilation of live recordings they did immediately before they were signed to a major label.
His playing on that album is remarkably tasteful and what I'd consider beyond the scope of most musicians at that age, particularly in regards to his timing, phrasing, and tone within the scope of a group. I wouldn't consider the music hard, but that should never be the point. It serves the music and is perfect for what the band needed. I'm slowly working my way through their albums in chronological order, and so far I'm really digging what I'm hearing from both him and the rest of the band. I'm hoping to catch them at Jones Beach this summer to experience the live show
Since then I've been paying a bit more attention to their music, and I actually just finished a biography of theirs called So Much to Say. It was a good read that covered the genesis of the band up until around 2013. In the book, Stefan is often referred to as a child prodigy. Listening to DMB's music never gave me the impression that he was a Victor Wooten type of savant but then I learned he joined the group at 16. Within a few years they released Remember Two Things, which is a compilation of live recordings they did immediately before they were signed to a major label.
His playing on that album is remarkably tasteful and what I'd consider beyond the scope of most musicians at that age, particularly in regards to his timing, phrasing, and tone within the scope of a group. I wouldn't consider the music hard, but that should never be the point. It serves the music and is perfect for what the band needed. I'm slowly working my way through their albums in chronological order, and so far I'm really digging what I'm hearing from both him and the rest of the band. I'm hoping to catch them at Jones Beach this summer to experience the live show
I was just thinking about DMB the other day. To me it's almost like musicians music for non musicians. I remember seeing them twice in 1994. The first time opening for The Samples at a 2,000 seat venue in Portland Maine, the second time on the HORDE tour with Blues Traveler and the Allman Brothers. I always thought that "The Dreaming Tree" almost sounds like King Crimson doing an unplugged track.
C/S,
Rev J
C/S,
Rev J
