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Wingnut
Aloha
2 Posts |
 Posted - 11/01/2014 : 08:55:14 AM
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Aloha!
I'm a relative beginner to slack key guitar, but a long-time fan of the late Dennis Kamakahi, and I'm wondering if anyone here on the Taro Patch can be of help to me with one of his finest songs.
I have an unidentified recording of Dennis playing 'Live' at one of the outer-island Slack Key Festivals some years ago (not sure of the album title, date or its actual location), and the song is entitled "Ka Loke O Maui".
Does anyone here happen to know with certainty what specific tuning Dennis might have used on this song? I know that Gabby and several other artists also played and recorded this great song, but I would be most grateful for any tips or pointers on how to begin learning it.
Mahalos!
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Edited by - Wingnut on 11/01/2014 10:36:50 AM |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 11/01/2014 : 2:36:37 PM
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Aloha Wingnut
Cool username. I'm guessing it's from that classic surf movie "Endless Summer"
I most often hear Dennis Kamakahi playing in 2 slack key tunings. One is taropatch of course, which is the most common tuning. Then the other is C6th Maunaloa ( C-G-E-G-A-E from thickest to thinnest strings)Gabby played this tuning a lot. Ozzie Kotani, George Kuo & Martin Pahinui use it often too. It's also my favorite tuning.
Your D string will need to be tightened 1 full step (Equivalent of 2 frets) So you might snap that string every now & then. In taro patch we have the "Parallel 6ths" otherwise known as the "Open & Closed Positions" These are on the 1st & 3rd strings (Home) 4/5--5/7--7/9--9/10--11/12--12/14 & also 2/4. In C6th Maunaloa these are on the 1st & 2nd strings as follows: (Home) 7/8--8/10--10/12--12/13--14/15 &15/17. There are also more positions towards the headstock as follows: 5/7--3/5--2/3 & 0/1.
The I-IV-V (C--F--G7)are fretted as follows
Cmaj= Fret only the 2nd string at the 3rd fret
Fmaj= Barre 5th fret...There's also a 1st position F but it's a difficult grab not worth the effort 
G7= 4th string 1st fret & 2nd string, 3rd fret. Don't use 6th string unless you fret it at the 2nd fret.
Your alternating bass while in the Cmaj & Fmaj chords & parallels is the 6th & 3rd strings. It's 5-3 when your in the G7 chord & accompanying parallels.
This should be enough to get you started in this tuning. Should be easy to pick up what Dennis is playing on "Ka Loke" by ear.
Good luck & have fun 
 Duke |
Hoof Hearted?...Was it you Stu Pedaso? |
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Wingnut
Aloha
2 Posts |
Posted - 11/02/2014 : 12:20:50 PM
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Greetings SirDuke,
Muchas mahalos for your response and for taking the time to respond in such useful detail. This is an incredibly helpful posting and it has provided me with a wealth of information to get started. I believe I can follow most of what you've said here, and it'll certainly take me a while to absorb and try to apply it all, no doubt, but I can't thank you enough for sharing it. I can hardly wait to get started!
Truth is, before writing my initial post, I was somewhat aware of the various tunings typically used by Dennis, both from Taro Patch and from records available on the Dancing Cat Records website. In fact, the latter source provides some very specific guidance on his tunings for various songs on his albums or CDs, but unfortunately, Ka Loke O Maui was not one of them. So this is great!
Anyway, thanks again for your response, and yes, the name "Wingnut" (from Endless Summer, as you've noted), just sorta came to me when I was registering here on Taro Patch. I was actually surprised it wasn't already taken - most everything I ever try always seems to be!  |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2014 : 08:47:19 AM
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| Eh, Duke! Da first time I met Led, he was playing in C Mauna Loa. |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 11/04/2014 : 2:22:45 PM
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| Wow Kory that must have been special. I can just imagine how awesome Led sounded in that tuning. |
Hoof Hearted?...Was it you Stu Pedaso? |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2168 Posts |
Posted - 11/05/2014 : 04:34:27 AM
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| It was cool. He was standing in a hallway waiting to do a slack key workshop at the NWFolklife Festival. I had a chance to talk story. I also met Uncle Ray Kane that day. |
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Topic |
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DENNIS KAMAKAHI'S TUNING FOR 'KA LOKE O MAUI'
