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Cyberglen
Aloha
USA
31 Posts |
 Posted - 12/28/2012 : 09:49:38 AM
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I am forever a novice to slack key, but ever hopeful. Have a simple question and probably silly question. Have tasked myself with learning a song in G (a group of guys is singing it in that key). The song then will modulate at the end to Ab.
Is it possible to modulate to Ab from G? Just barre? The song, by the way is Pua Lililehua. The sheet music is in G and it then modulates. I think I can fake it in G, but the modulation may throw me. It is at the very end and only goes for a few bars.
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Slow down! It's Molokai. |
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guitar yogi
Akahai
Kiribati
67 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2012 : 1:47:17 PM
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| My suggestion is to tune your guitar down a half step from G taro patch to F# taro patch (C#F#C#F#A#C#). Place a movable(slidable) capo at the first fret at the beginning of the song so you will be playing in the key of G. When you modulate up to Ab (G#), merely slide the capo up one fret to the second fret and continue playing the same chords. I've seen Led Kaapana slide his capo up in the middle of a song in order to modulate from one key to another, and it's really cool when he does it! Anybody out there know what kind of capo Led uses? (And is there a slidable capo for 12-string guitars??) |
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Cyberglen
Aloha
USA
31 Posts |
Posted - 12/28/2012 : 7:41:24 PM
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| Wow. That sounds pretty tricky. I might be able to pull that off, as there is sort of a breath before the modulation and there is also a piano playing to fill in. Thank you for the suggestion. I don't know about the movable capo though. Never heard of such a thing, but I will check google! |
Slow down! It's Molokai. |
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tafkam1
Lokahi
USA
320 Posts |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 12/29/2012 : 7:50:20 PM
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| Led uses a Kayser capo, a one-handed device. I still like my trusty old Shubb. Eh, Cyberglen, a note: Most Hawaiian musicians I've played with modulate in whole steps, like F to G to A, or G to A to C. Modulating half steps is more of a "Jazz" thing. For effects like that, one Uncle guy wen tell me, "Wase time da slack key tuning! Mo' bettah keep'em standard, den can use barre chords." Part of the charm and effect of open tunings, is the open strings. Just saying............. |
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guitar yogi
Akahai
Kiribati
67 Posts |
Posted - 12/31/2012 : 3:33:33 PM
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Mitch and Thumbstruck, thank you for the info on capos. I also use the Shubb capo on my 12 and 6 string guitars, it's got a nice tight grip- but it's definitely not for modulating keys in mid-song. I need to do more research on the Kayser and the Glidercapo to see if they might work on 12-strings.
By the way, when I play Pua Lililehua, I start in drop C in the key of C, then modulate to G, then back to C for the end- no capo. |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 01/01/2013 : 12:36:26 PM
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| I usually play in C in regular taropatch. I've found that when one plays with a group or a halau, there is little time to tune, so I've adapted over the years. |
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Cyberglen
Aloha
USA
31 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2013 : 12:07:57 PM
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| Mahalo, everyone. I have no choice in the key. A men's choral group is doing this in G that modulates up one-half step to Ab at the very, very end, and that is the end of that story! thumrbstruck -- you have a point. Might be better to stay in standard tuning, especially since it is the vocal that is the star of the show and the guitar is just accompaniment. It does not appear to be possible to modulate up in slack key although I haven't really tried it yet. That part of the song is very, very short and probably need not be chords. It could just be a few plucked notes. It is the very ending. |
Slow down! It's Molokai. |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 01/03/2013 : 12:10:19 PM
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| Bill Monroe used to say that the instrument follows the voice. |
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Kapila Kane
Ha`aha`a
USA
1051 Posts |
Posted - 01/15/2013 : 11:12:30 PM
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One more trick, which is like the "movable" (spring clamp) style capo.
On a teaching video by David Wilcox, he modulates up a half step in "Eye of the Hurricane", (well I'll have to review the video to be certain--and it's VHS...so takes longer to cue up and hook up that old machine!
but he showed how he used his LEFT thumb as a guide underneath, to do it mid song.
that was an open C tuning, but started capoed at 3rd fret (so Eb), and moved up to 4th fret (F).
so capo was ON at beginning, (but maybe could have capo mounted ON the NUT (capo 0!), and then try the "guided by left thumb trick...of course, it's 2 am, so not going to try now--not cool with worker bees who get up with the chickens, or before.
Hmmm, could try to play a "high voice" C tuning, capoed 7 for Key of G, --and then up to 8 for Ab.
But that's Getting into "Hotel California" High guitar capo voicing!
but tis easier to move a capo (spring clampers) that's already on!
Anyway, Since it's a short segment at end of song, guess you can take the most functional option from all patch, or yourself.
But barre chords at the low end might be a bit harder, depending on your guitar, and not sure how the move works down there.
Stronger Standard tuning players would just play it as required, but maybe a different voicing up the neck?
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Edited by - Kapila Kane on 01/15/2013 11:17:20 PM |
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In G, possible to modulate to Ab?
