Grateful Dead Members, Gear & Sound
Members
Select a Grateful Dead band member to check out the music gear they use live and in the studio.
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About
Grateful Dead is an iconic American rock band that emerged from the vibrant 1960s psychedelic scene in San Francisco. Known for their eclectic blend of rock, blues, country, folk, and psychedelic music, the group was founded by Jerry Garcia (lead guitar, vocals), Bob Weir (rhythm guitar, vocals), Phil Lesh (bass, vocals), Bill Kreutzmann (drums), and Ron "Pigpen" McKernan (keyboards, harmonica, vocals). Over the years, the lineup evolved to include musicians such as Mickey Hart (drums) and Brent Mydland (keyboards, vocals). The Grateful Dead became a cultural phenomenon with their freeform live performances and extensive improvisations, drawing a devoted fan base known as "Deadheads."
How to Sound Like Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead's sound is a tapestry of improvisational, organic, and exploratory elements, often described as a journey through musical landscapes. Their music is characterized by fluid guitar solos, warm, tube-driven amplifiers, and rich, melodic bass lines. Jerry Garcia’s use of a Gibson 1955 Les Paul Custom and Fender Blackface Showman Guitar Amp contributed to his distinctive, expressive tone. Phil Lesh’s use of the Guild Starfire IV Bass provided a resonant and melodic foundation. The band's sound thrives on dynamic interplay and spontaneous creation, making each performance a unique experience. To emulate their style, focus on creating a lush, layered soundscape with ambient effects, complemented by the rhythmic complexity of dual drumming and the emotive power of lyrical storytelling.
Discography
Grateful Dead
1967
The Grateful Dead
1967
Anthem of the Sun
1968
Aoxomoxoa
1969
Live / Dead
1969
Workingman's Dead
1970
American Beauty (2013 Remaster)
1970
![Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) [Live] album cover](https://images.equipboard.com/uploads/album/image/20261/grateful-dead-skull-roses-live.jpg)
Grateful Dead (Skull & Roses) [Live]
1971
Europe '72 Vol 9: Jahrhundert Halle, Frankfurt, West Germany 4/26/72
1972
Europe '72 Vol. 8: Rheinhalle, Dusseldorf, West Germany 4/24/72 (Live)
1972
Europe '72 Vol. 7: Live at Beat Club, Bremen, West Germany 4/21/1972
1972
Europe '72 Vol. 6: Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark 4/17/72 (Live)
1972
Europe '72 Vol. 4: Tivoli Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark 4/14/72 (Live)
1972
Europe '72 Vol. 3: City Hall, Newcastle, England 4/11/72 (Live)
1972
Europe '72 Vol. 2: Wembley Empire Pool, London, England 4/8/72 (Live)
1972
Europe '72 Vol. 1: Wembley Empire Pool, London, England 4/7/72 (Live)
1972
Europe '72 Vol. 10: Musikhalle, Hamburg, West Germany 4/29/72 (Live)
1972
Europe '72 Vol 5: Stakladen, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark 4/16/72 (Live)
1972
![History of the Grateful Dead Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice) [Live] [50th Anniversary Edition] album cover](https://images.equipboard.com/uploads/album/image/20250/history-of-the-grateful-dead-vol-1-bear-s-choice-live-50th-anniversary-edition.jpg)
History of the Grateful Dead Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice) [Live] [50th Anniversary Edition]
1973
Wake of the Flood
1973
From the Mars Hotel
1974
Blues for Allah
1975
Blues For Allah (2025 Steven Wilson Remix)
1975
Blues For Allah (50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition)
1975
Terrapin Station
1977
Shakedown Street
1978
Go to Heaven
1980
Ladies and Gentlemen... The Grateful Dead: Fillmore East, New York City, April 1971 (Live)
1980
Reckoning (Live)
1981
Dead Set (Live)
1981
In the Dark
1987
Dylan & The Dead (Live)
1989
Built to Last
1989
Without a Net (Live)
1990
Infrared Roses (Live)
1991
Two from the Vault
1992
Grayfolded - Mirror Ashes
1994
Grayfolded - Transitive Axis
1994
Dick's Picks Vol. 2: Ohio Theater, Columbus, OH 10/31/71 (Live)
1995
Dick's Picks Vol. 3: Hollywood Sportatorium, Pembroke Pines, FL 5/22/77 (Live)
1995
Hundred Year Hall (Live)
1995
Dick's Picks Vol. 4: Fillmore East, New York, NY 2/13/70 - 2/14/70 (Live)
1996
Dick's Picks Vol. 5: Oakland Auditorium Arena, Oakland, CA 12/26/79
1996
Dick's Picks Vol. 6: Hartford Civic Center, Hartford, CT 10/14/83 (Live)
1996
Dick's Picks Vol. 7: Alexandra Palace, London, England 9/9/74 - 9/11/74 (Live)
1997
Dick's Picks Vol. 8: Harpur College, Binghamton, NY 5/2/70 (Live)
1997
Dick's Picks Vol. 9: Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 9/16/90 (Live)
1997
Fillmore East 2/11/69 (Live)
1997
Fallout from the Phil Zone (Live)
1997
Dick's Picks Vol. 11: Stanley Theater, Jersey City, NJ 9/27/72
1998
Studio Session
1998
Dick's Picks Vol. 12: Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI 6/26/74 / Boston Garden, Boston, MA 6/28/74
1998
Dick's Picks Vol. 10: Winterland Arena, San Francisco, CA 12/29/77 (Live)
1998
Dick's Picks Vol. 13: Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, NY 5/6/81 (Live)
1999
Dick's Picks Vol. 14: Boston Music Hall, Boston, MA 11/30/73 & 12/2/73 (Live)
1999
Dick's Picks Vol. 15: Raceway Park, Englishtown, NJ 9/3/77 (Live)
1999
Dick's Picks Vol. 35: Golden Hall, San Diego, CA 8/7/71 / Auditorium Theater, Chicago, IL 8/24/71 (Live)
1999
So Many Roads (1965 - 1995)
1999
Dick's Picks Vol. 18: Dane County Coliseum, Madison, WI 2/3/78 / UNI-Dome, University of Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 2/5/78 (Live)
2000
Dick's Picks Vol. 19: Fairgrounds Arena, Oklahoma City, OK 10/19/73 (Live)
2000
Dick's Picks Vol. 17: Boston Garden, Boston, MA 9/25/91
2000
Dick's Picks Vol. 16: Fillmore Auditorium, San Francisco, CA 11/8/69 (Live)
2000
Dick's Picks Vol. 20: Capital Centre, Landover, MD 9/25/76 / Onondaga County War Memorial, Syrcause, NY 9/28/76
2001
Dick's Picks Vol. 21: Richmond Coliseum, Richmond, VA 11/1/1985 (Live)
2001
Dick's Picks Vol. 22: Kings Beach Bowl, Kings Beach Lake Tahoe, CA 2/23/68 & 2/24/68 (Live)
2001
Dick's Picks Vol. 23: Baltimore Civic Center, Baltimore, MD 9/17/72 (Live)
2001
Europe '72 (Live; 2001 Remaster)
2001
Nightfall of Diamonds (Live)
2001
History of the Grateful Dead, Vol. 1 (Bear's Choice)
2001
Dick's Picks Vol. 24: Cow Palace, Daly City, CA 3/23/74 (Live)
2002
Postcards of the Hanging: Grateful Dead Perform the Songs of Bob Dylan (Live)
2002
Dick's Picks Vol. 26: Electric Theater, Chicago, IL 4/26/69 / Labor Temple, Minneapolis, MN 4/27/69 (Live)
2002
Dick's Picks Vol. 25: Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT 5/10/78 / Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA 5/11/78 (Live)
2002
Steppin' out with the Grateful Dead England '72 (Live)
2002
Go to Nassau: May 15 & 16, 1980 (Live)
2002
Dick's Picks Vol. 27: Oakland Coliseum Arena, Oakland, CA 12/16/92 (Live)
2003
Dick's Picks Vol. 28: Pershing Municipal Auditorium, Lincoln, NE 2/26/73 / Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, UT 2/28/73 (Live)
2003
Dick's Picks Vol. 29: Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA 5/19/77 / Lakeland Civic Center Arena, Lakeland, FL 5/21/77 (Live)
2003
Dick's Picks Vol. 30: Academy of Music, New York, NY 3/25/72 & 3/28/72 (Live)
2003
The Closing of Winterland: December 31, 1978
2003
Dick's Picks Vol. 1: Curtis Hixon Hall, Tampa, FL 12/19/73 (Live)
2004
Dick's Picks Vol. 31: Philadelphia Civic Center, Philadelphia, PA 8/4/74 - 8/5/74 / Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, NJ8/6/74 (Live)
2004
Dick's Picks Vol. 32: Alpine Valley Music Theater, East Troy, WI 8/7/82 (Live)
2004
Dick's Picks Vol. 33: Oakland Coliseum Stadium, Oakland, CA 10/9/76 & 10/10/76 (Live)
2004
One from the Vault (Live)
2004
Rockin' the Rhein with the Grateful Dead: Rheinhalle, Dusseldorf, West Germany, 4/24/72 (Live)
2004
Dozin' at the Knick: Knickerbocker Arena (Live)
2004
![Europe '72 [Live] [Expanded] album cover](https://images.equipboard.com/uploads/album/image/20178/europe-72-live-expanded.jpg)
Europe '72 [Live] [Expanded]
2004
The Grateful Dead Movie Soundtrack (Live)
2005
Rare Cuts & Oddities 1966
2005
Fillmore West 1969 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 8: Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, NC 12/10/73 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 7: Springfield Civic Center, Springfield, MA 9/30/80 / Providence Civic Center, Providence, RI 9/4/80 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 6: Carousel Ballroom, San Francisco, CA 3/17/68 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 5: Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, VA 3/27/88 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 3: The Palestra, Rochester, NY 10/26/71 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 2: Springer's Inn, Portland, OR 1/18/70 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 1: Palladium, New York, NY 4/30/77 (Live)
2005
Dick's Picks Vol. 36: The Spectrum, Philadelphia, PA 9/21/1972 (Live)
2005
Dick's Picks Vol. 34: Community War Memorial, Rochester, NY 11/5/77 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 4: Capitol Theatre, Passaic, NJ 6/18/76 / Tower Theatre, Philadelphia, PA 6/21/76 (Live)
2005
Download Series Vol. 10: Paramount Northwest Theatre, Seattle, WA 7/21/72 (Live)
2006
Download Series Vol. 11: Pine Knob Music Theater, Clarkston, MI 6/20/91 (Live)
2006
Download Series Vol. 12: Washington U., St. Louis, MO 4/17/69 (Live)
2006
Download Series Vol. 9: Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, PA 4/2/89 & 4/3/89 (Live)
2006
Download Series: Family Dog at the Great Highway, San Francisco, CA 7/4/70 (Live)
2006
Rocking the Cradle, Egypt 1978 (Live)
2008
To Terrapin: May 28, 1977 Hartford, CT (Live)
2009
Crimson, White & Indigo: July 7 1989, JFK Stadium, Philadelphia (Live)
2010
Hampton, VA, October 1989 (Live)
2010
Europe '72 Vol. 11: L'Olympia, Paris, France 5/3/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 12: L'Olympia, Paris, France 5/4/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 13: Bickershaw Festival, Wigan, England 5/7/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 14: Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Holland 5/10/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 15: Grote Zaal De Doelen, Rotterdam, Holland 5/11/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 20: Lyceum Theatre, London England 5/24/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 21: Lyceum Theatre, London, England 5/25/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 22: Lyceum Theatre, London, England 5/26/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 2
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 19: Lyceum Theatre, London, England 5/23/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 16: Lille Fairgrounds, Lille, France 5/13/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol. 18: Kongressaal, Munich, West Germany 5/18/72 (Live)
2011
Europe '72 Vol 17: La Grande Salle Du Grand Theatre, Luxembourg (Live)
2011
Selections from Spring 1990 Box
2012
Spring 1990: So Glad You Made It
2012
30 Days of Dead 2012
2012
30 Days of Dead 2013
2013
Live Albums Collection
2013
Complete Studio Rarities Collection
2013
Complete Live Rarities Collection
2013
Veneta, OR 8/27/72: The Complete Sunshine Daydream Concert (Live)
2013
30 Days of Dead 2014
2014
Spring 1990: The Other One Sampler
2014
Wake up to Find Out: Nassau Coliseum: Uniondale; NY 3/29/1990 (Live)
2014
30 Trips Around the Sun: The Definitive Live Story (1965-1995)
2015
Fare Thee Well: 7/5/2015 (Live)
2015
30 Days of Dead 2015
2016
Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Morrison, CO 7/8/78 (Live)
2016
Cornell 5/8/77 (Live)
2017
Long Strange Trip (Motion Picture Soundtrack)
2017
Smiling on a Cloudy Day (2017 Remaster)
2017
Grateful Dead, Celebrating Jerry Garcia & the Days Between (Live)
2017
Long Strange Trip (Highlights from the Motion Picture Soundtrack)
2017
Grateful Dead Records Collection (2017 Remaster)
2017
Pacific Northwest '73-'74: Believe It If You Need It (Live)
2018
Saint of Circumstance: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ 6/17/91 (Live)
2019
Ready or Not (Live)
2019
Workingman's Dead: The Angel's Share
2020
American Beauty: The Angel's Share (Demos)
2020
American Beauty: The Angel's Share
2020
![Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO (12/10/71) [Live] album cover](https://images.equipboard.com/uploads/album/image/20108/fox-theatre-st-louis-mo-12-10-71-live.jpg)
Fox Theatre, St. Louis, MO (12/10/71) [Live]
2021
![Europe '72 (Live) [50th Anniversary Edition] album cover](https://images.equipboard.com/uploads/album/image/20107/europe-72-live-50th-anniversary-edition.jpg)
Europe '72 (Live) [50th Anniversary Edition]
2022
Madison Square Garden, New York, NY 3/9/81 (Live)
2022
Workingman’s Dead (2023 Mickey Hart Mix)
2023
RFK Stadium, Washington, DC, 6/10/73 (Live)
2023
Wake of the Flood: The Angel's Share
2023
From the Mars Hotel: The Angel's Share
2024
Duke '78 (Live)
2024
The Music Never Stopped (Live)
2025
Gratest Hits
2025
The Dead (Live)
2025
Blues For Allah: The Angel's Share
2025
Merry and Grateful (Live)
2025
Get the Grateful Dead Sound
Want to sound like Grateful Dead? This gear comes straight from the setups of the band's members, based on proven sources. Dive into each artist's page for more detail and inspiration.
