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suelou
Aloha
USA
24 Posts |
 Posted - 05/08/2007 : 1:24:30 PM
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Has anyone ever tried playing slack key music on a harp? I guess it couldn't be called "slack key" since the harp has full octaves of strings. I transcribed some of my husband's guitar tabs so I could play them on the harp - thought it sounded pretty cool! Being a stringed instrument that you pluck it sounds a bit like a guitar. Guess I need a name for that particular instrument/music combo style. Will try to work on some MP3 files if anyone is interested - or is it just a dumb idea?
Susan
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2007 : 2:41:25 PM
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Hi Susan -
It's not only not a dumb idea, it is flat out beautiful! I encourage you to experiement all you can.
You might check out Phil Boulding of Magical Strings up in Seattle. He's totally into slack key on the harp, and has offered some classes and workshops in it. I've been told he's even figured out how to do "hammer-ons." http://www.magicalstrings.com/
Chris Caswell (Caswell Harps) in Sonoma County has also been know to fool around with it. Many of the techniques and rhythms are similar to South American harp styles. He performed a wonderful duet with Kevin Brown last summer at Lark Camp. http://www.northstarmusic.com/nstar/art_list.asp?id=5
Have fun!
Mark
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2007 : 6:09:35 PM
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| Somewhere in my heap of old LPs is a 60s album that includes a harpist--when I feel stronger I'll see if I can dig it out. The Waikiki club era produced all kinds of interesting combinations of traditional and mainland-popular-whatever--my favorites are the vibes and electric pianos on some of the Waikiki label productions such as "East Is West" and "In Hawai`i the Story Starts" (several tracks are preserved on the "Best of Hawaiian Slack Key with Gabby Pahinui" compilation). I suppose it's kinda tiki-music, but it still has a traditional vibe (so to speak). |
Edited by - Russell Letson on 05/08/2007 6:10:24 PM |
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Ianui
Lokahi
USA
298 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 04:04:54 AM
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Mark
Up your way there is a fellow that makes Harp Guitars. He had one with 26 strings. Have you ever head Slack Key on a Harp Guitar? |
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suelou
Aloha
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 05:18:58 AM
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Never heard of such a thing, guess it would sound kinda like in between a guitar and a harp? It would be interesting to see how it's made/strung. Do you have his name or website?
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 08:47:01 AM
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Hi -
We are talking harp here -- which I'm assuming means your basic neo-Celtic folk harp cuz that's what most people play. Usually around 26 unstopped strings, diatonic, may have sharping levers to raise the pitch of selected strings. I used to play one. Badly...
Other instruments with "harp" in the name are just that... instruments with harp in the name.
So an auto-harp is actually an automated chord-playing zither. No relation to a harp in how it's played. Led plays it, and it's wonderful. There's a guy in Hana named Bob who plays with Duke, too. He's one of the best autoharpist's I've ever heard.
A harp guitar is a guitar with extra bass strings. Related to lots of old-fashioned instruments like the arch-lute. Not a harp at all.... its a guitar. Though slack key sounds great on it. We had this discussion in spades some time back. Google "Harp Guitar" and you'll find billions of hits.
Funny no one mentioned harp, as in harmonica.
Or jew's harp (no offense taken to the faith of my fathers...) a.k.a. trompe or jaw harp. Which should be played in Hawaii, cuz it's the same principle as the ukeke.
And, to keep harping on the subject:
I'd bet there are all kinds of old Hawaiian LPs with concert harp on 'em -- it was part of the style way back when you wanted to class up a vocal. Was it Paul Whiteman's band that had two of 'em?? Doubt if they played anything like slack key tho'.
Sue - I'd suggest listening to South American or Mexican harp styles. You might find some pretty familiar sounds. Lots of clave rhythms in the bass with trills on thirds and sixths in the melodies.
Mark
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 1:45:53 PM
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Wow, one of Fred Carlson's Sympitar's! Haven't seen one in a while.
They are extremely cool -- lot's of sympathetic strings running through the body that resonate when you play. I played one many years ago -- Fred brought it to Lark. Amazing sound. They would be wonderful for slack key.
Here's a site with info and pix about harp guitars:
http://www.harpguitars.net/
And, yes, some folks have added sympathetic strings to harp guitars.
Or whatever the heck this is:
http://www.manzer.com/web/index.php?thisid=158
Inspired playing by Pat Methany on the video, too. Check it out.
Mark |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 05/09/2007 : 2:15:39 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mark
Or whatever the heck this is:
http://www.manzer.com/web/index.php?thisid=158
Inspired playing by Pat Methany on the video, too. Check it out.
I've seen Metheny play the Pikasso in concert several times, most recently with Brad Mehldau's trio - indescribable.
A friend of mine has one of Linda Manzer's "Cowpoke" models, and got to spend some time with her when she was building the Pikasso II for collector Scott Chinery. She said these instruments were pure hell to make, mostly due to the uniques stresses of 42 strings - there were a lot of splintered experiments in its wake. |
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sandman
Lokahi
USA
181 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2007 : 05:19:22 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Mark
Hi -
Funny no one mentioned harp, as in harmonica.
That was my first thought when I saw the topic. WOW. Finally a use for all of those diatonics and the nifty chro that I have. Well, back to suckin' thr blues. 
Sandy |
Leap into the boundless and make it your home.
Zhuang-zi |
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suelou
Aloha
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2007 : 08:10:16 AM
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Mark, didn't know you played the harp! Yes, I have a 31 string folk harp with levers. May have to sit down and talk with you at next February's camp. I got it recently and already bored with the "classical" type music they expect you to play. Looking for more of a challenge/fun thing to play. I may look for a decent lap harp ("travel" size) and bring it to camp with me! Better work on those slack key pieces!
Susan |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2007 : 10:26:35 AM
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Mark, didn't know you played the harp!
That's played as in very much past tense. It's actually kinda related to slack key:
Many years ago I took up the button box to play French tunes. But it didn't take.
So I traded the accordion for a harp. Which went a long way towards keeping my marriage together. I loved the harp because it had the bass I'd been missing from dulcimer. Only, about that same time I started figuring out slack key guitar ... which has bass & melody.
Which made me want a bigger guitar with more bass response...
A friend wanted the harp, so's she got it now.
I did record with the harp on two CDs in the mid-90s-- The Faery Hills and the one for an out of print book on Scottish music. About a month ago a producer asked me to play something on a track (he had a wire stung harp in the studio), but I couldn't pull it off.
So, it is safe to say I do not play the harp any longer. Or the accordion. Twixt heaven & hell, that's me....
But we can certainly talk all you want next February. On-line registration should start by the time I get back from Moloka`i next week.
cheers,
Mark
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bluzdulcimer
Aloha
USA
11 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2007 : 10:54:05 AM
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Mark, read your post about switching from accordion to harp and
had to laugh. I switched from accordion to harp for exactly the
same reason, to keep my marriage. Maybe it's a celtic thing :).
I'm still playing the harp, but didn't start really concentrating
on it until a couple years ago. Somehow, I'm going to have to
combine all the instruments I love on a cd (ukulele, harp, dulcimer,
shakuhachi, guitar, and bass). My nephew describes my house as
Asian-avian--a combination of Asian and Scandanavian. I guess
that applies to my music as well.
Hollis |
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