Hawaiian slack key learning resources

[Gratefuliving]

Anyone got any recommendations on good material for learning this, come across a few homespun tapes but haven't pulled the trigger / anyone seen any great youtube lessons/ books?

Don't want any of Brozman's stuff, don't think I could look at that guy given what's come out about him (and also don't want to get into that discussion here.)

[MrBJones]

Check out Ozzie Kotani's Playing Guitar Hawaiian Style. A little on the basic side but probably the best thing for getting into slack key.

Also check www.TaroPatch.net, a forum website for slack key guitar in particular, and all things Hawaiian in general.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by Gratefuliving

Anyone got any recommendations on good material for learning this, come across a few homespun tapes but haven't pulled the trigger / anyone seen any great youtube lessons/ books?

Don't want any of Brozman's stuff, don't think I could look at that guy given what's come out about him (and also don't want to get into that discussion here.)

AGF member Fran Guidry should be on your short list!

http://www.kaleponi.com

Not only can he play it, but he can explain it, and lives it!

Regards,
Howard Emerson

[blue]

Guitar playing hawaiian style by Ozzie Kotani is a great book. I started with it back in '97, and I have yet to see anything that is a better first step. The way it is setup is everything but the last 2 songs are in Open G (taro). And it progresses from very simple, to more complex.

So you end up walking away with probably 4 of the 7 Open G songs that you can customize to your taste as you progress, but that start as a good enough to be the basis of your early repertoire. They are nothing to be ashamed of.

The way it progresses, the similarities, and therefore the style of simple straightforward "old school" slack key songs really becomes clear. You are immediately able to turn the songs into medleys, which is the first step to being able to improvise! A book or method that enables you to break away from arrangements is always huge for me.

I understand how you feel about Brozman. I was one of his biggest fans. It was a stab in the back that went through my heart to hear the allegations. Unfortunately his slack key tape is probably the second I would recommend. And I would recommend it only after you finish the Kotani book. Because much like the Kotani book, it WILL strengthen your ability to write your own tunes, and imporvise over straightforward old school stuff. His focus was always concepts and tools, not songs.

Nothing but respect over your stance. Maybe get it used so you don't support the estate?

Otherwise Keola Beamer has a book. But frankly, after Kotani, you'd probably be ready to just start moving into repertoire books like the Mark Hanson book.

[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by Howard Emerson

AGF member Fran Guidry should be on your short list!

http://www.kaleponi.com

Not only can he play it, but he can explain it, and lives it!

Regards,
Howard Emerson

+1 on Fran Guidry.

Steve

[Kupuna50]

If you are TRULY interested in learning Hawaiian slack key (kiho alu), attend the "Aloha Music Camp". It is in February on the island of Kauai.
Teachers are Jeff Peterson, Keola Beamer and John Keawe.
You can also take ukulele from Herb Ohta Jr., singing from Uluwehi Guerro, slide with Alan Akaka, etc.
A week long class.
I'd be happy to offer additional info.

[BoneNut74]

I have enjoyed and learned a great deal from Keola Beamer's Homespun lesson: http://www.homespun.com/Instructors/...ack-key-guitar

He also has a cd/book that I want. I saw him live once in Sandpoint, Idaho and he's a real gentleman in addition to being a terrific player.

[Fran Guidry]

Thanks for the mention, guys.

Could we please not refer to Ledward's instructional tape/DVD as Bob Brozman's? I can appreciate the discomfort of dealing with the history, but this material is really about the Konanui style and Ledward.

I always recommend Ozzie http://www.ozziekotani.com for starters. I absolutely could not fingerpick when I started trying to learn slack key. But between the burning desire to make this music and Ozzie's gentle introduction I was able to get my playing off the ground.

The Mark Hanson book is another winner in my estimation. Accurate detailed transcriptions of some of the classics, I open nearly every show with one of the pieces I learned from this book.

Fran

[Gratefuliving]

Wow this is an awesome response, thanks everyone!

Good point in Ledward vs. Brozman, Fran, I will check that material out.

Getting the Ozzie book to get started!

Maybe as further reference for folks consulting this thread in the future anyone got favorite albums / recommended listening?

Kupuna- Id love to but for now think a book probably the right place to start

[blue]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

Thanks for the mention, guys.

Could we please not refer to Ledward's instructional tape/DVD as Bob Brozman's? I can appreciate the discomfort of dealing with the history, but this material is really about the Konanui style and Ledward.

Fran

Excellent point. Ledward is an artist, not a video teacher. I have no doubt face to face would be a different matter where he could see where you're at, and react to your playing. Bob is there to point things out that are so second nature to Led that he doesn't even realize how valuable they are.

[jetcode]

Hey Fran ...

Any chance of getting a short one liner on the various styles?

I love the Island sound. Always have. Such a beauty in the sound.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by blue

Excellent point. Ledward is an artist, not a video teacher. I have no doubt face to face would be a different matter where he could see where you're at, and react to your playing. Bob is there to point things out that are so second nature to Led that he doesn't even realize how valuable they are.

Taking a lesson from Ledward face to face can be challenging, because as you say the essence of what he does is second nature to him, and part of his style is doing it different every time (grin). I recommend that anyone who gets a chance for a lesson with him should bring a video camera.

Ledward doesn't have any tab of what he does. While I'm not much of a tabaholic when I was trying to expand my repertoire the tab that accompanied this Homespun video was a huge resource. In fact I need to go back and finish learning all the tunes in that video.

Fran

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by jetcode

Hey Fran ...

Any chance of getting a short one liner on the various styles?

I love the Island sound. Always have. Such a beauty in the sound.

I'd have to say that the more I learn, the less I know. But the more I could blather on about (grin). Trying to be brief is an interesting challenge.

The style/artist that got me hooked on slack key was Keola Beamer. He is very modern, very experimental, but he learned the core of his slack key from Auntie Alice Namakelua, and she represented the oldest most traditional style of slack key we know about. Keola's work is very formal, composed and/or arranged. He influenced many artists including Ozzie Kotani and Cindy Combs.

Gabby Pahinui is the father of another vein of slack key. He recorded as early as the 1930s on steel guitar with Andy Cummings, cut the first slack key record, "Hi`ilawe," in 1946, formed the Sons of Hawai`i in the 1960s, led the Gabby Band (which included Ry Cooder) in the 70s. His style is extremely broad, jazz influenced but achingly Hawaiian. He influenced everyone who came after him, but George Kuo is probably the current artist who displays his Gabby influence most plainly. His son Cyril has evolved his own version of the family style.

Ledward Kaapana is sharing his family music with the world. He talks often of growing up in a small village 30 miles down a gravel road from the nearest store, where all his neighbors were ohana (extended family) and the parties started Friday after work and ended early Monday, and everyone participated in the entertainment. He plays songs he learned from his mom, his dad, his uncles, his aunts. He formed a hit group with his brother and cousin, and even today often plays accompanied by his sister. His Uncle Fred Punahoa was a renowned virtuoso and today many Big Island players like Sonny Lim echo the chiming rhythmic playing that marked the Konanui/Punahoa (Led's mom's family) style.

Sonny Chillingworth was an active teacher, composer, arranger, and stylist. He brought the "Spanish bass" to slack key and composed a number of instrumentals that have become standards like "Weeha Swing" and "Dream Slack Key." George Kuo, Ozzie Kotani, and Makana are students of Sonny.

Ray Kane represents what I think of as "country" slack key. Not virtuosic, but wonderfully musical and satisfying. Uncle Ray composed and arranged quite a repertoire. He mentions Gabby often as an influence, but doesn't sound at all like Gabby to me. Ray also had many students. To my ear Kevin Brown has a similar style to Uncle Ray's, although he developed his playing independently.

Thanks for an opportunity to blather on about my favorite topic.

Fran

[jetcode]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

I'd have to say that the more I learn, the less I know. But the more I could blather on about (grin). Trying to be brief is an interesting challenge.

The style/artist that got me hooked on slack key was Keola Beamer. He is very modern, very experimental, but he learned the core of his slack key from Auntie Alice Namakelua, and she represented the oldest most traditional style of slack key we know about. Keola's work is very formal, composed and/or arranged. He influenced many artists including Ozzie Kotani and Cindy Combs.

Gabby Pahinui is the father of another vein of slack key. He recorded as early as the 1930s on steel guitar with Andy Cummings, cut the first slack key record, "Hi`ilawe," in 1946, formed the Sons of Hawai`i in the 1960s, led the Gabby Band (which included Ry Cooder) in the 70s. His style is extremely broad, jazz influenced but achingly Hawaiian. He influenced everyone who came after him, but George Kuo is probably the current artist who displays his Gabby influence most plainly. His son Cyril has evolved his own version of the family style.

Ledward Kaapana is sharing his family music with the world. He talks often of growing up in a small village 30 miles down a gravel road from the nearest store, where all his neighbors were ohana (extended family) and the parties started Friday after work and ended early Monday, and everyone participated in the entertainment. He plays songs he learned from his mom, his dad, his uncles, his aunts. He formed a hit group with his brother and cousin, and even today often plays accompanied by his sister. His Uncle Fred Punahoa was a renowned virtuoso and today many Big Island players like Sonny Lim echo the chiming rhythmic playing that marked the Konanui/Punahoa (Led's mom's family) style.

Sonny Chillingworth was an active teacher, composer, arranger, and stylist. He brought the "Spanish bass" to slack key and composed a number of instrumentals that have become standards like "Weeha Swing" and "Dream Slack Key." George Kuo, Ozzie Kotani, and Makana are students of Sonny.

Ray Kane represents what I think of as "country" slack key. Not virtuosic, but wonderfully musical and satisfying. Uncle Ray composed and arranged quite a repertoire. He mentions Gabby often as an influence, but doesn't sound at all like Gabby to me. Ray also had many students. To my ear Kevin Brown has a similar style to Uncle Ray's, although he developed his playing independently.

Thanks for an opportunity to blather on about my favorite topic.

Fran

Wow that is quite the synopsis! Thanks for the history lesson. Blather on freely!

[El Duque]

I've been perusing this thread, the links, and the links to the links if you know what I mean...(and you do)...

I know nothing and I like this tune "Salomila" already.

Is there a tab link out there somewhere?

I like the way you play it Fran.

I got lost in it.

thanks