What you have to know, however, are the keys in which the Dead played their songs. A selection is listed below, with emphasis on those which do not have complex or rapid key changes in the intros. The key given is the root chord - for this purpose, that in which the first line of each verse begins. Normally the intro will start in the same chord too. If you do not have a piano, guitar or other multi-note instrument, just work on the tonic, ie.
All chords below are major unless shown as minor.
Few songs have changed key over time. It was abandoned from August 71 to July 72. A 2 chord song. Mama Tried D Man Smart, Woman Smarter E Me and My Uncle Emin.