In this lesson we will learn the intro guitar part to Phish's "Stash" from their album "A Picture of Nectar".
Appearing on Phish's 1992 album "A Picture of Nectar", Trey Anastasio's composition "Stash" takes you on a musical journey from beginning to end. At the time Trey composed "Stash" he had been listening to a lot of Jazz (including Benny Goodman featuring Charlie Christian on guitar), which is why there is no surprise "Stash" has a very jazzy feel to it. In this lesson we will take a look at the intro guitar melody, which clocks in at 1 minute and 40 seconds on the album version.
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Intro
The intro (as well as the extended jam (i.e. "Maybe so, maybe not") is based around a i-bVI7-iiø-V7b9 chord progression in the key of D minor - which gives us the chords, Dm7-Bb7-Em7b5-A7b9. Although a common chord progression in jazz, Trey has stated that he “stole” this chord progression from Charles Mingus’ composition “Jump Monk” (Note – “Jump Monk” is in the key of F minor - see fig. 1). This “Jump Monk” chord progression, along with a minor ii-V-I chord progression in D minor (Em7b5-A7b9-Dm7), makes up the bulk of the chord progression of Stash’s intro.
Analysis
The song starts with a melody that could be analyzed as the first five notes of the D Whole-Half Diminished scale. Following this, Trey plays a C# diminished arpeggio (which perfectly outlines the A7b9 chord), and then plays the fifth (proceeded by a chromatic note from below) and root of a D minor chord.
The intro is made up of three distinct themes. The first theme is played over the Dm7-Bb7-Em7b5-A7b9 chord progression. The second theme is played over a ii-V-i progression in D minor (Em7b5-A7b9-Dm7), and the melody outlines the chord changes. The third melody is mostly played over a static A7b9 chord. After a repeating melody based around a C# diminished arpeggio, a D minor triad, and some tasteful chromaticism, the third theme ends with a descending chromatic line followed by 3 descending arpeggios (A7 arpeggio, D minor triad, A triad), and then an ascending C# diminished arpeggio played over an A root (spelling out an A7b9 sound). The intro ends with a recapping of the first theme.
Make sure you add palm muting and accenting to give the first theme its characteristic sound.
Download a copy of the transcription below, and most importantly, have fun!!
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Do you have a transcription of the interlude as well? How about the entire tune?
Thanks man! love your lessons!