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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
522 Posts |
 Posted - 12/18/2023 : 12:16:19 PM
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I recently got back to slack key after being distracted by other things.
As I worked through my playlist, I got to Queen's Jubilee, which I *think* was learned from an Ozzie Kotani book or maybe a video. It was completely gone -- I could not even recall the basic melody or fake my way through. A couple of days later after some deep thought, it came back, and playing it a few times smoothed out the rough edges and hitches again.
Note to self: Do NOT ever let 3-4 months go by without refreshing the repertoire! Gotta keep it under the fingers. I'm 64 now and have been quite busy with challenging work of late. Maybe it was a senior moment, or just being very tired. Second note to self: RETIRE!
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Edited by - Earl on 12/18/2023 12:17:33 PM |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2166 Posts |
Posted - 12/19/2023 : 10:23:28 AM
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| Use the music muscles! Keep music on in the background while doing chores, etc. |
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rleach
Akahai
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2023 : 05:40:24 AM
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| I do that Thumb. I have Masters of Hawaiian Music ( several volumes ) playing through the barn every day when I'm cleaning stalls etc. Keeps everything fresh ( pun intended ).LOL |
Ron Leach |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2166 Posts |
Posted - 12/22/2023 : 2:11:26 PM
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| Ron, I've found that when I listen to music while doing things other than music, I hear and listen differently and catch things I missed. |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 12/26/2023 : 07:20:11 AM
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| Having music generically in the background can put me in the mood to play. But unless I hear that specific tune, it doesn't help me remember it or keep it under my fingers. I should record myself playing, but is seems narcissistic to play my own recording on repeat. Playing is the only answer -- and a good one. |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2166 Posts |
Posted - 12/26/2023 : 07:42:09 AM
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| Find someone to jam with. It keeps things fresher and helps timing. |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2023 : 06:03:05 AM
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I jam with people all the time, thumbs. Unfortunately it's not Hawaiian music -- more bluegrass and classic country/rock for old geezers like me. Between folks moving back to Hawaii and deaths over the last two years, the local Hawaiian community has dissipated again. The hula halau does not want to dance with live music, preferring recordings. For island music, it is pretty isolated here in Idaho. Slack key is something I do for myself. I even dropped out of the local ukulele club that I founded in 2008. For them hapa haole tunes was almost too much of a reach. "Tiny Bubbles" was as far as I could take them. They were suspicious of "Koke'e" and "Wahine Ilikea", and I ended up singing those solo, although they would strum along.  |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2166 Posts |
Posted - 12/27/2023 : 07:02:59 AM
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| I understand. Even here, "Koke'e" was played way too slow - I told'em to go back and listen to Dennis' job. People easily get into ruts. For your Country groups, tell them that slack key is Hawaiian Bluegrass. BTW, "Tiny Bubbles" is a Country song written in California. Don Ho liked it and translated it into Hawaiian. |
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rleach
Akahai
USA
90 Posts |
Posted - 01/01/2024 : 04:58:38 AM
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| Hau'oli Makahiki Hou everyone in the Patch ! |
Ron Leach |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 04/24/2024 : 5:02:25 PM
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Awfully quiet here in the ki ho'alu room - this is the first post since New Year's Day. I have been approached by someone putting together a local one-day island festival. I'll teach a ukulele workshop and perform. I also volunteered to teach an intro to slack-key workshop, which is how I got started nearly 21 years ago. Pay it forward....
Once there is more specific info I will also invite the local uke club (which I formerly led) to perform. They are forever beginners and afraid of real Hawaiian music, but can have fun with hapa haole stuff too -- if they dare.
Last time I went to something like this was pre-plague. It was a real chicken skin moment when this haole boy led 300 people singing Hawaii Aloha at the end.  |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1021 Posts |
Posted - 04/25/2024 : 5:50:43 PM
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| Hang in there Earl. Nice to know someone still cares. Wish I had something important to post. |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 04/26/2024 : 05:01:19 AM
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| I'm in the same canoe with you, chunky. Unless there is something to say I rarely post, even though I browse through almsot daily. But there isn't much happening around da patch lately. This pending day festival gave me an excuse to post. |
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Maliko
Lokahi
USA
139 Posts |
Posted - 04/27/2024 : 7:49:12 PM
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Well, Iʻm going to do my part to keep a thread alive. Just got back from the Islands this week! Was at Kona Steel Guitar Fest (my playing sucked), Aloha Music Camp (I played Gabby-style Le'ahi), then to O'ahu where I sat in with David Kaio at Papakaleo, and Mike Ka'awa for Tuesday Tunes, and had one great kanikapila with Duke Domingo, and went to Waimanalo Kanikapila, and Ledward/Mike concert.
Yeah, a bit dizzy....
--Maliko
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Put da "pila" back in "Kanikapila" |
Edited by - Maliko on 04/27/2024 7:50:24 PM |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
522 Posts |
Posted - 04/29/2024 : 04:08:32 AM
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| Maliko, that sounds like a good and really busy week. The only thing Hawaiian around here is pre-planning for a one-day island festival that I mentioned, date still TBD. I will participate but not help with organizing. |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2024 : 05:21:45 AM
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All good advice. I have so many good memories playing with "Chunky Monkey", "Dusty" and others.
Fully RETIRED now and nearer the "Tiny Five" in Meridian Idaho. Have a new "Captain's Quarters" in the brand new home with my two Taylors and two Koalohas. All my finger callouses are gone and the muscle memory is non-existent. They last few years have been a whirlwind of non-Hawaii activity and I am slowly retraining my brain to "think NAHENAHE"!
A really cool thing about Soutwest Idaho is they all use the old phonetic spelling for Hawai'i and I live a mile away from Owyhee High School. There is an entire geographic area of Idaho and Oregon surrounding the Owyhee River -- which received it's name in the 1800s after three (Owyhee) Kanaka Fur Trappers went missing in the area. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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chunky monkey
Ha`aha`a
USA
1021 Posts |
Posted - 05/11/2024 : 08:06:08 AM
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| Great to hear from Captain Mike. I sent him an email. Hope he contributes often. We have lots of memories to share. |
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Topic |
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Forgot a song!
