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slackkey
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
 Posted - 10/09/2011 : 11:38:12 PM
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 Has anyone here (if not already...)ever tried playing one jamming "slack key"? If so, are there any on youtube? I sure would like to try....  
Bill
(Paia, Maui)
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 10/10/2011 : 04:30:52 AM
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Aloha no Bill,
Sarah and I just spent an entire 12 hour day at the 9th annual Harp Guitar Gathering that took place near us in Milford, CT. It was organized by Stephen Bennett who live in Milford and our friend John Thomas ( of CITES and Lacey Fame). It happens every year and ends exactly like this video every year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pawgzVGC9-4
Sarah played quite a few of them and had played John's ancient Dyer before, just fooling around - using the subbasses as a kind of standup bass line. (As if Sheldon Brown and his big bass were in the room).
We met all these people and some more that came from all over the world. To view more, on youtube and Google, search for Stephen Bennett, Andy Wahlberg for starters.
We met one guy who plays slack key on a smaller harp guitar, Pete Bradshaw, and he composed an original with Leonard's C. It isn't exactly a slack key piece as we know it (he is new to the music), but the guy is trying, and he shows how you might use the subbasses. However subbasses, can be tuned all kinds of ways, because there is no standard.
http://www.harpguitars.net/players/after6_vol8n1.htm
You can also have supertrebles and play them, too, fretted or unfretted (with harp levers that change the key with a flip).
Note that Greg Miner is playing a Harp Ukulele ( all kinds of strange instruments exist there). Also, there are any number of fretted and unfretted strings.
The one that Stephen is playing is 102 years old and is a Dyer, made by the Larson Brothers - the Larsons built most of them in the old days (they were amazing inventors around the turn of the 19th century. This year, their grandson, Robert Hartman, with John, gave a tour of the Larson instruments.
Here is what we did:
http://www.harpguitars.net/hgg/hgg9/hgg9.htm
For classical lovers, James Kline, from the Canary Islands (and Brittany, France) is outasight super.
http://www.elevenstrings.com/
Utterly fantastic talent there.
Watch and have fun. BTW, the big ones are kinda hard to hold because unbalanced and heavy and they slide around, but there are smaller designs, too. On Kline's first web page, you can see a small 11 string, to which he later added a removable "caboose" with supertrebles.
...Reid
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slackkey
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2011 : 12:52:26 AM
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"Sweeeet!...Reid much mahalo for all of those websites. The gathering was very awe-inspiring. Gave me chicken-skin watching and listening to everyone with "Harp-Guitars". But where was Sarah? lol I was trying to look for her! Wow.....I can imagine how it was like to be there at that live gathering both of you went to.
When I posted that new subject, somehow I had a feeling that both of you have actually played one (really lucky....) I have been browsing the various other youtube websites featuring Muriel Anderson's "A View From Space" as well as Andy McKee's "Into The Ocean". Both of their music struck my emotional-chord...Just to be able to own-one let alone buy one....
You know Reid...I really miss all of our gatherings...open-mic nights...Slack Key circles with Kevin, Uncle Sol...with Pekelo and everyone else. Every chance I have to play my guitars I do....Those were some really great times with all of us together. So how often does Sarah get to play some "Hawaiian-Style Slack key" on a "Harp-Guitar". My dream is to one day own one...About the size of a "Baby-Taylor" (for starters).
Much mahalo again Reid for your response and all those other websites I didn't get to check-out. "A View From Space"...."Into The Ocean"...I hold close to my hearts desire to one day experience an opportunity to also play something as sweet as "Hawaiian Slack Key" on a "Harp-Guitar"...Take care Reid...Please tell Sarah I said Hello, and some day I would like to see her performance playing "Hawaiian Slack Key" on a "Harp-Guitar" as well! Love You Guys!
Bill |
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Reid
Ha`aha`a
Andorra
1526 Posts |
Posted - 10/11/2011 : 02:19:56 AM
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Bill,, we miss those kanikapila too. There will never be anything like them in our lives again. We think of them always, and you and all the Maui gang, even though some of them are no longer with us.
You picked some great artists and songs to listen to Bill. Muriel is maybe one of the top 10 guitarists in the nation, and she plays and records worldwide. She learned under Christopher Parkening ( for classical), Chet Atkinson was her long time mentor, and lots of others. She can fingerpick, flatpick, play every style of music from Blues to Bach. Also, she is barely 5 feet tall with the tiniest hands you ever saw - yet she can do stretches you wouldn't believe.
Also, don't count Stephen Bennett out. He is the Godfather of the Harp Guitar and plays the "normal" 6 string gorgeously. He is very musical and lyrical. Andy was with Sarah and me at Conn. College in New London when we first saw him touring with Tommy Emmanuel, the wild man guitar entertainer (what he calls himself) and Stephen played the beautiful stuff, letting Tommy go crazy. We are fortunate to have Stephen live so close by now, since he moved from VA a couple of years ago.
You take care of yourself Bill and keep on playing and remembering those days and nights.
Aloha, my friend,
...Reid |
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slackkey
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 10/12/2011 : 01:00:31 AM
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Me count Stephen Bennet out! Never....His style is as soothing (nahenahe) as Kihoalu guitar-stylings. That tune they all performed together...as sweet as "slack key". He also reminds me of Steven (Stephen?)Stills lol. Muriel Anderson at barely 5 feet! She plays that Harp-Guitar as tho she's taller! Her style..totally finger-picking good! Yes Reid our gatherings I truly miss alot. BTW! Did you and Sarah make it to the last "Slack Key Festival" at the M.A.C.C. I've missed all of them but at least got to see it on the internet. One performance I'll not soon forget, is when Sarah was on stage with "Waiehu Sons". Miss you guys my Braddah....Hope to one day make it to where you're at in CT (CT?) Love You Guys! Take care!
Bill |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2011 : 05:12:41 AM
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| Fl!p Breskin has an old guitar made at the turn of the 20th century in Seattle. It has an oversized upper bout that curves all the way to the headstock. She calls it "The Twangolium". It turns out that there were a few luthiers in the Puget Sound area back then that were building harp guitars and experimenting with new designs. |
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slackkey
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2011 : 11:33:53 PM
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| Aloha thumbstruck! Does Flip Breskin have a video playing the "The Twangolium"? |
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slackkey
Lokahi
USA
280 Posts |
Posted - 12/03/2011 : 11:48:58 PM
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Wassup Reid and Sarah! How's the slack key sessions up there going? "Sarah have you played a "Harp-Guitar" lately?" BTW! When Andy McKee plays "Into The Ocean", is he using a particular tuning or just regular tuning? To this day I'm still trying to figure-out how he does it. Then again, no doubt it's all progression...To be able to own a "Harp-Guitar" like the one Muriel Anderson has playing "Velzoe's Garden". Her single cut-away with those highs is sweeet! Hope you're all doing fine and staying warm! Mornings here are a nice cool 66 degrees in the morning (niiiice!) Take care!
Bill |
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"Harp-Guitar"
