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Hawaiian slack key guitar
"ki ho'alu" (means: "loosen the key")
The beautiful and distinguished
sound of the Hawaiian slack key guitar is created by
"slacking" the strings or "keys"
to create various alterations of the sound, which usually
include a major chord, or a chord with a major 7th note
and creates a very characteristic "lingering"
sound effect.
The unique sound of this popular musical instrument
truly interprets Hawaii's magical "life feeling"
as well as the magnificent and majestic beauty of the
Islands.
Probably the slack key guitar was introduced first to
Hawaii by the European sailors in the 19th century.
But this new music tradition was truly born when cattle
were imported into Hawaii from England in the early
19th century. The cattle began to destroy the Hawaiian
native crops, especially taro fields. King Kamehameha
III hired "vaqueros" (cowboys) from Mexico
around 1832 to teach the Hawaiians to handle the cattle.
These cowboys brought with them their six string guitars
and soon this new musical instrument was incorporated
into Hawaii's very own music folklore.
The slack key guitar became very popular with the Hawaiian
cowboys, the "paniolos" and this tradition
continues to this day on the Big Island and Maui on
the cattle ranches.
This tradition was given an important inspiration also
by King David Kalakaua, who started a Hawaiian cultural
revival in the late 19th century. Gabby Pahinui [1921-1980]
was named the father of the modern Hawaiian slack key
guitar culture.
Music by Norman Boroughs
Music arranger: Dennis Graue
Photo courtesy of The Hawaiian Ukulele Company, Honolulu,
HI
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