| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| PaokanoMike |
Posted - 07/17/2010 : 6:39:40 PM
I am new to this site so forgive my ignorance on this subject. Why are there so few tabs available for slack key songs in various tunings? I know that Kiho Alu was a secret for many many years. when I was a kid you didn't even talk about wanting to learn this style unless you were relative by blood and were hand picked.
I know that there are some who give this style little or no thought as to the soul and history of this art, that being said the songs still live through those who take the time to learn and pass on this Beautiful music that almost died once.
I am interested in compiling and making available to anyone who wants these TABS for free, to keep the Aloha alive and flourishing. We only have a few true masters left and a few understudy's that have great skill...as for me ...Kiho Alu has given me something to look forward to everyday, the song after its learned cries out to be played from the heart , to find the true Nahe Nahe, and to study the masters.
Am I causing Humbug? Any feedback will help me to get a feel for what this Ohana thinks.
With plenty Aloha to everyone!
Michael+ |
| 13 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 08/10/2010 : 10:37:03 AM
True enough, braddah. |
| Mika ele |
Posted - 08/10/2010 : 08:28:15 AM
I like to document what I have learned with tablature. That way, when I forget a song I wrote, or learned from a person showing me how to play (like with SirDuke and "Kaua'i Beauty") I can go back and look at my personal tab and remember what I was doing so many moons ago. When properly managed, tabs are a great tool. When you become overly dependent upon them -- they become a crutch and a barrier to improvement.
The issue comes down to -- are we, either on purpose or by accident, depriving our favorite professional musicians of an income by sharing tabs. Most of us want to support our musician friends and would never knowingly deprive them of their just rewards. There are tons of tab for purchase -- Peter Medeiros' Book(s) is a prime example. |
| sirduke58 |
Posted - 08/10/2010 : 02:55:55 AM
originally posted by slpry1
quote:
Also to quote Sir Duke (I think) "There's two steps to slack key: step 1, da book; step 2, no book).
Thanks for trying to credit me with that one Jack but it wasn't me who said that.Lots of pros & cons about slack key tabs. I personally love them.I first came across tablature in about 2000 & thought it was a godsend.Up until then it was an off & on 27 years of struggling to learn ki ho'alu by ear.You miss a lot by trying to learn only by ear because you cannot pick up certain techniques like "slurs" or "brush stops" No matter what the shortcomings with tabs it's still a valuable shortcut to learning a piece.Unlike notation you can understand the concept of reading tabs in a matter of minutes.
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| thumbstruck |
Posted - 08/09/2010 : 04:09:00 AM
Tabs provide a "skeleton" of the tune. The musician "fleshes it out". Try go YouTube and observe how many ways there are to play a traditional ki ho'alu tune. Variations are impacted by 1)tuning used, 2)number of fingers used on right hand, and 3)imagination of the player. Never undersestimate the value of LISTENING as opposed to looking at marks on a piece of paper. |
| slipry1 |
Posted - 08/08/2010 : 09:48:30 AM
My main gripe about tabs is that they lead to the concept of "right" and "wrong" ways to play. Asthumba says, they are a good way of learning, but put them aside. Also to quote Sir Duke (I think) "There's two steps to slack key: step 1, da book; step 2, no book).
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| Bau |
Posted - 08/08/2010 : 06:05:49 AM
I would like some free tabs of public domain songs.
I respect the tradition of how the music was taught and handed down, but for someone like me who doesn't have a family memeber who plays it to be taught by like the way iy was originaly done, and have cognative problems as it is, it realy helps to have written music as an aid. I also respect other musicians trying to make a living, a poor disable musician myself so free resouces and samples would be nice  |
| Mika ele |
Posted - 07/19/2010 : 4:29:42 PM
Mike,
there are some very good videos of Ray kane, George Kahumoku, Keoki Kahumoku, John Keawe available for purchase from Bruce Lamb in San Diego. They are an excellent way to learn slack key if you can't get lessons from the kumu.
Mike |
| PaokanoMike |
Posted - 07/19/2010 : 2:49:26 PM
Makes good sense, I dot want to step on anyones income thanks for telling me the history as well, I forget how much history is past on by oral tradition. I will still collect as much as possible... even just the basic melodies... to me Cuz each one I get is special,each guy wen take time fo make um lidat, tanx eh ...fo givin me chance.
BTW I love this forum
Michael+ |
| Admin |
Posted - 07/19/2010 : 04:33:33 AM
Hi Michael,
It's a good question. I think people have hit the main points. 1) Tabs were not the traditional Hawaiian way of learning 2) Many slack key masters do not write out tab 3) Commercial market for selling tabs is not huge.
Nevertheless, there are teachers who have tabbed out a lot of material and sell instructional books, videos and lessons. Speaking for myself, I have a bunch of tab accumulated from books, videos and workshops that I have attended. While it may be that my tab collection is miniscule when compared to the great number of Hawaiian songs, it is more tab than I have been able to get through.
While I agree that slack key needs to be perpetuated, and sharing tabs could be one way to do that, I personally do not want to hurt the efforts of those teachers who are selling tab. Further, when it comes to creating/publishing/distributing tabs for a cost or for free, it all falls under US copyright law. It can get complicated. That is why Taropatch.net maintains the following policy:quote:
Can I share music and/or tabs here? Does Taropatch.net have a policy on copyrighted materials?
Taropatch.net does not allow its members to broadcast offers or requests for illegally copied materials to its community. Although this site supports the perpetuation of slack key guitar and `ukulele traditions in many ways, Taropatch.net must protect itself from the potential legal problems associated with copyright infringement of published materials. We believe there is too much good here to risk losing over intellectual property issues. Moreover, it is important to respect the works of artists and teachers so that they may come and share in the aloha and information exchange here too.
Original works by Taropatch.net members, works in public domain, and/or those used with the necessary written permissions of the original artist/publishers may be posted. All others may not be posted. Thank you for complying with this policy and making this website a friendly, informative and interesting resource.
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| RWD |
Posted - 07/19/2010 : 02:41:06 AM
My take on this is that Tabs are abundant if you buy them, and plenty people are preserving the art form.
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| rendesvous1840 |
Posted - 07/18/2010 : 09:47:47 AM
The short answer: A small market for tabs in Hawai`i made books of tabs unpractical. Most older teachers didn't write them and taught the way they had learned.The student was expected to watch, listen, and try. The concept of writing the notes on paper was non-traditional.
The longer answer: Knowing only one way to play a certain song would not appeal to most better players of Hawaiian music, like it does to rock players. Listening to multiple recordings of one person playing the same song, one hears variations in the arrangement, sometimes in different tunings. The best players are not stagnant, sticking to one way of performing the song, something is always changing. The idea is to become so familiar with the idiom that you can improvise within it without losing the style or the feeling that makes it particularly Hawaiian, and ki ho`alu. This takes a lot of listening to the style itself, but also an understanding of a lot more than the mechanics of playing guitar. Much culture is involved. "A little learning is a dangerous thing,drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring..." Alexander Pope
It is a good thing to preserve for the students of the future, but that just isn't how it was done until recently. That's why a lot of tabs aren't out there. Those that are, are often considered by their creators as part of their income strategy. Making a living playing music is tough,small-market music is extremely so. In an expensive location such as Hawai`i, still more so.If the player can sell some instructional materials, they may actually afford both rent and groceries in the same month.
Unko Paul |
| thumbstruck |
Posted - 07/18/2010 : 06:54:23 AM
Tabs are a good way of learning, but they can't replace the ear. Don't become chained to them - what would a person do if the lights went out? |
| wcerto |
Posted - 07/18/2010 : 01:17:02 AM
No humbug, Mike, but the thing is some ki ho`alu masters try for make a living from sharing their ki ho`alu talents and their tabs may be subject to copyrights and legal things like that. I am sure others will chime in and give more particulars. There is also plenty further discussion here on TaroPatch about tabs.
But what a wonderful heart you have to speak so eloquently about an art form that we love so much. You've got more than half the battle won -- you have the right heart and the right attitude.
That being said, cpatch (Craig) has compiled a list and made it available to the folks here on Taro Patch. (Had to be a major labor of love).
see http://taropatch.net/forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=7026&SearchTerms=tab |
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