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Topic: Jimmy Day and The Least Amount |
Shaun Marshall
From:
San Rafael California, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2019 3:48 am |
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| I notice when Jimmy Day really lays into a ballad, he plays the least amount of notes with a lot of heart, thanks JD! |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2019 6:47 am
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Yes, sometimes less is more. 
Erv |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 15 Dec 2019 10:13 am
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Jimmy was a very expressive vocalist as well as arguably the most expressive ballad player on steel guitar. He told me more than once that he wanted his listeners to "hear the lyrics" when he played his solo. So he played in a very "vocal-ese" style on ballads.
Depending on individual style, singers enunciating lyrics seldom add syllables to the words they're singing (unless, of course, the singer is a show-off diva adding a multi-note mellisma to the end of the National Anthem at the Super Bowl  ). Likewise, Jimmy played sparsely on ballads. Often in a song, the singer's last note/syllable will be on beat 1 of bar/measure 15, holding the note a measure and three quarters to the end of bar 16, essentially 7 quarter notes without lyric.
Sometimes Jimmy would end his solo at the place the lyrics ended, as above, holding a sustained note for those 7 quarter notes. I discussed this one time with Buddy, and he told me "y'know, that used to drive me nuts about him. I wanted to yell out 'finish the damn solo.'" I told Buddy my opinion was that Jimmy DID finish the solo, only his approach was as a singer of the song, not an instrumentalist wanting to fill out space/time.
I think Miles Davis said something alluding to the fact that the notes we don't play are as important as the notes we do play. I agree with Miles and with Jimmy.
Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. 
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Steve Hinson
From:
Hendersonville Tn USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2019 12:14 pm
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"I wish I could do that...and then I wouldn't"...
Words to live by... |
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Carl Williams
From:
Oklahoma
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Posted 15 Dec 2019 12:33 pm
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| Some folks try to put “100 notes in a 50 note bag” but to my slower brain/ears, I’d rather hear Jimmy’s playing style. Nothing against those who can really play the fire out of it (okay, maybe a little jealous here) 😉. More power to ya! |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 15 Dec 2019 12:49 pm
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| Steve Hinson wrote: |
"I wish I could do that...and then I wouldn't"...
Words to live by... |
Hey Steve, that story has entered the "folk legend" tradition about Jimmy but it actually involved me.
It was at ISGC sometime in the early 1990's. Jimmy and I were standing by the sound booth listening to a steeler who shall remain anonymous since he's a member of the Forum and I wouldn't want to embarrass him. But this picker was burning it on Orange Blossom or some tune like that, fast enough to intimidate a bluegrass banjo picker, clean and super fast.
In a fit of professional envy, I turned to Jimmy and said "I wish I could play like that," and he turned to me and said "... and choose not to." Four of the most powerful words he ever said, and he was a man of few words, indeed.
I still envy the guys that can do that bluegrass stuff... Doug, Austin Stewart, Mike Sigler..., but for now and the future, I just sing my song the way I'm able to.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Larry Jamieson
From:
Walton, NY USA
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Posted 15 Dec 2019 4:23 pm
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| I'm always impressed by the artists that can play super fast and super clean. But John Hughey could move me to tears playing a slow ballad. |
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Andrew Roblin
From:
Various places
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Posted 16 Dec 2019 5:42 am
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| Thank you, Herb! |
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Erv Niehaus
From:
Litchfield, MN, USA
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Posted 16 Dec 2019 8:01 am
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Whenever I tab out a song, I watch the lyrics very closely.
When the lyrics end with a period, I stop, and start picking again at the next group of lyrics.
I want my tab to follow the flow of the lyrics.
Erv |
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Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 16 Dec 2019 9:29 am
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I try to compose my E9 ballad solos with the Jimmy Day mindset.
I’m playing the lyrics. Every syllable of each word. I think the listener likes to hear the steel that way. I know I do. It’s the most relatable.
If I’m taking it around the block twice, I’ll get a bit more color on the second lap, but I still stay close to the melody.
I think the listener should be able to listen to a solo, isolated from the song, and identify the melody. Just crapping out a starburst of notes doesn’t do it for me.
I learned it from JImmy, and it works for me. |
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Jim Cooley
From:
The 'Ville, Texas, USA
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Posted 16 Dec 2019 3:26 pm
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| I was at the Dallas show in about 1986(ish?). As part of his introduction of Jimmy Day, Scotty called hinm the best left foot in the business. I thought, "Hmmm." Then Jimmy started playing and demonstrated what Scotty was talking about. |
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David Zornes
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 17 Dec 2019 4:07 pm Jimmy Day
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| Larry Jamieson wrote: |
| I'm always impressed by the artists that can play super fast and super clean. But John Hughey could move me to tears playing a slow ballad. |
people will long remember your conviction and phrasing on a beautiful slow song than a blazing fast one. It’s more about QUALITY than QUANTITY. |
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Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2019 6:45 am
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+1 for what David said.
I wish I had clean, fast, blazing single note speed, but I don’t.
I’ll let the other instruments beat their brains out playing a billion notes. My voice has something special that the others don’t have. I’ll try to concentrate on that.
I think it’s the slow, soulful, pretty, “vocal like” sounds that people relate to from the steel, at least on a slow ballad..
I want to be that other voice, Do the things the other instruments can’t do. |
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Steve Spitz
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 18 Dec 2019 6:52 am
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| Double post..... |
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Chris Schlotzhauer
From:
Colleyville, Tx. USA
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Posted 19 Dec 2019 9:10 am
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| Herb Steiner wrote: |
| Steve Hinson wrote: |
"I wish I could do that...and then I wouldn't"...
Words to live by... |
Hey Steve, that story has entered the "folk legend" tradition about Jimmy but it actually involved me.
It was at ISGC sometime in the early 1990's. Jimmy and I were standing by the sound booth listening to a steeler who shall remain anonymous since he's a member of the Forum and I wouldn't want to embarrass him. But this picker was burning it on Orange Blossom or some tune like that, fast enough to intimidate a bluegrass banjo picker, clean and super fast.
In a fit of professional envy, I turned to Jimmy and said "I wish I could play like that," and he turned to me and said "... and choose not to." Four of the most powerful words he ever said, and he was a man of few words, indeed.
I still envy the guys that can do that bluegrass stuff... Doug, Austin Stewart, Mike Sigler..., but for now and the future, I just sing my song the way I'm able to. |
I know that story and that line. I have been using it for years. Can't remember who told it to me. Maybe you Herb.... |
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Bobby D. Jones
From:
West Virginia, USA
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Posted 28 Dec 2019 10:01 pm Jimmy Day and The Least Amount
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I once heard or seen an interview with Jimmy Day. The spokesman asked Mr. Day how to play a Steel Guitar. His answer.
"Hook you Heart to the Bar, And your Soul to the Pedals".
I have Jimmy Day's Golden Steel Guitar Hits/Steel and Strings CD reissue released by Bear Family Records of Germany. It is a very interesting album to listen to, And study phrasing on the Steel Guitar. |
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Diane Diekman
From:
South Dakota, USA
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Posted 29 Dec 2019 7:43 am "Steel and Strings"
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I have Jimmy Day's "Steel and Strings" LP, if anyone wants it. I bought it on eBay when I was writing Faron's biography.
_________________
Diane Diekman
Sioux Falls SD
Author of "Live Fast, Love Hard: The Faron Young Story"
Author of "Twentieth Century Drifter: The Life of Marty Robbins" |
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Barry Blackwood
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Lynn Fargo
From:
Fort Edward, NY
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Posted 29 Dec 2019 9:29 am
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Steel and Strings - My favorite steel guitar album Ever! Wish I could do that - and then I would!
_________________
Sho-Bud Pro II Custom, GFI Ultra SD-10, Fender Pro Amp, Fender Mustang II Amp, Morrell 8-string lap, Epiphone 6-string lap, Galveston reso, etc. |
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Pete Bailey
From:
Seattle, WA
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Posted 29 Dec 2019 10:21 am
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I've noticed this too. The better I get, the less I play.
One of these days I'll be so good you won't hear a thing. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 29 Dec 2019 10:23 am
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| Lynn Fargo wrote: |
| Steel and Strings - My favorite steel guitar album Ever! Wish I could do that - and then I would! |
There's a lifetime of learning in that one album.
When learning those tunes, know that Jimmy was playing Blue Darlin'#1 in D9 tuning. He does a bunch of open string playing that will drive you crazy if you think he tuned to E9.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.
Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? |
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Kevin Fix
From:
Michigan, USA
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Posted 29 Dec 2019 3:55 pm
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| I agree with you Pete. I am the same way. |
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Lynn Fargo
From:
Fort Edward, NY
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Posted 30 Dec 2019 8:29 am
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Herb, Thanks! I won't have to keep pulling my hair out. And my Dad wondered why when I was a kid on a double 8 Stringmaster I couldn't play like that. Sheesh, guess I STILL can't play like that. At any rate, I certainly do admire his tone, attack, left foot and use of volume pedal. Still a lot there to strive for.
_________________
Sho-Bud Pro II Custom, GFI Ultra SD-10, Fender Pro Amp, Fender Mustang II Amp, Morrell 8-string lap, Epiphone 6-string lap, Galveston reso, etc. |
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Tore Blestrud
From:
Oslo, Norway
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Posted 31 Dec 2019 5:41 am
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Like Herb said: There's a lifetime of learning in that one album.
The first steel album I bought, still a favourite. I first thought this sounded pretty easy to play, then when studying Jimmys playing more thoroughly it was obvious that this his playing was on a different level. Jimmys phrasing, touch, tone and feel was impossible to copy. The master in my ears
_________________
Emmons D-10 P/P 78", Franklin D-10, Zum Encore. Sho-Bud LDG |
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Paul Norman
From:
Washington, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 2 Jan 2020 5:02 pm Willie Nelson and Jimmy Day
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| Willie has a whole album with Jimmy Day playing. |
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