Ke Aloha - Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar

I was charmed by "Ke Aloha" the first time I heard it, a sweet song of love and tenderness - "Come, relax in my embrace, my beloved sweetheart." I learned the basic arrangement from Patrick Landeza http://www.patricklandeza.com and have elaborated on it over the years.

Recently a member of the Taropatch.net forum http://www.taropatch.net asked some advice on learning this song and it seemed to me that a video might help other slack key players who have this melody ringing in their head and would like to hear it come from their guitar. One of the features of the song is the use of the II7 chord (A7 in the key of G) in the second half of the melody - this bit of out-of-key harmony adds a charming Hawaiian flavor. As I played I visited the three most common II7 formations in taropatch tuning, the barre at the second fret, the four string shape at the fifth fret, and the "D7" shape placed under a barre at the seventh fret.

This is the first video from the 2010 "Aloha Friday in Downtown Pleasant Hill" series. We've had a cold May and June, and I've had equipment problems, but things are warming up and I've got new gear to try. Even with the sunshine the winds were strong, so I couldn't use any microphones. The audio in this clip was captured from the K&K PWM pickup into a Zoom R16 recorder. Video was recorded on a Panasonic ZS3 for the facing shot and a Sanyo Xacti HD2000 for the side shot. I tweaked the audio in Reaper, and edited the video in Edius Neo 2.5. The Martin OM-18GE is tuned to taropatch G, D G D G B D from low to high.

Please visit http://www.kaleponi.com for more music and video clips and information about my performances.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• slack
• key
• guitar
• kaleponi
• fran
• guidry
• hawaiian
• music
• aloha
• friday
• in
• downtown
• pleasant
• hill
• lei
• collins
• maddy
• lam
• ke
• sanyo
• xacti
• hd2000
• panasonic
• zs3
• zoom
• r16

[Jerry4usall]

Thanks for the comment on my video, Fran. I need to post some more.......

I bought a 000-18GE Amberburst from MFG about a year ago. It has taken me that long to feel like I can live with that modified V neck. The guitar that I'm playing on Bottle of Wine is a 000-1R. It is my first Martin. Great sound for the price!!

I've really enjoyed your slack key videos!!

JT

[franguidry]

@Jerry4usall Necks are funny, that mod V is my favorite, instantly comfortable. Good thing they come in more than one shape.

Fran

[Jerry4usall]

Pretty music!!!!

What guitar are you playing?

Is is plugged or unplugged?

JT

[franguidry]

@Jerry4usall Thanks, Jerry. This clip was done with a Martin OM-18GE, a real sweetheart. I'm using a K&K Pure Western Mini pickup into a Zoom R16. I blend in a little of the camera mic as well.

I liked your video as well. Nice job with the Doc Watson feel.

Fran

[manaman545]

Sounding and looking good Braddah as usual

Lee

[franguidry]

@manaman545 Thanks for visiting and commenting, Lee.

Fran

[franguidry]

@ccarnucci Chris, I love your song for your wife. Mine is called "Ka Makani `Olu`olu" and it means "Sweet Gentle Breeze." There's a clip of it around here among the oldies.

Fran

[ccarnucci]

Outstanding stuff! Just Outstanding!

[franguidry]

@robbourassaguitarist Thank you, Rob. I'm listening to your "The Night Rider" right now, so you can imagine how humble I'm feeling.

Fran

[robbourassaguitarist]

Beautiful as always Fran.