| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
oaklandslacker
Aloha
China
47 Posts |
 Posted - 04/19/2003 : 03:32:29 AM
|
Hello all. I have a question that has to do with slack key, playing with another uke player. I've started doing that recently and mostly it's fun times. It also gets me thinking about guitar issues I hadn't considered before...not always with much success.
Anyway, playing slack-key, I've got a (small) repertoire of vamps that I've built up, I don't often think about their key, just how they progress me to the next part (I guess they'd mostly be D7-G, which'd be, errr, IV7-I. When you play uke though, they always have that G7-C7-F-C7 (V7-I7-IV-I7) vamp . Playing guitar alongside that, I can strum or arpeggio these chords, but it sounds a little silly and uke like.
How should I handle this? Do I learn more interesting ways to get through the chord progression? Do I just not play while the uke does its thing? Does the uke cut it out?
To give a specific example, the beginning of Hilo Kanahaki in uke sheet music goes:
(F)Hilo (Bb)hanaka(f)hi, i ka ua (G7)kanile(C7)hua(F)
Followed by the vamp of G7-C7-F-C7.
As a slacker, what should I be doing?
I'm new to this, so any help would be much appreciated!
|
|
|
Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 04:38:30 AM
|
Well, this may or may not apply, but I've been starting to work on "Slack Key Ukulele" by Heeday Kimura for a low-G uke with the first string slacked from A to G, same intervals as Taro Patch, but open C, not open G. He starts off with some picked vamps and bass runs in place of strums. So far, the bass runs don't go from one chord to another, they stay where they are.
For instance, a C bass run is C on the 1st string, then B A G on the 4th, each a qtr note. A G7 going home to C vamp is on the 1st & 2nd strings, eighth notes, F F A G F G B#(qtr) C(qtr note) C(chord) 3strums or, better, the bass run instead of the 3 strums. So at the end of a line, the uke could be playing a chord changing vamp followed by a going nowhere bass-run, no strums involved. That could sound a lot more interesting than the standard vamps.
I wish the examples applied to the chords you need to work with. I just got all excited when I saw you use 'ukulele' and 'slack key' together in the same title. |
Pauline |
 |
|
|
aplenty
Akahai
62 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 04:39:31 AM
|
Very interesting question... my thoughts...
Depends on who is 'leading'. I play both slack key guitar and ukulele. When I play ukulele with Doug or other slack key guitar players, they are leading and my uke follows the guitar... no matter where they are going. And if I were to accompany an ukulele player with guitar, I would be following their lead. When in an accompanying role, I feel my 'job' is to create a nice foundation that blends in for the lead player to work off of... when I 'lead', I wish for the accompanying instrument to do the same for me.
For our duets, it's interesting because Doug does this thing where he both plays a nice accompanying part and then also adds ornamentation... so I guess in a way we're trading parts on/off throughout the song. It feels really cool.
E Ola Mau Ki Ho'alu
Sandy |
|
|
|
aplenty
Akahai
62 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 04:44:07 AM
|
Forgot to say...
When I'm accompanying on the ukulele, I use a slack uke tuning (taro patch... GBDB)... and I've found that I keep it fairly simple... I don't try to play exactly all the chords that the lead plays. I find the chord or inversion that sounds and feels right. It's a trial and error thing.
For lead slack key ukulele, we use GCEG.
A hui hou,
Sandy |
|
|
|
ohanabrown
Lokahi
281 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 3:43:27 PM
|
Aloha! Gang
Anyone every tried playing slack key along with a Mandolin player? Especially on the pa'ani's?
IT'S THE BOMB!
Hui Hou
Kevin |
Kevin K. Brown |
|
|
|
Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 4:53:18 PM
|
Sandy,
So to accompany, you tune down the middle strings and tune up the 1st string.
For lead, you use the same tuning that's in the book I'm studying, open C. How is the guitar tuned?
Kevin,
It sounds like it must be fun, but, darn, what you said just went zingggg, way over my head!
Aloha, |
Pauline |
|
|
|
aplenty
Akahai
62 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 6:10:36 PM
|
For rhythm/accompaniment...
where standard is GCEA... slack all but the G string down... resulting in GBDG...
For the guitarist accompanying the lead slack key tuning GCEG... several options...
1) use the appropriate chords played in taropatch tuning
2) capo at the fifth fret... then can use usual fingerings of taropatch
3) tune to a C tuning... like a C wahine... CGDGBE
What's really fun with a lead slack key ukulele... is to play rhythm uke in that same tuning on a 6 or 8 string tenor with that fuller/bass sound... lays a nice foundation.
Enjoy!
Sandy |
|
|
|
Mainkaukau
Lokahi
USA
245 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 7:33:26 PM
|
| Ahhhh, god bless the good rhythm player. I believe that by learning the Hawaiian music rhythm chords and vamps in every key and in every octave in every key will enhance your Slack-Key sound. The lead solos are usually found in the rhythm chords at every octave. Uhhh, I forgot what the question was. Happy Easter everyone! |
|
|
|
marzullo
`Olu`olu
USA
923 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 7:39:04 PM
|
pauline,
a "pa'ani" is a solo break. i bet a mandolin sounds good there!
hey kevin, i missed you my last trip to maui - how did it go on molokai?
|
Keith |
|
|
|
Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 04/19/2003 : 8:03:28 PM
|
Sandy & Keith, Thanks!
Mainkaukau, Groan... and thanks!
And yes, for those who celebrate, a happy Easter! |
Pauline |
|
|
|
ohanabrown
Lokahi
281 Posts |
Posted - 04/20/2003 : 05:14:36 AM
|
Aloha Keith
Yes! I missed the cookies, Bill said he took it home. Sorry i missed you folks.
I just got back from Molokai, and Bill said you were here. When are you coming back?
Molokai will always be Molokai. They don't like big changes, And i don't blame them. The island to me, is still "Pure!"
And talk about old style slack key? I went to visit my daughter, and ended up finding all these old time slack key players.
Led and George will be on Molokai on the 21 of May, If they ever have a chance to see these slackers, they will be amazed.
Hope we can hook up again Keith. Please give my aloha to Susan. Sorry i did'nt get to taste her famous cookies.
Aloha, a hui hou!
Kevin
|
Kevin K. Brown |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Topic Locked
