Hawaiian Slack Key guitar is a unique musical style that has become popular outside of Hawaii, largely due to George Winston's Dancing Cat Records. This style of music was not recorded until the 1940s, when Gabby Pahinui released a series of albums that introduced the tradition to the public.
Slack Key
is a private and family entertainment, and is usually played with altered tunings relative to the standard EADGBE. The compositions of Slack Key guitar have characteristics of both indigenous Hawaiian and imported musical traditions.While there are examples of Slack Key played in standard tuning, the vast majority of recorded examples use altered tunings. This style of music was not widely known outside of Hawaii until the 1960s and 1970s, during the second Hawaiian Renaissance. The most common scales used in Hawaiian Slack Key guitar are major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and modal scales. These scales are used to create melodies and improvisations that are unique to this style of music.
Major and minor scales are used to create traditional Hawaiian melodies, while pentatonic and blues scales are used for improvisation. Modal scales are often used to create a more complex sound.
Slack Key guitar
is an incredibly unique form of music that has been passed down through generations in Hawaii. It is characterized by its use of altered tunings and its incorporation of both indigenous Hawaiian and imported musical traditions.The most common scales used in this style of music are major, minor, pentatonic, blues, and modal scales. When it comes to playing Hawaiian Slack Key guitar, it is important to understand the various scales that are commonly used in this style of music. Major and minor scales provide traditional Hawaiian melodies, while pentatonic and blues scales can be used for improvisation. Modal scales can be used to create a more complex sound.
Knowing these different scales will help you create your own unique sound when playing Slack Key guitar.
