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markwitz
`Olu`olu
USA
841 Posts |
 Posted - 10/29/2011 : 06:59:24 AM
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I was watching some video of Led and his sister Rhoda, and I got to wondering, "Good Lord, How many songs can these people remember? How is it possible to just be able to play so many different songs?"
I wonder who can remember the most. Led? Dennis Kamakahi? Or was it maybe Gabby or Sonny?
Just food for thought.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwNhueO5CJs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueB6ZrQxgY4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
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"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and
haunts me sleeping and waking."
Mark Twain |
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Auntie Maria
Ha`aha`a
USA
1918 Posts |
Posted - 10/29/2011 : 07:57:15 AM
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From my vantage point here on Kaua`i -- being blessed with invites to many backyard gatherings -- Hawaiians who grew up in musical families in the islands, can play for HOURS without missing lyrics or repeating a mele.
And on the rare occasion when someone flubs lyrics, it just triggers gales of laughter (and ribbing about "no more beer for you!").  |
Auntie Maria
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2011 : 01:28:32 AM
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| I think maybe Kindy Sproat. He was a "song collector" in his own words. |
Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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Fran Guidry
Ha`aha`a
USA
1579 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2011 : 07:03:40 AM
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Uncle Dennis is using a book on stage these days, something I've yet to see Ledward do.
Of course, the rage these days is a teleprompter disguised to look like a stage monitor. Apparently they're common on the "classic rock" circuit.
Fran |
E ho`okani pila kakou ma Kaleponi
Slack Key Guitar in California - www.kaleponi.com
Slack Key on YouTube
Homebrewed Music Blog |
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markwitz
`Olu`olu
USA
841 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2011 : 08:25:48 AM
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Fran, I've also seen iPhones being used to provide song lyrics when requests were made to play a song that the artists (to remain nameless) were not sure of.
The image of Led Kaapana consulting a songbook on stage just cannot be formulated in my mind.
Having said that, I have also seen Dennis Kamakahi off in a corner by himself, during the half hour or so, just before he was going to give a workshop on songwriting. He was going through page after page after page of a huge song book practicing bits and pieces of song after song after song. Sometimes pausing to make a notation in the song book on how he wanted to play a certain note, I was guessing. I took it as the activity of a consummate and meticulous professional leaving nothing to chance in the way he wanted to present his music. |
"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and
haunts me sleeping and waking."
Mark Twain |
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Larry Goldstein
Lokahi
267 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2011 : 08:50:12 AM
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Mahalo Norman for the link.
No lyrics, but there's a gem posted in this series showcasing Led's virtuosity and having fun with 12th Street Rag.
Larry |
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Retro
Ahonui
USA
2368 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2011 : 08:52:34 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Fran Guidry
Uncle Dennis is using a book on stage these days...
He's been doing so for many years. He doesn't always "use" it, though - he just has it there in case of an occasional brain-fut.
When you're as prolifically brilliant as a songwriter as he is, I wouldn't begrudge him a book.
When I am playing uke, I often have a book for the occasional need to recall a chord or lyric. Playing bass these days, I rarely have songsheets or a book - only if I'm learning a new song (no`eau brings new ones for me to learn alla time). |
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markwitz
`Olu`olu
USA
841 Posts |
Posted - 10/30/2011 : 10:59:07 AM
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Larry, talking about Led's virtuosity and having fun and talking about his vast repertoire of songs, how about him knowing how to play "Everybody's Somebody's Fool" on the autoharp no less. Last song of a two song set from the following video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUA8tNzJ6Y0 |
"The music of the Hawaiians, the most fascinating in the world, is still in my ears and
haunts me sleeping and waking."
Mark Twain |
Edited by - markwitz on 10/30/2011 11:01:15 AM |
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wcerto
Ahonui
USA
5052 Posts |
Posted - 10/31/2011 : 07:50:44 AM
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Aaron Mahi, George Kuo & Martin Pahinui each have a copy of He Mele Aloha on a music stand in front of them when they play. Aaron Mahi is a great person to wala`au -- he knows so much history of the mele and the stories behind the mele. And he has most of the lyrics in his head, but I have seen him refer to the "book" more than a few times. I think when you get our age, a book is a good thing to have becayse we just might have so much info in our heads and the RAM is not so quick as it used to be. I admire someone like Led so much for being able to just start playing anything you ask him.
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Me ke aloha
Malama pono,
Wanda |
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slipry1
Ha`aha`a
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - 10/31/2011 : 08:00:12 AM
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| When I get the time, I get busy downloading my fake books onto my iPad, to be used on piano gigs. Much safer than hauling umpteen fake books to a gig. Especially when someone opens one of them, says "This is my favorite song!" and I don't play it. I always bring my Cookie Bookie with me to Hawaiian gigs and kanekapilas. I scan a tune quickly to get the chords, but, since I have to look at the steel while I'm playing. |
keaka |
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Iakonu
Akahai
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2011 : 10:23:48 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Fran Guidry
Uncle Dennis is using a book on stage these days . . .
Fran
Dennis has authored over 500 songs in his lifetime - that would be an incredible amount of knowledge to carry around on a day-to-day basis on top of all the other meles he knows. Jerry Garcia knew over 400 songs and probably could have used some assistance at times. Whatever it takes to nail the melody and lyrics seems fair, especially for us young grasshoppers. |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2011 : 11:07:10 PM
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| I always use a songbook onstage during performances. I've taken a lot of ribbing because of it. "You should memorize the lyrics to your songs, it doesn't look professional blah blah blah......." I can remember lyrics to 40 year old English language songs no problem. But because I don't know olelo the Hawaiian lyrics are just meaningless syllables I can't remember. My argument for not memorizing the lyrics is that the time & energy could be better spent on finding cool ki ho'alu stuff on the guitar instead. Don't know the words? Crack open that book |
Hoof Hearted?...Was it you Stu Pedaso? |
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Trev
Lokahi
United Kingdom
265 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2011 : 11:54:12 PM
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It’s not difficult to learn lots of songs, it just takes a long time. You find a song you like, learn it, and when you can play it, you learn another one. If you learn one a week, then you’ll know a couple of hundred in a couple of years.
For someone who starts playing young, they’ve got a lifetime to accumulate songs. And the stuff you learn when you’re young, you learn quickly and don’t forget. I was a kid in the 70s and 80s, and can remember all the words of all the (usually terrible) pop songs, and I’ll have only heard them on the radio once or twice. But can I remember all the words to a really good song that someone sang last night? No. I can’t even remember what I’ve done with my keys half the time.
So from the perspective of now, if someone said to me “You’ve got to memorise 400 songs” I’d say “well, you’ve got no chance there, you might as well forget it”. But if someone were to say “How many songs and or/tunes do you know”, and I started to count up, then I bet it’s well over 400. I’ve been playing for over 25 years, with various different types of bands, and socially and it all mounts up.
So yeah, all it takes is a lifetime!
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Memorized song lists
