How Dave Matthews Changed Guitar

Was Dave Matthews one of the most influential and underrated guitarist of the late 90's and into the 2000's. Baxter and Jonathan break down why every College Dude played Crash for his girlfriend, and why anyone would play a Chet Atkins Gibson.....

[cardmonty]

Dave Matthews and Eric Clapton Unplugged probably kept the Acoustic Guitar industry alive singlehandedly through the 90’s, 2000’s

[eastcoasttreasurehuntingwi]

Dave Matthews has not only paved the way for future musicians, he has also showed us what it’s like to be a celebrity and still be a humble human being. I’ve met him a dozen times and he is extremely kind and always happy to say hello to you. He played a song for my fiancé a few years ago that he hasn’t played in 10 years. Great man.

[Devine]

Dave is a HUGE influence on me. Don’t even know where to begin. I was 11. 1991. I spent the Summers in VA Beach with my Dad. That Summer I stayed with my brother for most of it. He took me on a little road trip to Charlottesville, VA to see DMB at a place called Trax. This was long before Under the Table and Dreaming came but they were definitely developing their fan base. That short but brilliant show changed the course of my life, I feel. It wasn’t until years later the I picked up a guitar but when I did, I was hooked. I got a guitar for my 14th birthday and it never left my side for the first several years. Dave was way too complicated to figure out, especially sans internet. So it was probably 1999 before I was capable of trying out his licks. But when I did, I couldn’t stop. I was determined. His songs taught me how to play and sing together. If you can play What Would You Say or Satellite properly and song over it, you can play and sing anything. So, I did. I’ve since learned almost all of their songs. I’ve seen the band 77 times. Pre-Covid I was on year 3 of playing pretty much every weekend except vacations. Local bars and breweries and wineries are my spots now. As most musicians do, I have an eclectic taste with music. But I still play Dave’s tunes and they still take me back and any crowd I’m
playing for, there’s always several people who come up after the show to say, “those Dave tunes were awesome!” 29 years I’ve been a huge fan. I haven’t met any of them yet but I know it’ll happen someday. Definitely a bucket list item to sit with Dave and have a conversation or a jam! Thanks for doing this video. He does not get enough credit for his wicked guitar skills or his ability to play crazy shit and sing over it. Cheers!

[curtiseckelkamp]

Dave made me realize that there is more than three way to play a chord and you don't need to use all 6 strings all the time.

[LucasHaneman]

Grew up on Dave’s music, and think I learned every song he wrote practically when I was 15 or 16. He definitely influenced my guitar playing style, even though I don’t write music in that vein these days. I had a chance to open for him and the band in summer 2018, and it was quite an amazing experience. After the show we went to sell CDs at the Murch tent. Upon coming back to the backstage area my wife nudged me and said “hey, I think that’s Dave over there talking to the festival organizer “. So I urged her to go over, and before I could even say “hey Dave!” He stuck out his hand and gave me a very firm handshake. He told me he watched our entire set from the side of the stage and loved our music/the vocal harmonies. Needless to say I was quite taken aback. We proceeded to have a 10 or so minute conversation, and I felt like I was just talking to a friendly neighbour or something. He was the nicest guy in the world, and when I received the festival footage from our performance that day I found out that he wasn’t lying. There are a few shots where you can see him standing on stage off to the side. Quite an amazing experience, made even better by the fact that one of his roadies told us that Dave and the band wanted to let us watch the show from the stage that night. They gave us headsets so we could hear the in ear monitor mixes, and we were about 20 feet from Carter’s drum Riser. It was a night I will never forget, and certainly made an impression on me in terms of how generous even someone of Daves Fame/fortune can be.

[TheSoundofSpeed]

DMB is 100% the reason I started playing guitar. Now, years later, I still feel like his songs are difficult to play haha.

[lunasaii]

Don't forget Dave and Tim Reynolds live at radio city...absolutely awesome. Before all these crowded streets...best album and listener supported absolutely too much! Big fan since 1998.

[jasonrozak]

Watch Dave matthews The Stone and tell me he isnt talented

[christopherseymour]

Dave is a criminally underrated guitar player. One of the most unique approaches ever.

[veritasjones]

I think most 90s teens picked up the guitar wanting to be Dave. He’s underrated due to his fan base but should be considered an all time great

[Laststopny]

I'm a huge Dave Mathews fan and I agree he is an underrated guitarist. I too have always been amazed at how he can sing over some pretty complex guitar playing. And speaking of Dave and Tim acoustic shows, Tim Reynolds is a phenomenal guitarist that a lot of people don't really know about.

[seanmccourt]

A lot of the DMB fanbase doesn’t really recognize just how talented dave (as well as the entire band) really is.They’re incredible.Awesome video too!!

[brentwadas]

Me, playing an original at a bar in college town in 2000: *Crowd kinda listens, kinda talks, kinda doesn't care*

Me, starting the opening lines to DMB's "Crash": *Crowd shuts up, looks, and listens the whole time*

Thanks, Dave. Amazing work.

[Romanellochw]

Dave Matthews, not Nirvana, is the greatest 90's band of all time.

[christopherlatini]

1997, I was 17 listened to under the table and dreaming in my room. Picked up a guitar and 20 plus years 60 plus shows and everytime I pick up my guitar I play a dave song. Dave is the most unique musician I have ever heard and lets not forget the quality of his song writing. Who ever has seen him perform solo knows he's got music just radiating from every cell. Really special dude and yes very underrated but who cares - "Forever dancing with the Gru Grux King"

[jefgish]

No one played like Dave before he came on the seen. No one wrote songs even close. Amazing.

[cameronglenn]

No one can just pick up a guitar and say, I'm about to figure out this Dave Matthews song.. it took some serious time and effort to learn a majority of his songs. Being able to play them is an accomplishment I think! Dave definitely does it his own way and I think that's what makes it so great

[jml]

First time I saw DMB was summer of 93 at Red Rocks (yes 93). The band came on stage at about 4:30 as the opening act for Los Lobos who in turn were the opening act for Big Head Todd and the Monsters. General admission filled up about the first 3rd of the venue, maybe 3000 people. No one knew who they were and no one paid attention when they came on stage. Within 30 seconds of their opening song, Ants Marching, all 3000 of us stopped whatever we were doing, turned toward the stage and stood dumbfounded at the talent. It was fucking amazing. By the following summer, 94, DMB was becoming one of the biggest acts in the world.

[john]

I loved Dave Matthews concerts back in the day. For $50, I knew I was going to see great music and hook up.
Thanks DMB!

[bobpoulin]

It's scary when you think about how amazing he is on the guitar, and can sing over the way he does. Then you realize he also writes the music, and the lyrics, and the accompanying melodies for the lyrics... I mean really.