The “pull-off” - when the fretting finger is pulled off (exposing the string either as open or as stopped by another fretting finger lower on the same string) the note playing on the string changes to the new, longer vibrating length of the string.The “hammer-on” - created by sharply bringing a fretting-hand finger down on the fingerboard behind a fret, causing a note to sound.“People in our village demonstrations know it sounds different, and they just love it.”Ī Wikipedia entry also lists other slack key harmonics or chiming sounds characteristics, as well as techniques such as: “These changes give slack key a really nice, fuller sound with a lot of high-string notes,” Manoa continued. Another important group of tunings, based on major-seventh chords, is called ‘wahine,’ and a third significant group is Mauna Loa tunings, in which the highest pair of strings are keyed a fifth apart.” “There are major-chord tunings based on C, F, and D chords. The notes end up at DGDGBD, a G major chord,” he said. Manoa, who also teaches a slack key guitar class next door at Brigham Young University Hawaii, pointed out that today there are literally dozens of personalized slack key guitar tunings, but the most common one, called “taro patch,” starts with the standard six-string guitar tuning - EADGBE: “The high and low E strings are lowered or ‘slacked’ to D and the fifth string from A down to G. That’s why in slack key today you get a syncopated alternating bass with the thumb of the right hand, while the other fingers play the accompaniment and the melody all at the same time on a single guitar.” “While the music those early Hawaiians heard was probably played by several instruments, they tried to recreate it all in one. As those guitars went out of tune after the vaqueros left, the Hawaiians just re-tuned them to an open chord that kind of followed what they heard the Mexican cowboys play and figure out their own fingering,” Manoa explained. “Slack key is the way Hawaiians first played the guitar when when it was introduced by the Spanish and Mexican vaqueros or cowboys in the 1800s. I already knew how to play guitar, so I just kind of taught myself slack key.” I saw some CDs at my dad’s house back then, borrowed them and learned from there. Manoa, our PCC Hawaiian Village “chief” who’s originally from Nanakuli, Oahu, grew up listening to slack key guitar, “because my uncle played, but I never played until about 10 years ago. The popularity of Hawaiian music and instruments such as the steel guitar and ukuleles has spread around the world and so, rightfully, part of the PCC’s cultural presentation in the village focuses on Hawaiian music broadly and in a smaller slice of that part, if you’re really lucky, you might get the chance to hear Kaipo Manoa play what the Hawaiians call kī ho’alu - slack-key guitar. I offer instruction at three levels, which I call “realms”.Listen up for slack key in the Hawaiian Village To get the most out of your lessons, come with respect for its traditions and an openess in your heart. Slack-key is filled with the beauty and mysticism of the Hawaiian culture. You must learn to play with aloha in your heart. I recommend using Safari (Mac, iPhone, iPad, etc), Chrome (Mac, Windows), or Firefox (Mac, Windows). A modern web browser to download or play the pieces you’ll be studying.PDF reader software to download and view my PDF tablature and other documents.It doesn’t have to be anthing fancy – any guitar will do: electric, acoustic, nylon, steel string – it doesn’t matter! This wonderful style of music will come alive from beneath your own hands, as you create it from the story of your own life. My web-lessons are new teaching methods, enabling you to work faster and smarter. I’ve given considerable thought to using the net as a teaching tool which has resulted in the some wonderful innovations. It’s an exciting time in distance learning technology and thanks to some wonderful innovations on the internet, we can share the resources and knowledge of our culture like never before. Teaching the slack-key guitar has been one of the greatest joys of my life and through the years I’ve helped many aspiring musicians. It can take you places that you never imagined. It’s a rewarding and enjoyable activity that can give you years of meaningful interaction with a whole world of rich, beautiful, and somehow still mysterious music. Hawaiian slack-key guitar defines the word “relaxation”. It’s easy to learn to play and a great way to relieve stress and achieve a sense of well being. You’ve heard the music – did you ever think about creating it yourself? The Hawaiian slack-key guitar is a wonderful platform for expression.
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