Slack Key Package

Lessons

• Lesson 1: Slack Key: Grandfather’s Clock (Open G)

  Grandfather's Clock Slack Key is a Taro Patch (Open G Tuning) arrangement based on the playing of legendary Hawaiian guitarist Leonard Kwan. His slack key style introduced many different techniques and sounds to the developing style. This version of Grandfather’s Clock includes a rapid triplet roll, harmonics, and quick hammer-on pull-off combinations. The lesson includes thoughts on improvising a bit as well.

• Lesson 2: Slack Key: Kimo's Slack Key (Open G)

  Kimo's Slack Key is a tune composed by legendary Hawaiian musician Sonny Chillingworth. It is played in Taro Patch Tuning (Open G) and includes some classic licks and techniques that define the sweet sound of slack key guitar. The right hand uses standard alternating bass technique and the left mostly plays one note at a time, typical of the style.

• Lesson 3: Slack Key: Ke Aloha (Open G)

  Ke Aloha is a popular Hawaiian tune from the first part of the 20^th century. It was written by Maddy Lam and Lei Collins, and is used very commonly for hula performances. This arrangement was done by my friend Hal Kinnaman in Taro Patch Tuning (Open G). It features standard alternating bass technique but also introduces a few important slack key techniques.

• Lesson 4: Slack Key: Moloka'i Waltz (Open G)

  Moloka'i Waltz is a Slack Key arrangement done in Open G Tuning. This traditional song is in 3/4 time and uses mostly open notes. One of the challenges is to keep an alternating bass pattern going where the second and third bass notes are the same. The lesson stresses the importance of understanding the melody and harmony independently before putting them together.

• Lesson 5: Slack Key: Radio Hula (Open G)

  Radio Hula is another Open G adaptation of a song written in the 1920s, as radio was becoming common in the Hawaiian Islands. This arrangement was done by Hal Kinnaman, based a bit on one popularized by slack key master Ledward Kaapana. It is a bit more challenging than most of our other Taro Patch tunes, using repeated triplet eighth notes on a single string. This lesson also includes thoughts on improvising and making the song your own.

• Lesson 6: Slack Key: Hula Blues (Open G)

  This arrangement of Hula Blues was mostly done by Neil's friend Hal Kinnaman, who teaches guitar on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. It is in Taro Patch (Open G) Tuning and is done with an alternating bass accompaniment.

• Lesson 7: Slack Key: Paniau (C Wahine)

  Paniau is a slack key guitar piece I arranged for guitar in C-Wahine Tuning (C-G-D-G-B-E). It was written by Helen Desha Beamer as a present to her friends Al and Annabelle Ruddle and was about their house, called Paniau, in Puako on the Big Island of Hawaii. The lesson includes a very long story segment along with all the details you need to play this very short song.

• Lesson 8: Slack Key: Tears On The Moon (C Wahine)

  Tears On The Moon is a slack key guitar piece I wrote a few years ago, shortly after my wife’s grandmother passed away unexpectedly. We were in Hawaii at the time and I was playing a few songs in C Wahine Tuning (C G D G B E). This is a tuning commonly used by Keola Beamer, sometimes referred to as Keola’s C. It is a short piece consisting of a couple of 8-measure phrases arranged in an A-A-B-A form, with a 4-measure intro and outro. There are a few subtle, but difficult techniques as well as some big stretches required to turn these easy notes into music and it is very challenging, in spite of the fact that it is played pretty slowly.