GRATEFUL  DEAD  TAB
The Music of the Grateful Dead

FIRE ON THE MOUNTAIn

THE  GRATEFUL  DEAD
DICK'S PICKS: VOLUME 18
(DANE COUNTY COLISEUM, MADISON, WI ~ 2/3/78
UNI-DOME, CEDAR FALLS, IA ~ 2/5/78)
DISC 3 / TRACK 3


Table of Contents

 

Comments
 
 

Scales Used
 
 

Chords Used
 
 

Words / Chord Progressions / Licks / Solos
 
 


comments

Thanks for checking out my tab to Fire on the Mountain.
This is one of my favorite Dead songs of all time and one of the most fun to play as well.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I.

Before  discussing the song, I think I should first mention that
it is a must that you get your hands on the CD from which this song is transcribed from,
Dick's Picks Volume 18.  One word describes this CD. . . brilliant!

If you click on the picture of the CD above, it will link you to The Dead.Net.
From there you can order it if you like.

As some of you may have noticed, Jerry has a an unusual
and cool sound to his guitar during his playing on Fire.
This is do to a special effects pedal called an Envelope Filter.
It is essentially an automatic Wah Wah pedal,
whose intensity grows the harder you strike the string.
You can also here it during his playing of Estimated Prophit and other songs.
If you dig the sound I would suggest purchasing one.
They are reletively inexpensive, and can be found at most guitar stores.

Note: I have not tabbed the whole song,
but have rather selected cool parts of solos, rhythems, basslines, piano parts for guitar etc..
Don't get me wrong I've tabbed alot of Jerry's playing,
but just tabbed the parts that I really like.

Hope you enjoy it! Take it easy!
 

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scales used

This is the scale that Jerry uses throughout this song, although certain notes maybe sharped or flatted at some points.  I suggest just learning this scale proficiently first, before tackling the guitar of Fire.  Plus, once you've got the scale down you can better understand the structure of Jerry's solo's and the notes played.
I would also suggest learning the box pattern highlighted in red specifically.
This pattern appears in just about every Dead song there is. So, learn it well and it will serve you well.

       1
E-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|
B-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|
G-|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|
D-|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|
A-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|
E-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|---|-o-|-o-|---|-o-|---|
 
 

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chords used

There are only really two main chords for this whole song, and they are B major and A major.
The Figures below will show you how to finger them and what fret they should be played on.
Note: When I play these chords I use my thumb to fret the bass/root note of the chord and my first three fingers for the other notes.  You should also use your picking hand to mute the strings while strumming the rhythem. The rhythem has sort of a cool 'pop' to the stroke, which you can only get by muting the strings.

The number above represents the fret which the fingering of the chord begins on.
The high E/1st string is shown on top.  The red dots represent where your fingers go.
The notes on the Ist 2 strings should both be played with the first finger, while the g string note should be played with your 2nd finger and the d string note should be played with your 3rd finger.  The X represents that this string should not be played, but rather muted by your thumb which is playing the root note on the 6th string as well.

The above comments are merely suggestions of how to play these chords, but you can play them any way you would like or what ever comes natural to you.

The first chord shown is B major and the second is A major.

B 7th
E-|-o-|---|---|
B-|-o-|---|---|
G-|---|-o-|---|
D-|---|---|-o-|
A-|-x-|---|---|
E-|-o-|---|---|
A 5th
E-|-o-|---|---|
B-|-o-|---|---|
G-|---|-o-|---|
D-|---|---|-o-|
A-|-x-|---|---|
E-|-o-|---|---|
B 11th
E-|-o-|---|---|
B-|---|-o-|---|
G-|-o-|---|---|
D-|---|---|-o-|
A-|---|---|---|
E-|---|---|---|
A 9th
E-|-o-|---|---|
B-|---|-o-|---|
G-|-o-|---|---|
D-|---|---|-o-|
A-|---|---|---|
E-|---|---|---|

 

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Words/ Chord progressions/ licks/ solos

Transition From Scarlet
 

 fire intro
 

Phil Bass Line
 

Bob rhythem
 

jerry intro solo


 


                          B                                           A

Long distance runner, what you standin' there for?

                                     B                         A

Get up, get up, get out of the door

                                  B                                A

Your playin' cold on the barroom floor

                            B                                         A

Drowned in your laughter and dead to the core.

                       B                                                 A

There's a dragon with matches that's loose on the town

                           B                                              A

Take a whole pail of water just to cool him down

                                          B                      A

Fire! Fire on the mountain!

                                          B                      A

Fire! Fire on the mountain!

                                            B                      A

Fire! Fire on the mountain!

                                          B                      A

Fire! Fire on the mountain!
 

Jerry Solo 1
 
 

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Transition from Scarlett

 

Coming Soon
 
 

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Fire ~ Intro

Bass Rhythem ~ Phil
Below is the bass line rhythem that Phil Lesh plays during the song.
I've tabbed two different ways of playing it below.  Phil changes the notes somewhat as the song progresses, but it still originates from the below figures.

Intro/BassLine ~ Phil

    A                       B
E-----------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------------
D-------9-9----9--9------9-----7-7-----2--------
A-----9----------------9------------4-4-4-4-----
E---7-----------7----7------5--------5---5------
 

    A                       B
E-----------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------------
D-------9-9----9--9------9-----7-7----2--2------
A-----9----------------9---------------4--4-4---
E---7-----------7----7------5-----------5--5----
 
 

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Guitar Rhythem ~ Bob
Below is the guitar rhythem that Bob plays during the song.

The 1st figure below is a repeat  of Phil's bass line.

The 2nd figure shows Bob's rhythem part in relation to Phil's part.

The 3rd figure below shows a cool way to play the rhythem of
both the guitar and piano parts at once.



Figure 1

Phil
    A                        B
(1:41)
E-----------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------------
D-------9-9----9---9------9-----7-7---2--2--------
A-----9-----------------9--------------4--4-4-----
E---7------------7----7------5----------5--5------

Figure 2

Bob
    A                        B
(1:41)
E-------7-7---------------------5-5--------------
B-------7-7---------------------5-5--------------
G-------8-8---------------------6-6--------------
D-------9-9---------------------7-7--------------
A-----------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------

Figure 3

Bob and Keith ~ Guitar and Piano Rhythems played as one

Note: The rhythem has the following beat to it:

     TA TA TETE TA TRIPLETE TRIPLETE      TA TA TETE TA TRIPLETE TRIPLETE

    A                             B
    d d u u    u  d u d  d u d    d d u u    u  d u d  d u d
E-------7-7----7----7-7----7-7--------5-5----5----5-5----5-5----
B-------7-7----7----7-7----7-7--------5-5----5----5-5----5-5----
G-------8-8----8----8-8----8-8--------6-6----6----7-7----7-7----
D-------9-9----9----9-9----9-9--------7-7----7----7-7----7-7----
A---x-x---------------------------x-x--------------------------
E---7-x-----------7------7--------5-x-----------5------5-------
 
 

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Intro Solo ~ Jerry
Below is Jerry's Itro Guitar Solo upto the first verse.
The time has been included to help you out with finding the parts of the solo.

Intro Solo ~ Jerry

  (0:55)------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13--------------------
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:00)------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13--------------------
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:06)------------------------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13------12-14-16-12-14
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:12)------------------------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13------12-14-16-12-14
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:17)------------------------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13------12-14-16-12-14
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:23)------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13--------------------
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:28)------------------------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13------12-14-16-12-14
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:34)------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13--------------------
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:39)------------------------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13------12-14-16-12h14
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:45)------------------------------>
E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-13--------------------
A------------------------------------16------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:50)---------------------------------------->(1:54)
E--19-18-19-21-19-18-------------------------------------
B-------------------21-19-21---19-17-19-21-17----17-19---
G----------------------------------------------18--------
D--------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------

  (1:54)------------------------- >(1:57)--------------------------------->
E--------------------------------------------------------------------------
B--19-17----------19-17-16-17-16---16-17-19-16-17----19-17-------16-16-----
G--------18-16-18---------------------------------18-------16-18------18-16
D--------------------------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------------------------------------------------

  (2:04)----------------------------------------------------->
E--11h12-----16------------------------------------------------------------
B---------18----18-16-------18---------------------------------------------
G---------------------18-16---------------16-------------------------------
D------------------------------19-19-18-19---19-18-19-18----16-------------
A--------------------------------------------------------19----------------
E--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not finished with above solo part ~ skip to the following part ~ more to come

     (3:54)-------------------------------------------------------->(4:04)
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------------
D------4-7-6-4------------6-4-------------4-7-6-4---------------6-4-------
A----6--------7-----4-6-7-----7-4-----6-7---------7-6-----4-6-7-----7-4---
E---------------5-----------------9-------------------5-----------------9-

     (4:05)----------------------------->(4:11)---------------------(4:15)
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------4-4----------------------
D--------4-7-6-4---------------6-4-------------4----------------6-4-------
A----6-7---------7-6-----4-6-7-----7-4-----6h7------------4-6-7-----7-4---
E--------------------5-----------------9------------4s5-----------------9-

     (4:05)------------------------------>(4:11)--------------------(4:15)
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------4-4----------------------
D--------4-7-6-4---------------6-4-------------4----------------6-4-------
A----6-7---------7-6-----4-6-7-----7-4-----6h7------------4-6-7-----7-4---
E--------------------5-----------------9------------4s5-----------------9-

     (4:17)-------->(4:20)---------------------(4:22)------->
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------------------
G----------4-4----------------13-11---------------------16-16-------------
D--------4-----------11-13-14-------14---------13-14-16-------------------
A----6h7-------6h7---------------------12s14------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------------

     (4:25)--------------------->(4:27)----------->
E----------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------
G-------------13-11------------------------16-16-----
D----11-13-14-------14-12---------13-14-16-----------
A-------------------------12s14------------------12--
E----------------------------------------------------

     (4:30)--------------------->(4:33)----------->
E----------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------
G-------------13-11------------------------16-16-----
D----11-13-14-------14-12---------13-14-16-----------
A-------------------------12s14------------------12--
E----------------------------------------------------

     (4:36)--------------------->(4:38)----------->
E----------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------
G-------------13-11------------------------16-16-----
D----11-13-14-------14-12---------13-14-16-----------
A-------------------------12s14------------------12--
E----------------------------------------------------

     (4:41)---------------------->(4:44)---->
E----------------------------------------------------
B----------------------------------------------------
G-------------13-11----------------------------------
D----11-13-14-------14-12----------------------------
A-------------------------12s14---16-14-13-----------
E------------------------------------------12--------

  (4:48)---------------------------------------------------->
E-------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-12-13-12-------------------
A-------------------------------------------16-14-12----------
E----------------------------------------------------14-16-17-

  (4:54)---------------------------------------------------->
E-------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-12-13-12-------------------
A-------------------------------------------16-14-12----------
E----------------------------------------------------14-16-17-

  (5:00)---------------------------------------------------->
E-------------------------------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14--14-13-12-13-12-------------------
A-------------------------------------------16-14-12----------
E----------------------------------------------------14-16-17-

  (5:05)--------------------->
E-------------------------------
B-------------------------------
G-------------------------------
D--16-14-14-13--13-14-16-14-----
A---------------------------12--
E-------------------------------
 


1st verse
 

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JERRY SOLO 1

   (9:46)------------------------------------------>
   d u d u u d d u d u u d   d u d u u d d u d u u d
E--x-x-x-7-7-7-x-x-x-7-7-7---x-x-x-5-5-5-x-x-x-5-5-5--
B--x-x-x-7-7-7-x-x-x-7-7-7---x-x-x-5-5-5-x-x-x-5-5-5--
G--x-x-x-8-8-8-x-x-x-8-8-8---x-x-x-6-6-6-x-x-x-6-6-6--
D--x-x-x-9-9-9-x-x-x-9-9-9---x-x-x-7-7-7-x-x-x-7-7-7--
A-----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------

   (9:51)------------------------------------------>
   d u d u u d d u d u u d   d u d u u d d u d u u d
E--x-x-x-7-7-7-x-x-x-7-7-7---x-x-x-5-5-5-x-x-x-5-5-5--
B--x-x-x-7-7-7-x-x-x-7-7-7---x-x-x-5-5-5-x-x-x-5-5-5--
G--x-x-x-8-8-8-x-x-x-8-8-8---x-x-x-6-6-6-x-x-x-6-6-6--
D--x-x-x-9-9-9-x-x-x-9-9-9---x-x-x-7-7-7-x-x-x-7-7-7--
A-----------------------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------------------

   (9:57)------------>(10:00)--------------->
E-----------------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------------
G-----------------------------------------------
D-------9---------9-----------------------6-----
A--9-12---12-9-12-------6-7-6-------6-7-9---9---
E---------------------9-------9-7-9-------------

   (10:04)---------------------------->
E-----------------------------------------
B-----------------------------------------
G--8h9-9----------------------------------
D--------9-6-7----------------------------
A--------------9--6-7-9-7---6-7--9-7p6----
E-------------------------9---------------
 
 

more to come

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