Jerry Byrd Course

Gary Reed · Post by **Gary Reed** » 8 Jun 2010 3:59 am

I'm having trouble finding the Jerry Byrd Course.
Can someone point me to it?
Thanks

Roger Kelly · Post by **Roger Kelly** » 8 Jun 2010 5:10 am

You're in luck...Scotty's Music just happens to have it.

http://www.scottysmusic.com/byrdinstruction.htm

Gary Reed · Post by **Gary Reed** » 8 Jun 2010 11:45 am

Thank you Roger!

Gary Reed · Post by **Gary Reed** » 8 Jun 2010 7:43 pm

I play a non-pedal 8 string in C6 with the high string as a G.

The "PART III - (C-6th Tuning) (13 Lessons) of Jerry Bryd" will probably be the only part of this course I'll will use:

Is Jerry using a Pedal Steel in C6?

I'm concerned if this course will help at all.

Thank you,

admin · Post by **b0b** » 8 Jun 2010 9:13 pm

Jerry never played pedals. The C6th tuning is probably the middle 6 strings of your 8 string tuning.

I've moved this this from the Classified Ads to Steel Without Pedals for further discussion.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 8 Jun 2010 11:41 pm

Gary says,

I play a non-pedal 8 string in C6 with the high string as a G.

Jerry's high string will be E.
His 8 string tuning is high to low - E C A G E C# C low A

I believe the course will help.

Aloha,

Don

Dave Giegerich · Post by **Dave Giegerich** » 9 Jun 2010 12:40 pm

Definitely worth getting. I also play C6 w/high G but it was useful to see the evolution of various tunings leading into the C6, and once you get to it there is plenty on C6. It is a big investment for a book, but there is a ton of material there along with cds.

My theory with books is if I buy a book and only learn 1 lick, it's worth it. You get to play it for the rest of your life.

The system he uses for indicating timing is different than most tab books, but it works, and the cds will help with hearing how long to hold each note.

Tom Franke · Post by **Tom Franke** » 10 Jun 2010 9:26 am

Are there different editions of this instruction book? And if so, were there any major changes? I'm just wondering if used copies would be basically the same as the new in terms of content?

Thanks.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 10 Jun 2010 9:51 am

As far as I know, the current JB course that Scotty sells has remained the same for at least 10 or 15 years. Jerry published other editions in the 1950s and in 1960, and those editions had less material than the current course.

Here are the contents of the JB course, compiled by Ray Langley:

Ray Langley wrote:The Jerry Byrd Instruction Course For Steel Guitar
“A Complete Study for the Serious Student”

Table of Contents for 5th Printing (Blue Cover) – 324 Pages

000 Forward and Ordering Information for the Jerry Byrd Seminar Video

001 BEGINNER, Part 1, “A” Major Tuning
002 Lesson 1, Picks, Steel Bar, etc.
003 How to Hold the Bar
004 Posture of Picking Hand
006 A Major Tuning – String Gauges
007 A Major Tuning Chart
008 Some Hints on Tuning
009 Lesson II, How to Read “Diagram” Music (Tablature)
014 Muting
015 Practice Exercise – A Major Tuning
017 Lesson III, Endings and Repeat Sign
019 Practice Exercise
020 Lesson IV, Slant Bar Technique
022 Slant Bar Exercise (Forward Slants)
023 Lesson V, “Sweet Lei Lehua” using Forward Slants
025 Moving the Bar In and Out and More Muting
026 Practice Exercise

028 Part II, E Major Tuning
029 E Major Tuning Chart
030 Lesson I, E Major Tuning (from A Major)
032 “Sweet Lei Lehua”, E Tuning
033 Lesson II, “Tremolo” or Vibrato
035 “Song of the Islands”, E Major Tuning
037 Lesson III, Harmonics
040 “Aloha Oe”, E Major Tuning
042 Lesson IV, E-7th Tuning
044 E-7th Tuning Chart
045 “Forget Me Not”, E-7th Tuning
047 Lesson V, Reverse Slant
051 Reverse Slant Practice
052 Lesson VI, Reverse Slant, (cont.)
053 “Evening in the Islands” (Reverse Slant Practice) E-7th Tuning
055 Lesson VII, “Old Timey Waltz”

058 Part III, C# Minor Tuning Series: C# Minor, C# Minor 9th
059 Lesson I, C# Minor Tuning
061 C# Minor Tuning Chart
062 “Major” Harmony Positions
063 “Sweet Lei Lehua”, C# Minor Tuning
064 Lesson II, “Song of the Islands”, C# Minor Tuning
066 Lesson III, “Aloha Tears”, C# Minor Tuning
069 Lesson IV, Varied Time Count
070 “Moonland” C# Minor Tuning
072 C# Minor 9th Tuning
075 “Ua Like No Like”, C# Minor 9th Tuning
077 Lesson VI, Introductions
080 “Paradise Isle”, C# Minor 9th Tuning
083 Lesson VII, “Sweet Someone”, C# Minor 9th Tuning

087 Book Two – Intermediate Material, Lesson One, Introduction
088 Lesson Two, E-13th Tuning
090 String Gauges
091 “Tennessee Waltz”, E-13th Tuning
094 Lesson Four, “Reminiscing”, E-13th Tuning
098 Part II, B-11th Tuning
101 “Rainbows Over Paradise”, B-11th Tuning
105 “Sand”, B-11th Tuning
110 Lesson Seven, Finger Harmonics
111 “Steelin’ The Chimes”, B-11th Tuning
113 Lesson Eight, “How D’Ya Do”, B-11th Tuning

118 Part III, C-6th Tuning Series
119 Lesson Nine, String Gauges and Tuning
120 Split Slants
121 C6 Tuning Chart
122 “Sweet Lei Lehua”, C6 Tuning
124 Lesson Ten, Single String Work
125 “Over The Waves”, C6 Tuning
128 How to Change Tunings Quickly
130 Lesson Eleven, “Hawaii Aloha”
133 Lesson Twelve, C6+A7 Tuning
136 C6+A7 Tuning Chart
137 Chord Chart, Key of C - C6+A7 Tuning (Complete)
138 Chord Chart, Key of D - C6+A7 Tuning (Blank)
139 Chord Chart, Key of F - C6+A7 Tuning (Blank)
140 Chord Chart, Key of G - C6+A7 Tuning (Blank)
141 Chord Chart, Key of A - C6+A7 Tuning (Blank)
142 Chord Chart, Key of Bb - C6+A7 Tuning (Blank)
143 How To Build Chords
148 “I Regret To Say Aloha”, C6+A7 Tuning
150 Lesson Fourteen, Review Quiz
152 “Blue Hawaiian Moonlight”
156 Lesson Fifteen, Chord Progressions
158 Chord Progression Study, Key of C, 3 Chord Progression
159 4 Chord Progression
160 5 Chord Progression
161 Diminished and Augmented Chords
162 Substitutions of Minors
163 Sample Chord “Intro”
164 “Steelin’ The Blues”
169 Lesson Sixteen, On Playing Background
170 Background Study, Licks, Fill-Ins, Etc.
172 “Down Country Blues”
175 Lesson Seventeen, Changing Keys/Modulation
176 “Hanalei Moon”
180 “Dance of the Goldenrod”
184 Lesson Nineteen, Triplets
185 South Sea Moon
189 Lesson Twenty, Tunings for Steel Guitar and String Gauges

194 Book Three, Advanced Material (Reading Music Notation)
195 Lesson One, Introduction
196 C6+A7 Tuning Note Chart (Fretboard Diagram)
197 Scales
198 Key of C, 1 Octave Scale
199 C Scale, 1st Position
200 C Scale, 2nd Position, and 3rd Position
201 C Scale, 4th Position, and 5th Position
202 Note Values
203 C Scale Melody
204 Lesson Two, Designation of Keys
206 Circle of Fifths
208 Rest Values Chart
209 Lesson Three, “Sweet Lei Lehua”
211 Lesson Four, Harmony
212 Scale Positions Practice
218 A Triplet Melody
219 Lesson Five, Key of F
221 Key of F, Scales
225 Key of F, Practice Exercises
228 Lesson Six, Harmony, Accidentals, Passing Tones, Discord
229 Practice Melody
232 Lesson Seven, Verse and Chorus Structure
233 “Hawaiian Waltz”
238 Lesson 8, Key of G
239 Key of G Scales
243 Key of G, Practice Exercise
244 Lesson Nine, Modulation from Key of G to C (this page mislabeled as 243)
245 Practice Exercise
246 “Serenade”
249 Lesson Ten, Key of Bb
250 Key of Bb Scales
254 Practice Melody
255 Lesson Eleven, Signs in Music Notation
258 “Have I Told You Lately” (That I Love You)
260 Lesson Twelve, Key of D
262 Key of D Scales
266 Key of D Melody
267 Lesson Thirteen, “You Are A Beautiful Lady”
272 Lesson Fourteen, Key of Eb
273 Key of Eb Scales
278 Lesson 15, Key of Eb Practice Melody
280 Lesson 16, Key of A
281 Key of A Scales
286 Key of A, Practice Exercise
287 Lesson Seventeen, “Old Plantation”
289 Lesson Eighteen, Key of Ab
290 Key of Ab Scales
295 Key of Ab, Practice Exercise
296 Lesson Nineteen, “Hawaiian Love”
298 Lesson Twenty, Key of E
299 Key of E Scales
304 Key of E, Practice Exercise
305 “Sweet Lei Mamo”

306 Appendix – “Hawaiian March”
307 Chord Chart, Key of D
308 Chord Chart, Key of F
309 Chord Chart, Key of G
310 Chord Chart, Key of A
311 Chord Chart, Key of Bb
312 Lesson Fourteen, Book Two, Review Quiz Answers
314 Correct Positions for Lesson 1, Book Three, Page 205
315 “Practice Exercise, Key of G, Page 252
316 Answers to Key Signature Quiz, Lesson 11, Page 214
317 “Practice Exercise, Key of G, cont.
318 Lesson Fifteen, Page 279
320 Lesson Seventeen, “Old Plantation”, Page 288
322 Lesson Nineteen, “Hawaiian Love”, Page 297
324 Conclusion (this page is unnumbered)

This Table of Contents was compiled, with love, by Ray Langley on
January 4, 2009 for the members of the SteelGuitarForum.

rayzcane@comcast.net

J. Wilson · Post by **J. Wilson** » 10 Jun 2010 10:04 am

Do his lessons teach C6 for 8 string or 6? I only have 6 string instruments...

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 10 Jun 2010 11:23 am

I think it's all 6 string. I don't have the big course anymore, but I have his 1960 edition and that's all 6 string.

Jerome Hawkes · Post by **Jerome Hawkes** » 10 Jun 2010 12:38 pm

although, at first it appears to the student that they will only use the C6 lessons, that wasnt JB's intention - but to show you the evolution of the lap tunings - the WHY we now play C6 - so dont overlook those other chapters they build up to part III.

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 10 Jun 2010 2:19 pm

there is a ton of material there along with cds

Dave, does the newer editions have CD's? I thought they were all on cassettes??

Do his lessons teach C6 for 8 string

Doesn't matter . . . most of melody will be done using strings 1- 5.

A 6 stringer should be fine.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 11 Jun 2010 12:14 am

Yes, I think there are 2 CDs now. The description on Scotty's site is a little confusing because it says "cassette tapes", but at the bottom of the description it says "Book & 2 CDs"...

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 11 Jun 2010 9:01 am

You just can't go wrong if your purchase JERRY BYRD's
BIG BOOK!

I believe you'll be cheating yourself in a BIG way if you fail to take advantage of all of the other instructional material therein.

More information is available at:
jerrybyrd-fanclub.com

Derrick Mau · Post by **Derrick Mau** » 11 Jun 2010 9:16 am

Skip is right.
It's the best steel guitar instructional book out there today, hands down.

Paul DiMaggio · Post by **Paul DiMaggio** » 11 Jun 2010 4:25 pm

I bought mine a little over a year ago and it came with 2 CDs. It has an index for the book and the CDs [which, if I remember correctly was missing from Ray Langley's copy]. There is a large amount of very good information in that course and although it is a little pricey,well worth the investment.

Gary Reed · Post by **Gary Reed** » 11 Jun 2010 4:57 pm

This video: Any feedback on this as long as I'm ordering?

The Jerry Byrd Steel Guitar Seminar Video.
VHS or DVD with book & CD $65.00 plus $9.00 for U.S. shipping. Item #BYRD15
http://www.scottysmusic.com/byrdvideo.htm

Ray Montee · Post by **Ray Montee** » 13 Jun 2010 8:03 am

Gary......This purchase could likely be one of the most valuable pieces of instructional material that you could ever hope to find/acquire.

EVERYTHING you'd ever hope to find in a one-on-one
relationship with a live instructor.....is right there for you to repeat and repeat and repeat, as you might desire.

You can see what's being done and it's reinforced by the verbal instruction PLUS, you have the rythmn track.

If I were you, I'd spring for both items mentioned here. When you learn from one of history's most sensational players, you simply can't go wrong. He didn't do these materials to get rich.
He did them because he wanted to provide the best in instructional materials.

He did his part. Now you can reap the benefits.

Gary Reed · Post by **Gary Reed** » 13 Jun 2010 8:13 am

I'm on it Ray - Thank you!

Veli-Pekka Haanmäki · Post by **Veli-Pekka Haanmäki** » 13 Jun 2010 10:43 am

J. Wilson wrote:Do his lessons teach C6 for 8 string or 6? I only have 6 string instruments...

Some 6,some 8 but you can play 99% of them with 6 strings.Great book,great arrangements.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 13 Jun 2010 2:51 pm

I'm assuming the music on the CDs is still in stereo separation with Jerry on one side, accompanied by his all-star friends Benny Kalama on uke and Kalani Fernandez on bass (all now deceased) on the other.
Not only is it otherwise unreleased, but simply terrific just to enjoy.
Having originally been recorded in stereo, you could/can separate the channels to hear only Jerry or just the rhythm section, you'll never be backed better!

I once asked Jerry about transferring the music to CD form and he stated it would never happen...

I'm curious, are the CD tracks now individualized to make it easier to locate and repeat songs/sections?
This was such a headache with the cassettes, which would eventually deteriorate and/or bung up as it was done on the cheap.

It's a bit costly, but along with the video (which has it's faults/limitations), there is nothing comparable.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 13 Jun 2010 3:14 pm

...are the CD tracks now individualized to make it easier to locate and repeat songs/sections?

I assume they would be. It's very easy to split an audio file into separate tracks for a CD.

Matthew Dawson · Post by **Matthew Dawson** » 13 Jun 2010 3:17 pm

The Jerry Byrd non-pedal instruction material is the best I have been able to find.

Dave Giegerich · Post by **Dave Giegerich** » 14 Jun 2010 9:12 pm

The cds are divided into individual tracks for each example, with the steel on one channel and the back up on the other.

There are 39 tracks on disc 1 and 38 on disc 2.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Jerry Byrd Course

Jerry Byrd Course

The BIG BOOK!

The Instructional Video about which you inquired............

Not just great lesson material...