| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
Stringbreaker
Akahai
USA
62 Posts |
 Posted - 08/27/2003 : 2:58:53 PM
|
|
Hello! I am new to the forum and to message boards as well. But I am looking for people in the Portland Area to discuss tunings in general, and any and all facets of playing. For my part, I like short scale instruments, partial capos and I do a lot of tuning analysis. If you speak theory, so much the better. OK, your serve :)
|
Crazy Man Tuning |
|
|
javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2003 : 11:31:30 AM
|
Hi Stringbreaker,
You sound like a serious player. I don't live in the Portland area but not too far .... Olympia, Washington. I also don't know very much about theory but would be willing to talk about other things. I moved here from Hawaii a little over a year ago and have been starved for slack key/Hawaiian music.
Aloha, |
Aloha,
John A. |
 |
|
|
Stringbreaker
Akahai
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2003 : 4:05:44 PM
|
Hi John
Glad to hear from you. My theory desires are not that frightening, but it all relates to my pet crazy: original composition. Slack key was not something I deliberately pursued, it was more a discovery that my original work in tunings was sounding more and more like it, to the point that I started studying the tunings and found that I liked them. The whole bit with the analysis is from where I find a beautiful lick, a good set of changes...then I get stuck. I revert to theory in order to try to find a way out of the blocks. I've played celtic music and progressive rock, and I love most every kind of fingerstyle guitar.
My current favorite tuning is C G D G A D, and "Dancers in the Land of Po" from Keola Beamers album "Wooden Boat" uses it, which may give you some idea of where I'm at. I don't mention it too much, but I also play the ukelele, a kamaka I bought while vacationing in Hilo. Not too much fingerstyle possibilities, but it is a sweet little guitar. Never an option to use it in a band context thus far, but time will tell. |
Crazy Man Tuning |
|
|
|
Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2003 : 5:13:15 PM
|
Stringbreaker,
You know about Mark Hanson in your area? http://www.accentonmusic.com/index.html I think your interests overlap; He has books out on slack key and alternate tunings. I think he gives private lessons. I know he has annual workshops. |
Pauline |
|
|
|
javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2003 : 12:39:22 AM
|
Hi Stringbreaker,
Do you vacation in Hawaii often? I lived there all my life until I followed my grandkids here. Though it's very different, we like it here in Washington very much.
Is that Kamaka uke and older or newer one? People say that they don't make them like they used to, though they are considered to be good instruments. I used to have a newer Kamaka tenor but sold it after I obtained an older Martin tenor uke. It was given to me by an uncle who has since passed away and it was very well used (and looks it) but is still an excellent sounding instrument. The uke, if you haven't yet discovered, makes excellent accompaniment to slack key and they sound great together.
I played the guitar in a rock band in my high school and early college years but then got rid of my equipment and did not play for a very long time. I only fairly recently picked it up again because I wanted to learn to play slack key. Like many others here, I am struggling to learn to play tunes from tablature. My favorite tuning is "Drop C" or "Leonard's C" (C G D G B D lowest to highest) and I just love that very low bass note. You sound like you're into a pretty wide range of music.
Aloha, |
Aloha,
John A. |
|
|
|
Stringbreaker
Akahai
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 09/10/2003 : 3:50:48 PM
|
Hi John
No, I haven't been to Hawaii since my honeymoon. Not from lack of desire, but lack of resources. It is especially hard to do since I would have to pack my guitar in the luggage compartment. I fast talked my way into getting it a seat in first class the last time.
The kamaka was new 11 years ago and still looks it. I have not compared it to older instruments, but it still plays sweet. I was recommended that a felt pick was the way to go, but I am an obsessive fingerstylist, so I have not tested that facet yet.
Drop C is a lovely tuning and the chords are easy to find. Slack the B note to an A and you find where I spend most of my playing time. I think that Drop C could be adapted to an arrangement of "Sesame Street" I developed, as the strings are mostly in the same place. If I get more than 5 minutes uncommitted (I have two 3 year old boys...you see the problem) I will send along some TAB and you can tell me what you think.
I was raised on classical (western) and indian music, and only discovered rock and other popular idioms when I got my first Radio at 10 years old. I am also a keyboard player and love synthesizers (I only have one vintage machine left, the rest died or were sold to feed my family) and would love to add these to slack key jams. Recently I also discovered electronic music programs, but my guitar work doesn't really mesh with that kind of material.
Pauline: yes, I contacted Mark Hanson some years ago with regard to distributing my book. He politely refused, claiming I was competition for his own material. He also dismissed my research as compilation. Such is life.
I do have a new book project in the works, involving theoretical analysis of slack key tunings. The first set of pages should be done in a couple weeks and will include scales and modes for Old Mauna Loa. If you have any interest, I can prepare PDF files for anyone who is interested. Similar material for Taro patch, G Wahine and others will follow shortly.
Aloha |
Crazy Man Tuning |
|
|
|
javeiro
Lokahi
USA
459 Posts |
Posted - 09/25/2003 : 12:26:05 AM
|
Hi Stringbreaker,
Sorry I haven't responded to your post sooner .... we're in a new home here in Olympia and we're trying to get as much of the dirt covered over with grass (on almost three acres) that we can before the rain starts. Therefore, I haven't spent much time on the computer lately. I know how children can cut into your free time. In my case though, it's grandchildren, which is the whole reason we're here instead of in Hawaii where we spent all our lives.
I would be very interested to see your tablature for Sesame Street when you can get to it. Then I can play it for my grandkids. One of my grandchildren, an 8 month old boy named Kaiea (Hawaiian for "Rising Sea") just loves to listen to the guitar. He watches me attentively and seems to get very relaxed. And my 9 year old grandson is just learning to play chords and seems really interested. If he keeps at it, maybe we can play slack key together some time.
Aloha, |
Aloha,
John A. |
|
|
|
Stringbreaker
Akahai
USA
62 Posts |
Posted - 09/26/2003 : 1:44:23 PM
|
Hi John
I have also been really busy. I also had a (fortunately) temporary back problem that put me out of commision for a week. The tablature is delayed, as I have another project demanding to be finished, but it is also about Old Mauna Loa, so I'll send that along once done. PDF's of serious theory for CGDGAD, including modes. Not too much blah-blah but easy to read charts. There is lots of this kind of material for standard tuning, but very little for the exotics. This will help remedy the situation. It was working out the modes that led me to the Sesame Street, so this will be a good lead in to this. More soon, I'm getting back to work.
Aloha |
Crazy Man Tuning |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
