I'm Confessing

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

If you haven't heard JERRY BYRD doing his "thing" on this tune, you haven't heard NOTHING! If you think C6th is "old fashioned" and if you think YOU need ten or twelve strings to make beautiful music, then I encourage you to listen to Jerry's rendition. I think you'll be duly impressed.
All this on an old Fry Pan!

Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Yes, he can make 6 sound like 12... unlike we mere mortals

Which album is I'm Confessin' on Ray? I've got 8 JB albums and it's not on any of them.

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My Site | Doug's Free Tab

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Doug,

There is a great recording of JB and as fine female vocalist doing "I'm Confessin'" on one of the Tom Morrell How the West Was Swung series--I forget which. As Ray says, it's a wonderful interpretation--really rich.

Also, JB has a nice arrangement in tab for sale. He does it in Db, which puts Stringmaster players at a handicap because the tuning keys get in the way. I remember reading somewhere that JB said he saw that as a significant design problem with the Fenders.

A friend of mine who played guitar in the French Quarter for years recalls an old jazz trumpeter/vocalist (not Armstrong) that used to always sing it, "I'm a 'fessin'..."

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Yeah, Jerry's arrangement is very nice. I've had it for years but never got around to learning it 'cause I'm not fond of the Db position ... ought t get around to transposing it. Steelin' the Blues is in the same key.Les Paul & Duke Robbilard are two more players who do a great job with that tune.

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Who says C6 sounds old fashioned?

The female vocalist on the JB/Tom Morrell recording is Mary Ann Price. Formerly of Dan Hicks his Hot Licks.

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Gerald Ross

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 15 February 2002 at 06:13 AM.]

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Andy,

Shame on you for not spending the time to learn "Confessin" in Db. Just kidding, I haven't either--but I fully intend to someday.

I have spent enough time on the tab to conclude that the very reason JB picked Db is because of the rich colors created in that key when open strings are played with fretted notes. Just to play it "plain vanilla" doesn't compare. Just my opinion, of course.

Dave Mayes · From: Oakland, Ca.

The notes on my "Son of No Peddlers" tape give the vocal credit to Chris O'Connell - One of the founding members (I think) of Asleep at the Wheel. Tape's notes give guitar credit to 8 string Excel Fry Pan. C6th: E C A G E C# A ( 8th string omitted, I guess ).
Although Jerry is on record as not being very pleased with the design of the Stringmaster, I have an old video of him playing a borrowed one and ( you guessed it) he sounds just like Jerry Byrd !

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Ooops! Dave you're right, it was Chris O'Connell. I answered this post too quickly and off the top of my head. Sorry.

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Gerald Ross

Gerald's Fingerstyle Guitar Website

Dave Mayes · From: Oakland, Ca.

Gerald,
Not to worry - I think Forum blunders are merely "venial" sins.

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

If you don't like playing "Steelin' the Blues", "I'm Confessin'", et al in the key of Db, all you need do is to tune your guitar down one half tone to the B6 tuning and play exactly the same arrangement...you'll be in the key of C. Elementary, my dear Watson. I used B6 for many years as most rhythm guys couldn't figure out how to play in Db (or they were just too darned stuborn to do so!).

Jim Smith · From: Midlothian, TX, USA

Hmm, maybe "I'm Confessing" is another tune that's easier on the band on a Universal E9/B6!

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Jim Smith jimsmith94@charter.net
-=Dekley D-12 10&12=-
-=Fessenden Ext. E9/U-13 8&8=-

Charles Beshears · From: Leesburg, AL, USA

I played confessing in key of f for
years in C6th no pedals. Just fit the
song. I play it on the pedal steel in
f also. In C6th which will never sound
old fashioned.
Charles Beshears

c c johnson · From: killeen,tx usa * R.I.P.

I play this song in G on straight steel and pedal simply because that is where the singer sings it. This is a good dobro tune.I play it in G also. Listen to tom morrell play some pop stuff on dobro . His latest CD "stylin"

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

*

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 06 May 2002 at 09:14 AM.]

mikey · From: New Jersey

JB is JB...and no one else is...period...why try his thing...it can't be done by "mere mortals"...(I've spoken with him at length several times...he'd laugh, (I think) at that one)...so, I believe in finding your own voice....my 2 cents.
Mike

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Mikey,

I agree, we all need to find our own sound. I find it very liberating to play a tune on the steel that I have never heard anyone else play on that instrument because I don't get hung up on comparing my way to how so-and-so played it.

On the other hand, I'm able to get a lot of insights into the playing of a master like JB by working through tablature. The hazard is getting caught up in trying to sound "just like JB."

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Bob and Mike, you hit the nail on the head. I enjoy JB's tab for it's insights into the neck and for giving me the structure of a given tune. I rarely play it note-for-note 'cause there's no point in trying to sound like JB - he's got that sound wrapped up, sewn togther, and locked in the trunk. Besides, I can't do it. You can't make a Volkswagon into a Rolls Royce

I read an interview with Pat Metheney where he said something to the effect that it really pissed him off when players played long passages in octaves in imitation of Wes Montgomery as it seemed so disrespectful - that was Wes' thing and his was the apex of that sound. Pat said that early on, he felt the "cold breeze" from the older cats on the bandstand when he played octaves and learned that he had to find his own voice. So I do mine own thing - it may not be great, or even good sometimes but it's mine.

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

I don't think that playin' JB's Pro Arrangements is synonymous with tryin' to sound like JB.

Al Marcus · From: Cedar Springs,MI USA (deceased)

Jerry Byrd and I both spent our early youth in Ohio, during the same time period. He is 2 years older . I learned a lot from hearing him play.

I remember back about 1950 , I use to play "I'M confessin" in key of F. I believe that was the original published Key.

It's a great tune and we play it every week and the people really like it. I play it in G on my E6 "Lean and Mean" s12 tuning. But I don't use all the strings, and only two pedals.....al

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

I was only talking about myself, Rick. Pat Metheny can defend himself.

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

I'm livin' proof that you can play these arrangements note for note and slant for slant without soundin' anything like JB

Seriously Andy, you have been nice enough to "pen" and share many tabs with us here on the forum...If someone plays one I don't think he/she's tryin' to sound like you.

I was lookin' through some old LP's the other day and saw on the "Hawaii's Own..David Keli'i" album's back cover that Jerry Byrd is credited with the Steel Arrangements. Surely he wasn't tryin' to sound like JB...just takin' advantage of some great music writing skill.

I look at tab and standard written music pretty much the same way ... the musician's job is to bring the music (be it numbers or notes) to life using his/her own skills of interpretation.

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