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Sellars
Aloha
Netherlands
30 Posts |
 Posted - 01/15/2006 : 10:55:37 PM
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Hi all!
I am somewhere between exercise 4 and 5 in Ozzie's book. That is I started working on 5 (Maunaloa) because I couldn't get grip on Awiwi.
To my ears, the melodic structure of this song is .... wel.... absent
It sounds to my ears like it is just a series of unconnected phrases to practice some open and closed position variations and vamps.
Am I missing something? please enlighten me 
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I've always been crazy but that's kept me from going insane (W.J.)
Playing: Ukulele, Slack key guitar, Mandolin |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2006 : 11:09:39 PM
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Peter Madieros enlightened us all on tha piece a few months back. I believe he said it was written as an excersise, and he heard it as an extended turnaround for a song the Gabby Pahinui was playing. I practiced it a lot, and it sure is a good excercise for quickening the fingers, and there are several songs i now do where, after coming off a bridge, i just want to fall int the Awiwi lick. Once you get to where you can play it smoothly, it actually stnds alone as a piece, but if you can pull it off in the middle of a song it is really impressive:)
Perhaps Peter will chime in on this one, or you can simply email him or Ozzie |
Karl
Frozen North |
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Peter Medeiros
`Olu`olu
546 Posts |
Posted - 01/16/2006 : 10:44:45 PM
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Sorry I haven't been able to stay in contact, I've been really sick lately. Anyway about "Awiwi", it comes from a transcription of Waihu`ihu`i o ke `Ani`ani by Gabby Pahinui backed up by Andy Cummings' group from of a Waikiki Records 45rpm done in the '50s. What is called "Awiwi" is the second instrumental break out of three. I've also heard him use it in Maunaloa, but I forget when and where.
The instrumental breaks provide contrast to the simple verse chorus arrangement. And their inclusion was meant to be as important a part of the song as the lyrics. Upon listening, the chords and harmonic structure used in the breaks do not deviate much from the verse and chorus. However, not one of the instrumental breaks follows the melodic contour (Melody) of the piece -- that was the way he meant it to be. It was straight improvisation. Each of the breaks can stand on its own.
What makes it so unique is that at this point in the evolution of slack key, Gabby starts improvising outside of the usual movement by sixths mode, which is a vertical mode, and he starts playing across the strings (horizontal), basically along the outlines of the chords in progression.
His use and understanding of chords is a part of what elevated him above the rest of the entertainers and put him in a league of his own making. He was an artist not an entertainer. Nobody played like him, and even now only a very small number come close but only Cyril has it down, which I think is the way it should be.
Peter Medeiros
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2006 : 08:22:59 AM
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Peter,
We are all waiting for your book! I would love to take classes from you, but alas, I live off-island. Please keep contributing to this forum. I really enjoy reading what you have to write and learning more about this art form. I'd like to be at the top of your mailing list to purchase the book.
Malama Pono. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Pops
Lokahi
USA
387 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2006 : 08:34:10 AM
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| Mahalo Peter for the information, and I hope that you're feeling better soon. |
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Sellars
Aloha
Netherlands
30 Posts |
Posted - 01/17/2006 : 10:37:05 PM
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Thanks a lot Peter! It helps a lot now I know that I shouldn't look for a melodic structure in the piece, but that I should concentrate on the harmonics and rhythm aspect.
The song you mentioned, it that available on CD? I would love to hear it as a whole to place the solo in context.
best!
Roel
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I've always been crazy but that's kept me from going insane (W.J.)
Playing: Ukulele, Slack key guitar, Mandolin |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2006 : 04:04:10 AM
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Roel,
I am confused about your notion that Awiwi doesn't have a "melody". Peter didn't say it didn't have one - what he said is that it didn't follow the melody of the piece in which it was included. He said it could stand on its own as a piece. If it doesn't have a melody, how come I can hum/sing it? And, moreover, I think it is a really pleasant melody. What do you think a melody is?
...Reid
mel·o·dy n. pl. mel·o·dies
1. A pleasing succession or arrangement of sounds.
2. Musical quality: the melody of verse.
3. Music.
a. A rhythmically organized sequence of single tones so related to one another as to make up a particular phrase or idea.
b. Structure with respect to the arrangement of single notes in succession.
c. The leading part or the air in a composition with accompaniment.
4. A poem suitable for setting to music or singing.
melody
n 1: a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; "she was humming an air from Beethoven" [syn: tune, air, strain, melodic line, line, melodic phrase] 2: the perception of pleasant arrangements of musical notes [syn: tonal pattern]
mel·o·dy
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -dies
Etymology: Middle English melodie, from Old French, from Late Latin melodia, from Greek melOidia chanting, music, from melos limb, musical phrase, song (probably akin to Breton mell joint) + aeidein to sing
1 : a sweet or agreeable succession or arrangement of sounds : TUNEFULNESS
2 : a rhythmic succession of single tones organized as an aesthetic whole
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Edited by - Reid on 01/18/2006 04:36:53 AM |
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Sellars
Aloha
Netherlands
30 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2006 : 05:32:16 AM
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in your first definition I would interpret it as 3a, in your third definition I would interpret it as 2. To my ear the exercise consists of at least 2 melodies, and I cannot (yet) find the relation beteen them. I though Peter's post meant that they are indeed melodically unrelated, but that they are improvisations on the harmonic structure of the song.
I am a rank beginner, so my use of terminology should be taken as a grain of salt :).
I played that exercise over and over, and I listened to the cd that comes with the book over and over, and I just don't get it :(
I can wistle the first part that begins with the slides and ends somewhere after that C chord in 1st position. Then that piece with the 5th fret on string 1 & 2 going to fret 7&8 on string 1&2. Then that measure with the 987 on strings 123, followed by the 12 13 14 buisiness, roughly followed by the "walking down through open and closed positions (is there a term for that?). This probably won't make any sense, but it all feels so ... unconncected to me :( |
I've always been crazy but that's kept me from going insane (W.J.)
Playing: Ukulele, Slack key guitar, Mandolin |
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Sellars
Aloha
Netherlands
30 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2006 : 05:39:41 AM
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By the way, this is not meant as criticism in any way! 
I'm just trying to get a grip on this exercise, and unfortunately I lack a teacher who can fence off most of my ignorance (read: enthousiasm  ) |
I've always been crazy but that's kept me from going insane (W.J.)
Playing: Ukulele, Slack key guitar, Mandolin |
Edited by - Sellars on 01/18/2006 05:40:15 AM |
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duke
Lokahi
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2006 : 07:41:45 AM
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Agnes Kimura recorded 'awiwi on her album In The Hawaiian Style http://mele.com/v3/info/1347.htm Maybe hearing it in the setting of a professional recording might help.
The song Peter mentioned, I believe, is on the brown Gabby album http://mele.com/v3/info/213.htm Wai O Ke Aniani.
Speaking of... Aloha Peter! Hope you are feeling better.
duke |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 01/18/2006 : 08:16:51 AM
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No Problem (a'ole pilikia) Roel,
It seems as if it is just unfamiliarity with Slack Key conventions and figures that is at issue. To rephrase Peter (if he doesn't mind) Gabby stretched, but did not break, the Slack Key style. He stretched it enough so that it puzzles you :-).
First, think in terms of pairs of measures. Then look at the parallel 3rds and parallel 6ths. Then, remember the I, IV, V7/V chords in G major, and note that notes in Slack Key chords are most often played serially, out of order (inversions), and, sometimes, partially or with a passing note inserted.
"I can wistle the first part that begins with the slides and ends somewhere after that C chord in 1st position."
1st part C#-D (2-3) (3 is same note as open 1st string D) E on 1st and C# on 2nd are often part of both G measures (as in Kimo’s Slack Key by Sonny) and D7 to G vamps. This is echoed in 2nd measure (E) with an F#. This second measure is just a G parallel 3rd with an F# cleverly inserted between G and E. Usually, it is F# moving to G; Gabby turned it around.
"Then that piece with the 5th fret on string 1 & 2 going to fret 7&8 on string 1&2."
Measure 5 is that same G parallel 3rd, as in the second measure, followed by a D parallel 3rd on the 7th fret, *again* with the F# preceded by a G on the 8th fret. So, the “sections” you hear are similar tonal patterns in different places.
"Then that measure with the 987 on strings 123, followed by the 12 13 14 buisiness,"
987 is just a G chord and 12 13 14 is just a C chord, and Gs and Cs are related (I, IV in G). They are separated by a parallel 6th measure that is identical to measure 6, and measure 7 is identical to measure 5, both thus linking the parts you hear as “sections”.
Measure 10, again has a G parallel 3rd (2/3s of G chord) followed, again, by a C chord. Very similar to the preceding. Yet again, Gabby puts in a part of a G chord followed by part of a C chord (which also happens to be a parallel 6th).
"roughly followed by the "walking down through open and closed positions (is there a term for that?)."
Yes, that is still another parallel 6th run, ending at G in measure 14. Then there are 2 sets of D7-G vamps (each a variation) that cross measure boundaries. Slack Key pieces “traditionally” end with D7-G vamps (in Taro Patch).
Others can probably do better than I explaining, and I might have missed a few things, but I hope this helps.
Oh yeah, do a lot of listening as well as playing – buy a couple hundred CDs as we have :-). Duke has you pointed in the right direction.
...Reid
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Sellars
Aloha
Netherlands
30 Posts |
Posted - 01/19/2006 : 07:41:31 AM
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Wow, thanks Reid! That really helps a lot. I am definately still unfamilliar with the vast majority of slack key conventions. I'm looking forward to building a bodily collection of CDs to get my education and inspiration from!
Again, thanks for your advice! |
I've always been crazy but that's kept me from going insane (W.J.)
Playing: Ukulele, Slack key guitar, Mandolin |
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Karl Monetti
`Olu`olu
USA
756 Posts |
Posted - 01/25/2006 : 4:15:39 PM
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| While listening to music today i came across the Awiwi lick in a piece by Paul Tagioka. If you don't already have it, get his CD KiHoalu Inn. The tune is Ku'uipo Onaona and the lick is right in the middle. He does not use the whole of the exercise in the book, but what he does use fits very nicely. |
Karl
Frozen North |
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