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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
 Posted - 03/04/2003 : 11:33:25 AM
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This topic is moved from the "listen online" thread, where you can read its beginnings. Here is the last post from that thread on the topic, written by Bill Campbell:
Aloha again, taropatch.net friends. I'm back home 'from the wars' now. As I started telling you last night, I have spent lots of time listening to and playing along with the CDs of slack key artists who have been able to publish their music. And, as I have already said, it was a great source of frustration to find that I couldn't play along with many of them when I tried to play in the keys and tunings that the liner notes stated. But, after much exasperation, I began to realize that many of the liner notes were not all that accurate, so I began to write the actual key, and tuning where possible, alongside my liner notes.
I have discussed this with many artists, and there are many schools of thought on it. Russell touched on the fact that, years ago, the tunings were considered 'family treasures' and they weren't readily shared. That is the same as it is in other genres of music, though. There are jazz players who play with a handkerchief over their hand so that their licks can't easily be copied. There is nothing at all wrong with that. However, if I tell you that I am playing in Taro Patch tuning, you would assume, and quite correctly, that my guitar was tuned to D-G-D-G-B-D. But, you wouldn't be able to play along with me if, in addition, I had detuned all 6 strings, either up (with a capo) or down (by further slackening). So, when you find out that I am playing in a different key, especially if you are not a trained musician, you would be thrown for a loop and left to wonder 'what you were doing wrong'. RJS comments that G.K., Jr. says that we should call the variants F Taro Patch, Ab Taro Patch, etc. This would go a long way towards helping the slack key student (we are ALL students as long as we stay at it) tremendously.
Now, since the artist himself very seldom, if ever, has much to do with the notes on the CD liner, we certainly can't accuse him/her of deception. So, to be fair, we should call these differences between what the liner notes say and what the artist is actually doing 'typos', 'mistakes', or whatever, in order to give the artist the benefit of the doubt. But, the result is still the same for the beginner or novice, who finds that what he is doing isn't much like what he is hearing.
So, as we are exchanging thoughts on our slack key tastes, and actually exchanging clips of our playing, it would seem that it would follow that a sharing of our findings of occurrences where liner notes differ with what the artist is doing would also be in order. It is in this vein that I am sharing these instances that I have found with you.
Now, I will tell you about Sonny's 'Sonny Solo', if you wish. In addition to 'Moe 'Uhane' where the CD liner notes say that he is playing in this tuning, D-G-D-G-B-D, he is actually playing in this tuning, Eb-Ab-Eb- Ab-C-Eb, which is obtained by placing a capo on the 1st fret of your guitar. They failed to mention that, although in other cuts on the same CD, they did mention that he 'tuned up' on some of the other cuts. Just forgot to mention it on this one. Also, you won't be able to play 'Pua Tuberose' unless you do the same thing. He also plays that one in Ab. He plays 'Charmanita/Malasadas' in the key of F. The liner notes say that it is G Wahine. What they failed to mention was that you also have to drop all 6 strings another 2 frets in order to get F Wahine. Then you can play with him. There are a few other similar instances on the CD. I am sure that you will find them now. One of them is 'Kukuna O Ka La', played in A, but listed in G.
Well, there are many, many more instances of slack key recordings where you can't follow the piece by tuning your guitar to the liner note tunings, and that doesn't make the artist a bad guy, doesn't mean they don't want you to be able to emulate them, just means that you have to try to figure it out for yourself or have someone else who has had the same experience tell you what you have to do. Writing back to the publisher won't help you or them. They can't change the liner notes once the CD has been released.
Aloha, Bill
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Edited by - cpatch on 03/04/2003 5:27:36 PM |
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marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2003 : 1:34:32 PM
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i first noticed that tunings weren't always in the same key when i was working out wahine 'ilikea last year. i had asked about the liner notes on dennis kamakahi's album on the newsgroup soc.music.hawaiian, and dennis answered (!!)quote:
Aloha Everyone,
Yes, I tuned the guitar down one step on that recording using the Taro Patch tuning (CFCFAC). During my days with the Sons of Hawaii, we tuned down a whole step to prevent Eddie Kamae's ukulele strings from breaking. He used lute strings on his 5 string ukulele plus the vocal range is not too extreme and very comfortable.
Aloha,
Dennis Kamakahi
since then, i've noticed that a lot of hawaiian players i've met tune down to F (or Bb instead of C). it certainly is more comfortable for me to sing in these keys...
aloha,
keith
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Keith |
Edited by - marzullo on 03/04/2003 1:35:18 PM |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2003 : 2:21:30 PM
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I have no problem with threads going off from the original topic. No problem continuing over here though.
Unfortunately, I am unable to move posts within a particular thread so I won't be moving any of the previous posts under "Listen to fellow TaroPatch members online!". If you're so inclined, you may copy your previous posts over here and I can delete your old one. Otherwise, we'll just continue on here without looking back (probably easiest). |
Andy |
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duke
Lokahi
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 03/04/2003 : 2:57:09 PM
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| On the subject of tunings: At the first Aloha Music Camp, I asked George Kahumoku, Jr. for advice about accompanying other musicians who play for a hula halau. I wanted to try to play in a slack key tuning but changing from Taropatch to C or F Wahine between songs wasn't realistic. George suggested tuning to to F Taropatch and use a capo when needed to jump up to G and C. It works for me. |
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