Bebop Heads (no. 5) - Confirmation

[Danil]

Great solo version by Mike Moreno:

(And another great example of no need to envy horn players

[James W]

So... up an octave and along with Charlie Parker himself. It's not perfect, and I'm out of tune with the recording, but I thought I'd post it as a progress report.

It's a good exercise, to play along with him and try to match all of his phrasing and rhythms. I made a conscious decision to not emulate his triplet flourishes, I want to concentrate on the basic lines for now.

Great job. I think later I'll post my attempt, maybe even playing along with Parker at the original tempo, irrespective of how clean I can do it...

[Question]

@Supersoul

Very good version!

I hope you didn't mind my unsolicited advice to play it up an octave, but I think the greatly improved results speak for themselves.

[supersoul]

Great job. I think later I'll post my attempt, maybe even playing along with Parker at the original tempo, irrespective of how clean I can do it...

Definitely, do it!

I didn't even think I'd attempt it at the original until Question did it. Doing so pointed out some places where my technique wasn't cutting it anymore, so I had (have, I'm still working on it) to adjust and find easier/better ways to do things.

@Supersoul


Very good version!


I hope you didn't mind my unsolicited advice to play it up an octave, but I think the greatly improved results speak for themselves.

No, not at all, it was good advice. I always try to learn these heads in both registers anyway. It's a bit of a 2-for-1, because the fingerings are always different and I think it's good to be able to move between the two registers. Make the mental connections between the two.

But thank you for doing it along with the Charlie Parker recording. I had gotten it to 160bpm and was going to stop there, but it really kicks my ass (in a good way) at the original tempo.

[James W]

Here it is -

10 May 2026 - YouTube

Sorry, I don't know how to embed short videos from YouTube.

[supersoul]

Here it is -

10 May 2026 - YouTube

Sorry, I don't know how to embed short videos from YouTube.

Sounds good!

Is that circular picking that you're doing? It seems like it's giving you a good amount of control, more than I remember from before.

[James W]

Sounds good!

Is that circular picking that you're doing? It seems like it's giving you a good amount of control, more than I remember from before.

Thank you! Yes, it's circular picking and thanks, I have been working hard at it.

[AllanAllen]

Thank you! Yes, it's circular picking and thanks, I have been working hard at it.

It’s paying off. That was great!

[Mick-7]

Two takes of Confirmation, second one is faster.... I played the entire thing around the 10 fret, except for one phrase that I played at the 8th fret.

Confirmation x2 - Box.com

[lawson-stone]

Two takes of Confirmation, second one is faster.... I played the entire thing around the 10 fret, except for one phrase that I played at the 8th fret.

Confirmation x2 - Box.com

That's a solid effort-way beyond what I've been able to do. I feel encouraged to keep pushing at it.

[Mick-7]

That's a solid effort-way beyond what I've been able to do. I feel encouraged to keep pushing at it.

Thanks, Bird's tunes will really highlight the flaws in your technique. "Well, up until now, I thought I could do that!"

[Mick-7]

Yes, it's circular picking and thanks, I have been working hard at it.

I never could fathom this technique, is there a particular instructional video or whatever that helped you grasp it?

[James W]

I never could fathom this technique, is there a particular instructional video or whatever that helped you grasp it?

There are valuable videos on this thread - The Circular Picking School

The most important first step is to get a fast tremolo going (i.e 16ths at 150+ BPM) with this picking motion. There is a definite knack to doing it, it requires a bit of experimentation.

[JazzKatua]

Good decision to play it in the same register (read: ambitus) as Parker.
I never knew how to play Parker themes in the right register on guitar, but I'll follow your example.
Many thnx!

[charlieparker]

Two takes of Confirmation, second one is faster.... I played the entire thing around the 10 fret, except for one phrase that I played at the 8th fret.

Confirmation x2 - Box.com

Ballsy take Mick with just the drums. Timing was great. Felt like you left out its and bits from the melody to play it at that tempo but close enough for Jazz.

[sgcim]

Here is a version of Parker's Confirmation.

The guitar is panned right (not completely due to the sound from my speakers bleeding slightly into the guitar mic), and the Parker track is panned left.

I used the Voelpel Charlie Parker for guitar book that someone posted earlier in the trhread. An excellent resource with an accurate transcription. I did find one incorrect note in bar 14; the first note should be an Eb and not D.

Otherwise very accurate and he has fingerings, which I found very useful and different than the solutions that I maybe would have used.

@Supersoul-good version, I suggest that you play it up an octave (in Parker's register), which will make it much easier!

Parker had an amazing rhythmic phrasing, which is sometimes tricky to copy exactly. (like the bridge for example)

As I said in the Moose the Mooch thread; I don't think playing these Parker heads at their original tempo in necessary in order to benefit from learning about phrasing and articulation. Just play them at 60% and focus on matching Parker's phrasing as close as you can.

I hope this video maybe helps someone with the fingering and articulations.

Did you get all those fast slurs and fingerings from the Voelpel Charlie Parker for guitar book?
I play it at that tempo (200bpm) but I don't use slurs on the notes A to Bb like you and Bird did. Sounds great!

[Question]

@sgcim

I started with the Voelpel book as a reference and changed some fingerings that worked better for me.

The real goal for me is to see how close I can get to Parker's phrasing on the recording, utilizing whatever fingering or articulation seems to work to get that sound.

As I wrote earlier, Saxophone has different mechanics than a guitar, but there are some basic parallels; legato=slur and tongued=picked.

One great advantage that wind instruments have over the guitar is their ability to change the dynamics of a tone while it is sounding.

There is much more to be learned watching someone else play these Parker heads rather than talking about it, why don't you post a video of you playing it, I am sure James would welcome it on his thread.

[Mick-7]

Ballsy take Mick with just the drums. Timing was great. Felt like you left out its and bits from the melody to play it at that tempo but close enough for Jazz.

Thanks, believe I got all the melody notes, didn't play a couple of Bird's fast trills.

I think this is my max speed, 180 bpm according to Beat-Buddy - beyond this point there be dragons!

Confirmation [180 bpm] - Box.com

The Parker recording is definitely not 200bpm, because it's slower than this clip I posted, I have no trouble playing along with Bird's recording.

[James W]

Thanks, believe I got all the melody notes, didn't play a couple of Bird's fast trills.

I think this is my max speed, 180 bpm according to Beat-Buddy - beyond this point there be dragons!

Confirmation [180 bpm] - Box.com

The Parker recording is definitely not 200bpm, because it's slower than this clip I posted, I have no trouble playing along with Bird's recording.

If you have no trouble playing along with Bird's recording why did you omit some of his fast trills?

[Mick-7]

If you have no trouble playing along with Bird's recording why did you omit some of his fast trills?

My tempo was faster than that of the Parker recording, some frills must go at that speed. Actually I think there is only one trill I did not play, the one in bar two, I may want to change my fingering there. As I said earlier, I played everything at the 10th position. I did not attempt to copy Bird's phrasing verbatim. I'll look at the Charlie Parker for guitar book.*

* Just looked at it, some of his fingerings are ridiculous.

[GuyBoden]

Thanks, believe I got all the melody notes, didn't play a couple of Bird's fast trills.

I think this is my max speed, 180 bpm according to Beat-Buddy - beyond this point there be dragons!

Confirmation [180 bpm] - Box.com

The Parker recording is definitely not 200bpm, because it's slower than this clip I posted, I have no trouble playing along with Bird's recording.

Nice, good stuff, it has that different Jazz sound from a solid body guitar.

[CliffR]

My tempo was faster than that of the Parker recording, some frills must go at that speed. Actually I think there is only one trill I did not play, the one in bar two, I may want to change my fingering there. As I said earlier, I played everything at the 10th position. I did not attempt to copy Bird's phrasing verbatim. I'll look at the Charlie Parker for guitar book.*

* Just looked at it, some of his fingerings are ridiculous.

Per Question's repeated advice, I'd try playing it slower and nailing the trills, the articulation (some of your slurring sounds too quiet), getting the accents in the right place, and getting the length of the notes tight. That is after all what makes it bebop.

[GuyBoden]

Talking about 'Slurs'.

With Jazz guitar, is there only Pull-offs, Hammer-ons and Slides?

If so, I think that 40-50% of my notes are slurred.

[Question]

Talking about 'Slurs'.

With Jazz guitar, is there only Pull-offs, Hammer-ons and Slides?

If so, I think that 40-50% of my notes are slurred.

@GuyBoden

Yes, "slur" is sort of an imprecise word. Since I (mis)used it, I think in this context I am referring to any note that is not attacked with the right hand. (pick,finger etc.)
(Don't forget bends as an articulation as well)

P.S. Let's please not let this constructive discussion devolve into one of semantics.

[lawson-stone]

Thanks, believe I got all the melody notes, didn't play a couple of Bird's fast trills.

I think this is my max speed, 180 bpm according to Beat-Buddy - beyond this point there be dragons!

Confirmation [180 bpm] - Box.com

The Parker recording is definitely not 200bpm, because it's slower than this clip I posted, I have no trouble playing along with Bird's recording.

You do have me beat on this. Enjoyed the take, and like others, I'm impressed your doing it with just the drum track. I had the impression on the final A section that you might have rushed a few phrases, but maybe not. I haven't actually listened to Parker's take in a while. If I could play it like that I'd be pretty pleased with myself.