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benjo
Aloha
USA
5 Posts |
 Posted - 07/19/2007 : 09:27:36 AM
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I just want to say, "Hi," and get my bearings around here. This site is a great resource and kudos to whomever is behind it!
The quick and dirty: Beginner at slack key, returning to guitar playing after an 8(!) year hiatus.
I have plenty of questions! The foremost being: are there any slack key players in the Virginia / DC area that actively take students? I am working with the Beamer and Kotani intro books, but completely understand the benefit of live lessons. Is it advisable to lay the workbooks aside for the time being so as not to pick up any bad habits, in case I do eventually find an instructor? (This may be a silly question, but I've spent the last several years being instructed in a very tight & regimented musical style.)
So why slack key and why am I getting back into guitar? I'm Oahu born and raised and came here as a teenager. I liked Hawaiian guitarists growing up, but always found them sort of intimidating. I dunno if this makes any sense, but they seemed to be in another world to me. I studied Spanish / classical guitar in high school and then, power chord crunching in college. Dropped D was the only alternate tuning I knew of!
Anyways, I spent the last 8 years focusing on an entirely different musical idiom, but the instrument (the "'upoho"  )upsets my children and I can't practice the full set at night, lest I wake them and violate local noise ordnances. I really missed playing music so I picked up my lonely guitar. He seemed happy to see action again and I was happy to make music.
As a parent, my thoughts often drift to my own childhood. While I can't introduce my kids to many of the simply pleasures I enjoyed with my parents, I can certainly share some of the music of my childhood with them. So it hit me: why not finally try to figure out slack key? Music I love to listen to, my kids seem to enjoy, and that would feel great to play... so I Googled around and was absolutely amazed by the resources available. When I saw that Keola Beamer even had online lessons, it was settled: slack key no longer seemed mysterious and closed. And thus, here I am.
I have more questions which I will post in coming days / weeks, after I thoroughly scour the archives.
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2007 : 09:58:51 AM
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Aloha e Benjo -- welcome to Taro Patch. There are plenty smart folks on here (not me). And plenty friendly folks (that's me).
Makaha Sons & Keoki Kahumoku coming to College Park, MD on September 29 (Hooray - we got 5th row seats). We are coming and will spend the week prior on vacation in DC so my darling hubby can see the Viet Nam wall. This same darling hubby (on here he is rendesvous1840) plays mountain dulcimer on two dulcimers which he built himself -- one is regular size and one is a jumbo mammer jammer which has a very deep, resonant sound. He has found that songs which sound good on `ukulele also sound good on the dulcimer. Go try `Ulili E -- goes very nice. We live Cleveland, OH and tis the rare occasion when we get anything to do with Hawaiian culture here. I am one hillbilly girl from W. Va. and Paul is one Italian fella from Cleveland. I work for DoD and have been to Alexandria several times -- our agency HQ is there.
E komo mai. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
Edited by - wcerto on 07/19/2007 10:00:01 AM |
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hapakid
Luna Ho`omalu
USA
1533 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2007 : 10:29:51 AM
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E komo mai, Benjo!
There are lots of friendly people here to help with playing. If you can't find a live teacher, try some of the beginner DVDs on the market. They will help you get started with the basics. Good luck.
You can use the search feature in the members section to search for other players nearby.
Jesse Tinsley |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2007 : 4:44:43 PM
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| Aloha! Good you came here! Use the books, learn the tab arrangements but don't become shackled to them. Listen to as many artists you can. Everyone plays a little differently, find your own voice. Check your area for halau. See if there are musicians to jam with. Ki hi'alu is best shared. |
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noeau
Ha`aha`a
USA
1105 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2007 : 5:04:04 PM
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| Fasten your seatbelt you are in for the ride of your life. You will find what you need when you need it. Just remain open and the universe will provide. E komo mai iloko o ka lo'i. |
No'eau, eia au he mea pa'ani wale nō. |
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hawaiianmusiclover06
`Olu`olu
USA
562 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2007 : 5:57:51 PM
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Aloha and e komo mai to the patch Benjo. There are lots of friendly people in here that can help whatever you need. I am friendly too. Take care and I hope to see you posting more.
Alana :) |
Aloha Kakou, maluhia a me aloha mau loa (Hello everyone, peace and love forever) |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2007 : 6:35:16 PM
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| Look around, and I hope you can find your own local versions of hapakids, thumbstrucks, and noeaus - playing with others has done more for my skills and my soul than anything else I've ever done with music. |
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benjo
Aloha
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2007 : 02:09:29 AM
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Mahalos for the nice welcomes and advice. I really appreciate it. I'm kicking myself because two years ago, I was hanging out at the Honolulu (a now-demolished local bar. Like a homegrown version of La Mariana) and an older couple noticed the (Hawaiian school) t-shirt I was wearing and we started talking. Turned out they lived in HI for many years- the wife used to teach hula and the husband had played guitar in a few HI bands. Nice couple and he gave me his card, but I filed it away somewhere and have no clue where it is.
A couple specific replies:
Wcerto: Thanks for letting me know about the Makaha Sons. I'm a big fan and have nearly worn out the grooves on their Keala record, one of the records that kept Hawaiian music in my life for the past couple decades. I wish they'd reissue it on CD!
Thumbstruck: good suggestion. We actually have I think 2 halau in the area. At least 1 that I know is active. I didn't even think to call them for a lead. I was going to talk with the Aloha Boys when they do a concert in a few weeks, but I'm going to be out of town. They're VA-based and really good, but it seems that whenever they have a public performance I'm out of town.
Again thanks for the advice, everybody. |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 07/20/2007 : 07:43:32 AM
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| Welcome to taropatch. Looking at the member list, and sorting it by state, yeilds 20 taropatch members in VA including yourself. I don't know how far you are from Williamsburg but Bill Campbell lives there. He is a taropatch member (so you can probably contact him through the link on his profile). He is quite accomplished and has played slack key for many years. He may be able to help you. |
Dusty |
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rendesvous1840
Ha`aha`a
USA
1055 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2007 : 11:48:23 AM
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Aloha, benjo. Welcome to the 'patch. If you're interested, TP member Mark Nelson has written an excellent book on Polynesian music for Mt Dulcimer. I'm working on it now, among other things.You can find him through the member list, if you're interested. As for lessons versus books, I found Ozzie's more user friendly to me Than Keola Beamer's. But in between I attended a week long workshop with Patrick Landeza, and face to face learning is far superior for my needs. If you can combine the 2 methods, that's better yet. If you can't find a local teacher, there's plenty of willing helpfull folks right here.
Paul |
"A master banjo player isn't the person who can pick the most notes.It's the person who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello |
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benjo
Aloha
USA
5 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 02:13:45 AM
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wdf: Thanks - Williambsurg, eh? Lived there during college, but it's really far from me now.
rendesvous: Thanks for that recommendation. I have one of his tapes from way back when I first discovered the dulcimer. When I got the Beamer/Nelson book, I said, "That can't be the same Mark Nelson..." I was wrong. |
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Pua Kai
Ha`aha`a
USA
1007 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2007 : 04:37:43 AM
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Aloha -
Keoki Kahumoku's DVD is excellent for beginning slack key. Also, Ozzie has a brand new DVD out that is equally as wonderful. I hope you get to College Park in Sept to catch the show - try to talk to Keoki. He's very smart, full of "aloha", and he has lots of good stories. Maybe he will have a workshop, or contact him ahead if you can and see if you can get a private lesson. It would really be worth it. You'll love the whole show.
aloha,
nancy |
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