| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Puluke |
Posted - 01/05/2013 : 06:35:26 AM
In Old Time Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, Mark Nelson writes several song in one key/tuning such as Taro Patch but on the accompanying CD he plays them tuned down, with the same relative pitches. In the book's intro he says it's to keep things interesting. Is there a practical benefit, related to playing the one song by itself?
(Some songs are played tuned up, but that because the guitar he was playing needed it) |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 06/15/2013 : 05:19:54 AM
I don't think Uncle Tom recorded. He was a teacher, though, and had some students in the Vancouver, WA-Portland, OR area. |
| Haolenuke |
Posted - 06/12/2013 : 06:38:59 AM
Aloha,
Does anyone know if there is enough music recorded by Thomas Kamahaku to create either a retrospective album, or to add his work to an Old Time Hawaiian Slack Key compilation? The two mele on YouTube are fantastic, so I wonder if there is more material available. |
| Kapila Kane |
Posted - 01/16/2013 : 09:51:38 AM
Correct answer:
All of the Above?
Also factor in the tonal shift it creates, especially on a cd or record where there may be several cuts in the same key, often back to back.
well, for those of us who grew up with LP's, and hang on to the theory of sequencing/deciding order for your tunes--like a dJ!
Of course, a great deal of the tonal shifts are inadvertent...that's just where they tuned their instruments that day...
but I wouldn't be surprised if sophisticated artists e.g. : George Winston, Jeff Peterson, Ozzie? and others artists and producers, who have input, might agree there's a benefit to not recording too many cuts in the same exact, A 440 center, especially when some artists often will work predominately in their favorite tuning.
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| cyril |
Posted - 01/12/2013 : 4:51:02 PM
Usually use the 7th string for low base. When I use 7 I tune to a low C for lower base notes. |
| Ambrosius |
Posted - 01/11/2013 : 12:12:25 PM
quote:
Originally posted by thumbstruck
That is a 7 string guitar he's playing.
Hey hey hey, I never argue with a Trønder 
A perfectly good explanation has been given by his nephew for the 7th string (although I can't see it or hear it on the video, not the B flat) Playing with singers and all, he could cover all from three sharps to two flats with three instruments, still having the familiar 'Taro Patch' pattern which even Ambrosius have learnt to understand.
Besides, I second the forums own nobleman, SirDuke in his views, this is well played and a very interesting video. |
| bradabo |
Posted - 01/10/2013 : 1:31:17 PM
Mahalo's brada Duke
" Uncle " also had a couple of 11 string custom made gutar by " Uncle Shu Tan Wu ". The top 3 strings where single while the bottom 4 where double strings with the bass strings on the top of the octave higher string on the "D" and "G" string. Where as in a 12 string guitar it has it the other way around with the higher string first. " Uncle " wanted to "hear" the bass first when playing those strings. I am fortunate enough to have learned some of his style and have a couple of CD's that " Uncle Shu Tan Wu " passed on to me of "Uncle Tom " playing in Shu Tan's living room and me showing up @ the end of the CD
...brada bo ( Alan )
quote:
Originally posted by sirduke58
A couple of weeks ago I had decided to put new strings on one of my guitars. The idea of stopping at F Taropatch on the way to replacing the strings crossed my mind. There was a YouTube video of an old time slacker I had never heard of named Thomas Kamahaku playing "Ahulili" in F Taropatch. I figured hey why not borrow a few of his sweet chops & licks. I did & in the process found out that the full step down taropatch tuning gave my whole repertoire in that tuning a fresh new feel. The guitar opened up in the lowered tuning too. I love the deeper notes & fatness. The guitar stayed in that tuning for a whole week with the old strings.
Here's the video link of Thomas Kamahaku I mentioned
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDw_1F-g-JI
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| sirduke58 |
Posted - 01/10/2013 : 12:22:18 PM
quote:
originally posted by bradabo
Thank you for now knowing who my " Uncle " was and how great he truely could play Slack Key. The reason he plays a 7 string guitar, with the 7th string tuned to a Bb is so he now can play a Bb tuning with that open top string without retuning his guitar or play a different guitar that is tuned to Bb. So basicly he had 2 tunings in 1 guitar. He did that to his "G" guitar with a "C" on the top bass and a "A" guitar with a "D" on the top bass Now if our singer " Ross Oana " wanted to modulate from "F" to "Bb", or the other way around, " Uncle had no problem being able to play in both keys without skipping a beat Hope this helps and I was there when " Uncle " got his first of many custom 7 string guitars made by another " Uncle Shu Tan Wu " and why " Uncle Tom " wanted that guitar for, but that's another story and memory of all the times that this man just blew me away
quote:
Howzit Bruddah Alan
Welcome to the "Patch" first of all. Mahalo for chiming in with some insight to your Uncle Thomas Kamahaku's ki ho'alu playing. My friend & fellow slacker shared your uncle's video with me about the middle of last year. He stumbled across it about a year ago & was ranting & raving to me about it but he couldn't find it again because of the way the uploader title the YouTube video. I was blown away by your unlce's "Ahulili" How could I not have heard about a man that plays ki ho'alu like he does? And.....why did I have to discover him only after he has passed?
I had a feeling his 7 string guitar had an extra bass string.I guessed correctly that his Taropatch F tuning had the extra Bb bass. It made sense to me because if it was tuned to Taropatch G you'd want the extra string to be tuned to C so you could play all the Drop C (Leonard's C) stuff without retuning. Mahalo for confirming.
Eh Alan, I was born in Hilo Hospital but raised on Oahu. Most my ohana stay still on the Hamakua Coast & my parents are living in Laupahoehoe. Check out my YouTubes under "sirduke58" I try to play the old style exclusively & you can bet I'll pick up some of your Uncle Tom's ki ho'alu and incorporate it into mine.
Shoots
 Duke |
| bradabo |
Posted - 01/10/2013 : 09:34:57 AM
Thank you for now knowing who my " Uncle " was and how great he truely could play Slack Key. The reason he plays a 7 string guitar, with the 7th string tuned to a Bb is so he now can play a Bb tuning with that open top string without retuning his guitar or play a different guitar that is tuned to Bb. So basicly he had 2 tunings in 1 guitar. He did that to his "G" guitar with a "C" on the top bass and a "A" guitar with a "D" on the top bass Now if our singer " Ross Oana " wanted to modulate from "F" to "Bb", or the other way around, " Uncle had no problem being able to play in both keys without skipping a beat Hope this helps and I was there when " Uncle " got his first of many custom 7 string guitars made by another " Uncle Shu Tan Wu " and why " Uncle Tom " wanted that guitar for, but that's another story and memory of all the times that this man just blew me awayquote:
Originally posted by sirduke58
A couple of weeks ago I had decided to put new strings on one of my guitars. The idea of stopping at F Taropatch on the way to replacing the strings crossed my mind. There was a YouTube video of an old time slacker I had never heard of named Thomas Kamahaku playing "Ahulili" in F Taropatch. I figured hey why not borrow a few of his sweet chops & licks. I did & in the process found out that the full step down taropatch tuning gave my whole repertoire in that tuning a fresh new feel. The guitar opened up in the lowered tuning too. I love the deeper notes & fatness. The guitar stayed in that tuning for a whole week with the old strings.
Here's the video link of Thomas Kamahaku I mentioned
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDw_1F-g-JI
|
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 01/10/2013 : 09:13:25 AM
One of Uncle Tom's nephews told me that Uncle always travelled with 4 guitars, each in a different tuning. That is a 7 string guitar he's playing. |
| Ambrosius |
Posted - 01/10/2013 : 08:51:34 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Fran Guidry
I see four tuning pegs on the treble side.
Fran
I thought so as well, Fran.
However, at time like 1:04 (Edit: Even clearer on time 1:45), when he lifts the peg-head up from the dark background, what appears to be two are to my eyes just reflection from one.
The lowest I find recorded are a C2, and since he's one whole down from G Taro-Patch to F tuning? He would then lower his low D2 to a C2? |
| Russell Letson |
Posted - 01/10/2013 : 08:15:43 AM
On both clips the low seventh string can be heard--more clearly on the audio/photo-montage one. BTW, his style is wonderfully swing-y. Very hip. Or maybe hep.
The modified Martin that George Winston plays in the slack-key segments of his concert is set up with an extra bass string (usually tuned to C). It's mentioned in this old thread:
http://www.taropatch.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8613
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| Fran Guidry |
Posted - 01/10/2013 : 07:02:40 AM
I see four tuning pegs on the treble side.
Fran |
| Ambrosius |
Posted - 01/09/2013 : 1:12:21 PM
quote:
Originally posted by sirduke58
Did anyone notice that he is playing a 7 string guitar???? I can't tell from just looking at the video how the strings are set up. I'm guessing there's an extra bass string probably tuned to Bb........Full step down from how we use G taropatch & Drop C.
I did note the poster said so, but quite frankly, I don't think he did. To me it seems like 6 strings. I don't find traces of a 7th string eighter on the video or the soundtrack. But it made me think, how would I use a 7th string in Taro Patch? The thought facinated me.
I fully agree with you SirDuke, the recording is full of goodies. |
| sirduke58 |
Posted - 01/09/2013 : 08:35:02 AM
Hi Claudia & Ambrosius
I'm glad you guys like the video. I've already borrowed a bunch of the cool things he plays on "Ahulili" I don't think I'd be able to sing & play such intricate things simultaneously like he does but I'm very satisfied with just picking up stuff to plug into other songs. I love how he goes from the 2nd position G to the G7. I would have never thought of doing that on the 2nd & 3rd strings then incorporating the 1st string at the end of that movement. Too cool.
Did anyone notice that he is playing a 7 string guitar???? I can't tell from just looking at the video how the strings are set up. I'm guessing there's an extra bass string probably tuned to Bb........Full step down from how we use G taropatch & Drop C. |
| Claudia |
Posted - 01/09/2013 : 02:58:03 AM
Hi Duke, Mahalo for the link of Thomas Kamahaku - he's wonderful! |
