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PaokanoMike
Aloha
USA
18 Posts |
 Posted - 05/06/2010 : 8:22:38 PM
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I have been playing for about a year and have atudyed Mark Nelson lessons Ozzie Kotanis 1st dvd, Ray Kane who I am working on right now. Mostly Taro patch and Wahine (F) I want to learn Kuu Kika Kahiko do you think that is to advanced for me?
What are you studying?
Mahalo nui loa,
Michael
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+Praise the Son+ |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2010 : 02:34:07 AM
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Ku'u Kika Kahiko is a great tune but it is challenging.
I began working on it last year and had to put it aside several times. I finally played it out just last week.
It is a simple sounding melody but has so many small variations and timing issues that it is not that easy to learn. Some think it is difficult in fact--that would include me.
It is such a great melody that I think its worth the effort.
Go for it.
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Bob |
Edited by - RWD on 05/07/2010 02:37:42 AM |
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Earl
`Olu`olu
USA
533 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2010 : 05:39:41 AM
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Is a piece too difficult for you? That depends on your level of dedication and motivation. Some things come fairly easily, while other tunes require a lot of work. With enough effort you can tackle and reasonably master almost anything. A simple piece might take a week of daily effort before you generally have it under your fingers. Then you spend a couple of months getting it smooth and reliable, then a couple of extra months getting it up to speed. A more difficult piece requires a lot more initial effort to get it as a basic playable sequence, then more time to polish.
The key is to go slow. Isolate one or two measures at at time and if necessary work them one beat at a time. Go slowly over and over. (Better to practice the right thing ten times than the wrong thing a thousand times). Then add two more measures. Pretty soon you have major sections of the song, then eventually the whole thing.
You can get the basic melody or simplest version down first, then slowly add in the variations as your mastery grows. It is always easier to make a small deviation from something that you already know than it is to learn something entirely different and new.
I've had the same start/stop issue with "Kuu Ipa Onaona" from the Led and Bob Brozman instruction video. I've had a couple of decent starts at it, but always get sidetracked before I really have it down enough to continue playing / practicing. One of these days....
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2010 : 08:29:51 AM
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I should have asked if you had a good independent thumb, and if you play with more than Thumb + one finger.
You will need a good thumb and two fingers (pim 3 total) to do this song well. If you use four (pima) all the better.
Check out SirDuke's video on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4eJrA4wZ9g&playnext_from=TL&videos=jOIxYCBArk0 |
Bob |
Edited by - RWD on 05/07/2010 08:34:34 AM |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2010 : 11:26:59 PM
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Thanks for the plug Bruddah Bob. BTW how did your public performance of Ku'u Kika Kahiko go? I hope you shot video of it although I'm positive you nailed it.
Hey Mike, Ku'u Kika Kahiko was a very very difficult piece for me to learn. No exaggeration brah I literally gave up on it over 10 times. Sometimes not picking up the tablature again for a week at a time.One reason I struggled with it so much was because I went about it ass backwards.One of the key techniques in this piece is what Ozzie refers to as "Slurs" (which are showcased in this song)I didn't know how to execute these and that significantly lengthened the time it took to learn the song. I would advise you to either acquire the tabs for Ozzie's "Slur" exercise composition "Waikahe" or purchase his "Play Guitar Hawaiian Style Volume II" instructional DVD which contains the song. You should try to pick up "Waikahe" first before tackling "Ku'u Kika Kahiko" it'll make it much less difficult if you are capable of executing the "Sluring" technique.It's an uncommon technique used mostly by the elite players that will make you sound significantally more nahenahe.It reduces the rough edges between notes and makes the transition sound seamless. It's a subtle technique that you may not see even if you're looking for it when a player is using it but the subconscious mind of the listener notices it & it makes a huge impact.Even if you ultimately decide not to tackle "Ku'u Kika Kahiko" the "Slurs" will greatly benefit all the rest of your ki ho'alu when you incorporate them.
One other helpful tip I can give you concerns the tuning it is played in. The tuning is based on C6th Maunaloa tuning which is C-G-E-G-A-E but Ozzie recorded the song 1/2 step lower(No electronic tuners back then LOL)With this tuning you will be using the 3rd string as part of the alternating bass pattern. Theoretically you could use a fingerinstead of the thumb to strike that string but it will no doubt make you have choke timing issues.....Just remember, everything is digestible if you are persistent.....Best of luck with the song Mike.If I can learn it then anybody can
Much Aloha
Bruddah Duke |
Hoof Hearted?...Was it you Stu Pedaso? |
Edited by - sirduke58 on 05/08/2010 11:43:46 PM |
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Mika ele
Ha`aha`a
USA
1493 Posts |
Posted - 05/10/2010 : 1:22:37 PM
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| Ozzie gave me the tab for this a while back and even showed me the basics. But it has been a real struggle because of the timing and variations. It is hard to remember the whole song. I learn one section, move on to the next section only to forget the first section and on and on. Duke worked with me when I was on Oahu and was a terrific help. His YouTube is also a great resource. Especially as you can slow things down and take a small bite at at time. |
E nana, e ho'olohe. E pa'a ka waha, e hana ka lima. |
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Fingerpickin
Lokahi
117 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2010 : 4:23:56 PM
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Ozzie taught to me this way, since I am a pima guy:
Play the intro using pima technique for all the rolls that he uses...then deliberatly use only thumb, index and middle fingers for the melody, "main" part of the song. (Thumb plays all 4 lower strings, index second and middle first strings.) Toward the end, there is a clear change to a different melody/lower register portion, switch again to pima. This made it a LOT easier to play the song, but I will tell you it has been a struggle for me too.
I've been "learning" this tune for almost 2 years and just this week I would say I am close to "playing" it. Like Duke I gave up on it time and again...I just wasn't ready for it. The memorization alone is quite a challenge.
Stick with it though--it is such a lovely piece, in a great tuning, and learning it can be frustrating but is a lot of fun, too.
Hope that helps.
-Lance
PS-Ozzie's 2nd DVD comes out any day now...should be on his website soon. |
"Hey Lance, try watch." -Ozzie |
Edited by - Fingerpickin on 06/03/2010 4:26:25 PM |
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sirduke58
`Olu`olu
USA
993 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2010 : 11:21:20 PM
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Hey Lance
Ozzie's "Playing Guitar Hawaiian Style Vol. II" has been out since just before Christmas 2009. I guess you missed it cause you were out of the country.Check out the "Video" forum on Taropatch.net to get some reviews. It's geared towards the intermediate level player and has some really good songs to learn for any level player.Go get it, it's well worth the $50. For the price of a one hour lesson with Oz you can have a great 2.5 hour instructional DVD you can access anytime! |
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Fingerpickin
Lokahi
117 Posts |
Posted - 06/03/2010 : 11:40:41 PM
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Thanks, Duke--got some catching up to do I guess! It's good to be home tho, brah! Very good....
I can't understand why Ozzie isn't selling it on his site though--and it's not on the TP list of instructional resources...so where can TPers go to get it? Ozzie gave me a copy but I might want to pick up some more for friends...
Great to see you last Saturday, Duke. Let's get together soon....
-Lance |
"Hey Lance, try watch." -Ozzie |
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2010 : 04:28:38 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Fingerpickin
I can't understand why Ozzie isn't selling it on his site though--and it's not on the TP list of instructional resources...so where can TPers go to get it? Ozzie gave me a copy but I might want to pick up some more for friends...
I need to update my list!
It is worth checking but, I think that Ozzie ran a limited run on DVD II. The plan was to do a limited edition on the full length DVD and then split it into two separate DVDs for the next release. |
Andy |
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thumbstruck
Ahonui
USA
2177 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2010 : 06:18:35 AM
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| I'm enjoying Peter Medeiros' book. Good background, history etc. |
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RWD
`Olu`olu
USA
850 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2010 : 08:04:15 AM
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| Ditto with Peters book. Also learning great stuff from a Moses Kahumoku CD. |
Bob |
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Iakonu
Akahai
USA
57 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2010 : 07:53:14 AM
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| Peter's book is a wonderfully great resource and seems to strike at the very roots of what makes slack key such a unique folk tradition. There is a wealth of information between the covers of this volume. If you don't have the book then you should get it. If the topics seem too deep or advanced then wait and grow into the knowledge Peter is sharing with us - someday it will "click." I also recommend Keola Beamer and Mark Nelson's book "Learn to Play Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar" - some of the arrangements are challenging and others require you to add some of your own color to fill out the piece but the book covers a lot of tunings and many songs. We are lucky to have so many of these artists who are willing to share their insights on this music. |
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Who are you studying?
