| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Earl |
Posted - 05/23/2025 : 6:11:52 PM
This has been on my list for a long time, and I finally committed to pursue it. I have tab from Mark Nelson and Jeff Peterson, and video for both. The normal tuning used by most players is CGDGCd, or taro patch with a lowered C for bass. This is often called Drop C or sometimes also known as Leonard's C after Mister Kwan. I don't play anything else in this tuning at the moment.
However, when working on this the other day it occurred to me that I could also use Keola's C [CGDGBe] and maybe simplify some fingerings. I play several other songs in that tuning already, so that makes a certain amount of sense. I actually did that with "Namaka's Mele" from the Ozzie Kotani book, probably by accident.
For those of you that have Hi'ilawe already, am I going down the wrong road by using Keola's tuning? |
| 11 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 06/21/2025 : 06:08:01 AM
Kermet Apio has a video of him and me playing Hi'ilawe. In C, me capoed up. |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 06/21/2025 : 06:02:33 AM
I've played it in G tuning capoed to C, played it in C. There are lots of ways to play hammeron lick. Great job, Fran! |
| Earl |
Posted - 06/20/2025 : 05:20:09 AM
Mahalo for that, Fran. I was fixated on using the sixth string to "land" the lick, not the fifth. That low C is what intrigued me most. Guess I now have something to work on today....  |
| Fran Guidry |
Posted - 06/20/2025 : 05:14:37 AM
I did a very crude video demonstrating a way to play the Hi`ilawe hammer-on lick in G. Perhaps this will be useful:
https://youtu.be/nOGAzfDznc4
Fran |
| Earl |
Posted - 06/20/2025 : 04:55:25 AM
Forgive me if I missed something, but capo 5 is F, not G? I tried capo 7 and it just did not sound very good that high up the neck. I will see if he can sing it in F, so maybe.
We are now just over a month from the festival date and still no word on when we will be playing that day and when (or if) my ki ho'alu or ukulele workshops will be scheduled. The leaders are not so organized this year. Fingers crossed. |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 06/19/2025 : 05:42:23 AM
The mele can be played in G with the signature lick intact. When I play with Kermet, he plays it in C and I capo up to the 5th fret and play it in G. It works. |
| Earl |
Posted - 06/18/2025 : 3:25:39 PM
My progress on Hi'ilawe has stalled. The song is really built around a signature lick in C tuning, but my Hawaiian friend cannot sing it in C. He needs F or G for his voice, and that is too far to capo up. The wogn loses something without that low C note as an anchor. It is also quite difficult to fit in all the syllables, even for him. So this song is now on the back burner. The main lick is coming together nicely, but we won't perform it this year. Not for lack of trying, but no luck so far trying to figure out the lick in G for taro patch.
I will keep it as an instrumental though. I can sing it in C -- if I can ever get the timing of the lyrics to work with the guitar part. That is a tall order, as either one is challenging. But it will come together eventually. |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 06/02/2025 : 11:26:38 AM
Earl, no worry. Try experiment. No one has it ALL figgered out. We all learn, try new things. I found that some mele can't be played in G taropatch, but can be played in C in that same tuning. Turn da rocks over, try new stuff. |
| Earl |
Posted - 05/28/2025 : 04:47:29 AM
Mahalo guys.
I will proceed as planned with the "e" on top. If somewhere down the road it does not work out well.... that won't be the first time. I always like to work within a tuning and develop a family of songs. There is something new to be learned from each one, and soon I find the licks & tricks migrating over to the others, making them my own.
For the festival performance in late July, I will concentrate on playing and let my Hawaiian friend sing the lyrics. Two months to get both parts stage-ready is a little tight. |
| Fran Guidry |
Posted - 05/27/2025 : 06:17:45 AM
Ray Kane used the drop C with high E for his "Hi`ilawe" on his Wa`ahila album but he tuned down a whole step to Bflat.
https://www.dancingcat.com/liner-notes-waahila
If you're handy with an audio editor like REAPER you can adjust the pitch rather than retuning your guitar. It's pretty handy to be able to adjust the tempo too.
Fran |
| rleach |
Posted - 05/27/2025 : 04:05:35 AM
Earl. Nothing wrong with trying that and see what you come up with. So many people experiment with different tunings for the same song. Personally I have not tried it though. Good luck. |
