Rick, I knew you'd enjoy watching that video. I remember when you posted your recording of Surprise Waltz here a few years ago. That sent me back to the woodshed trying to figure it out! There was some tab posted for it, or maybe I bought the tab from Scotty's... can't remember. I managed to play a passable version of it, and then I tried it on pedal steel. It's much easier to play on pedal steel, no slants required... but it doesn't sound as good on pedal steel. Something is lost when you take away the slants, sound-wise and in the visual. It's less interesting on the pedal steel IMO.
Hi to lo
E B G# F# E D B G#
I just realized that the top 7 strings of Jerry's E9 are exactly the same as
pedal steel E9 tuning, strings 4 through 10.
[tab]
PSG JB E9
F#
D#
G#
E ------ E
B ------ B
G# ----- G#
F# ----- F#
E ------ E
D ------ D
B ------B
G#
[/tab]
I guess that makes sense because the "Admirable Byrd" album was basically a demonstration of pedal steel styles/sounds on a non-pedal guitar.
I have always thought that the E9 pedal steel tuning is not a very good tuning for non-pedal steel. It was designed to use with foot pedals that allow convenient chord changes 1, 4, 5, 6m, etc on all 4 string grips by simply stomping on the A & B pedals. When you take the pedals away, those changes are lost, and the tuning is not the easiest non-pedal tuning to play, in my humble opinion. Of course, Jerry Byrd could play a clothesline and make it sound good.
I just realized that the top 7 strings of Jerry's E9 are exactly the same as pedal steel E9 tuning, strings 4 through 10.