"Aloha `Oe" - Slack Key Instrumental

[Fran Guidry]

As if I would ever expose my singing (grin) or play in standard tuning (grin again).

This clip started because I wanted to capture a recording using a pair of AT4022 omnis. I hadn't played "Aloha `Oe" in years but it seemed like the melody was floating around in my head and I should be able to just pluck it out - ha ha ha jokes on me! Between clumsy fingers, weak memory, and terrible fingernails I went through take after take.

I think this is about take 6 or so, and that's not counting the instant throwaways that never got transferred to the computer. I probably would have kept going but Lynnie wanted her living room back (grin).

Anyhoo, it's taropatch open G (D G D G B D) on the "I'm not worthy" Kim Walker OM in Cuban mahogany and red spruce, AT4022 mics in AB, 15" spacing and 12" from the guitar, Zoom F6 in 32 bit float, Lumix GH5 and GH4, edited in Edius 9, no EQ or other audio tweaks other than level adjustment:



Fran

[M19]

Beautiful as always, Fran. I wish I could play half as well as you on your supposed "bad" day.

[ChuckS]

Sounded great Fran; the playing, the song, the guitar, the recording.

[MakingMusic]

I think that's one of the prettiest versions of that song I've heard! And only 6 takes? Sounded so good.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by M19

Beautiful as always, Fran. I wish I could play half as well as you on your supposed "bad" day.

Marty, you know how it goes, I could name a dozen or so folks around here that I wish I could play half as well as (is that even a sentence??)

Fran

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Sounded great Fran; the playing, the song, the guitar, the recording.

`Preciate it, Chuck. The list of artists who have covered "Aloha `Oe" is pretty amazing, that song has really hung around and gotten around.

Fran

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by MakingMusic

I think that's one of the prettiest versions of that song I've heard! And only 6 takes? Sounded so good.

Well when I say 6 takes I mean 6 times I thought maybe one of my passes was worth pulling the SD cards out and loading the files up on the computer so I could give a good listen and then throw up my hands in dismay. Each of those 6 times probably consisted of at least four or five passes and another bunch of false starts and stop-in-the-middles.

Red light fever is so annoying in the relatively low pressure environment at home, I don't see how anyone can get through a piece in a paid studio situation.

Fran

[rick-slo]

Nicely done and peaceful. Need that these day.

[Doug Young]

Nice, Fran!

[AZ715]

Thank you Fran! I listen to slack key every day and now have a new favorite.

[rémy64]

It's very well interpreted, bravo

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Nicely done and peaceful. Need that these day.

Thanks, Derek. There's something about slack key that almost always gets called relaxing - I guess it's the simple chord structure and constant V-I cadence. Hawaiians call it nahenahe.

Fran

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

Nice, Fran!

Thanks, Doug. That melody has been on quite a journey, it's been traced back to a Serbian folk melody from at least the mid 1800s. It seems that a German band leader was hired to provide the musical education for the royals so middle European melodies found their way into many of their compositions.

Fran

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by AZ715

Thank you Fran! I listen to slack key every day and now have a new favorite.

Slack key every day - that's my idea of a good way to spend time. Glad you enjoyed it. I don't know if you've checked out my YT channel, but I have a pretty good collection of stuff featuring Led Kaapana.

Fran

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by rémy64

It's very well interpreted, bravo

Thank you, it was fun trying to find a way to present the melody without too much clutter.

Fran