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THE ARCHIVE
The videos have been removed as of 2.17.06. Please visit Ray's website or contact him for details on how to access them.

First Video: “Prelude”
This video is meant to explain the basic approach of this little internet video experiment, and intent of the other videos to come. For those players who have some experience, this may be too basic for you. But, the folks who are new to slack key will find them of interest. The level of difficulty will increase as we go. We need to start somewhere and I want beginners to have a chance to learn, as well as more seasoned guitar players.


Other Video Tips:

Each video will have a name, (you will see what videos are listed lower on this page, when available) and some basic information here describing what is being shown. To keep the videos short (approximately 5 minutes), the additional explanations or description will be here. For each video come here first to see what other information is supplied.



Picture Size:

When you first turn your computer on, and you haven’t started any programs yet, you may change the resolution of your computer monitor to make the video appear larger. If you have a Windows PC and would like to do this, change your resolution to 800x600 or even 640x480 to see what looks better to you. If you don’t know how to do this, double click on “My Computer” then double click on “Control Panel” (the place you make other system changes, or printer changes). Once you are in the control panel double click on “Display” you will see a screen appear that shows the display properties. At the top of this menu you will see a tab called “settings”, click on that and on the bottom right there is a box that says “screen area” this is where you change the resolution. First of all, remember what it says right now. You will probably want to come back and re-set it to the way it is now. My computer says 1024 by 768 for example. If you click on the little arrow that is on the “more or less line” you can drag the arrow (to the left) toward the “less” side. It will show either 800x600 or if you drag it further, 640x480. Try the 800x600 first, or if you computer is already set on that resolution; try the 640x480 setting. Click the “apply” button, and you will get a message on you computer saying it can now change your settings, click OK the picture image will get larger. Another message will appear asking you if you want to keep this setting. Click yes, or it will go back to your original setting within a few seconds automatically. This is one easy way to make the picture bigger; perhaps you will be able to see more closely.

You will need:

• Guitar
• Tape Recorder
• Metronome
• QuickTime Viewer? (might be easier, videos are created in this format)
• He Mele Aloha Book (suggested, not required)

Tune your guitar to “taro patch” or “G” tuning. Starting with the lowest string, tune the strings to these notes: (lowest) à DGDGBD ß (highest) all videos will use the same tuning unless notified.

You will need a tape recorder, (of nearly any kind) to record yourself practicing. Most of the time when you are first learning to play it is hard to listen carefully while playing. Sometimes, it is very effective to just put your guitar down, and listen to what you just did. You can fix a lot of things your self, without anyone correcting you. The recorder can help you in many ways. You can get used to hearing your self sing, (which can be brutal at times!!!) or, you can record a short section of a song, and play leads (pa’ani) along with the tape, without having a friend join you. Perhaps you could play a song and sing. When you play the tape back, play another part, or add solos, and sing harmonies to the tape. Call yourself the Circuit City Band and take it on the road! These are just a few ways to improve by your self. Be creative, all ideas and exercises can be modified to your needs, take what works for you, and expand upon it.

A metronome is helpful learning to play at different tempos. Start slowly and increase the speed of an exercise or song. After practicing a song at a fast tempo, you may find it easy to play the song at a real performance tempo. In this world of multi track recording you will be lost if you cannot follow a “click track”, which is really the same as being comfortable with a metronome. For players who slow down or speed up (or both!) as they play, this will help you smooth out your timing. It’s OK, and desired to move tempos with the music sometimes (very artistic and individual) as long as you know where the beat (tempo) really is!

The popular Hawaiian music book “He Mele Aloha” has hundreds of songs. Do a “Google search” and you can find it lots of places. It is a great place to begin, or continue building your song list. It has some very useful chord/key information charts at the beginning of the book that shows what chords are in what key, along with a graph that helps you change keys. Primarily this book was targeted for ukulele, but it is still helpful for guitar players. Some of us play ukulele too! Hawaiian songs sometimes have many different “versions” but at least the Hawaiian language and translations here are correct….for one version. It’s hard to find a book written this well with so many useful songs. If you find one that’s better…buy it, then tell me where I can find one too!


Slack Key Tips Video 1 (kind of small picture, but easy to download)
Basic left hand strengthening ideas, that should be modified at will, to wake up the left hand. It is recommended to use a metronome on your individual practice, without the video once you have the idea. Start slow, and gradually speed up the tempo. Work to make all the notes even in volume. You may move any of the exercises up and down the guitar neck.

Slack Key Tips Video 2
Beginner right hand picking techniques, without needing to use your left hand (at all) this is meant to get the right hand started. The recommendation (from Video 1) about the metronome, tempos, and volume should be incorporated in your picking. One suggestion about volume: Many beginners play too softly. You need to be able to play loud, and soft or you will have no natural “dynamics” in your playing. It’s also harder for teachers to hear and correct any subtle nuance in your style if you play too soft.

Slack Key Tips Video 3
Open and closed positions. This was something I overlooked when I started playing, in Ozzie Kotani’s beginner class. He told us this was important, and to try to memorize the positions as soon as we could. It went right over my head, until I started trying to create my own pa’ani, or melodic interlude. These few positions don’t give you all the notes you may want, but they are a great beginning. There are 3rd and 4th note fingerings for each 2 finger open and closed position, which gives you even more to work with.

**The next several short subject videos are meant to show you the techniques commonly used in slack key to make things sound fuller. Perhaps the description could be “busier”. My search as a “2 finger picker” to sound as full as I can has made me use these types of techniques to create as large of a sound as possible. This is particularly true on solo guitar, without any other accompaniment. Try not to over use any of these, but use with taste. Remember the best description of traditional slack key is “deceptively simple” we don’t want to jazz things up too much. Sometimes less is definitely more.**

Slack Key Tips Video 4
“Chimes” is an introduction to show some of the ways this “effect” can be used. Chimes can add depth to your arrangements, and are used freely in live performance. They (as the items to follow) also are referred to as effect because they are sometimes used to draw attention.

Slack Key Tips Video 5
Hammers introduction, breaking down the concept, and offering a drill to help get more consistent sound for all 3 notes.

Slack Key Tips Video 6
Pull off technique. Getting extra notes from each note picked is sometimes desirable.

Slack Key Tips Video 7
Add on technique is similar to the pull off. It can give you a sound like you are picking with more fingers, then you are.

Slack Key Tips Video 8
Slides 1 shows another style of getting “more” out of slack key. Remember there are many players who prefer not to slide. It is a different style of playing that may or may not help. It is just another “tool” to stick in your slack key tool box, to be used when needed.

Slack Key Tips Video 9
Slides 2 is just a continuation of video 8

Slack Key Tips Video 10
Vamps (1) are important in all Hawaiian music. They also give us a chance to combine all the things presented earlier. Vamps can be a signature of a player. Different styles of music have different “requirements” from the vamp. Slack key is pretty simple and can be (but not always) just 2 chords. Hula is a little different. They often incorporate more chords, and the timing (and length) of the vamp has to be set for a dancer. Believe me when I tell you this is a separate subject altogether. Just be aware that when playing for hula, you will need to play vamps their style, and probably get rid of all pa’ani, and musical interludes. Dancers prefer to dance to words, not music.

Slack Key Tips Video 11
Vamps (2) continuation of video 10.

A big mahalo to Ray Sowders for creating these and sharing them with us. It was fun to have them and give them a temporary home. -Admin

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