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Conference napalm::guitar

Title:GUITARnotes - Where Every Note has Emotion
Notice:Discussion of the finer stringed instruments
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Thu Aug 14 1986
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:3280
Total number of notes:61432

15.0. "slack key" by ULTRA::OFSEVIT (David Ofsevit) Wed Aug 20 1986 13:01

    	One pleasant memory of 2 1/2 years living in Hawaii was the
    amount and variety of acoustic guitar styles in the local music.
    I only brought a few records back with me, and I have probably missed
    a lot of good music over the last 5 years.  Does anybody else out
    there know about or follow slack key style?  I do have one instruction
    book.
    
    	Or, I should say, "Eh, brah, you got da kine slack key?"
    
    			David
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15.1sort ofFROST::SIMONGary Simon - BTO Quality EngineeringFri Aug 29 1986 15:5715
	I have one book on "slack key" that I never got around to 
	using.  I wanted to check it out because I read an interview
	with Ry Cooder (In GP magazine) in which he said he was getting
	into slack key.  I don't think I ever heard any of his records
	that he used the technique though...

	-gary


	p.s. The instruction book did include a record.  If you want I
	can look for the book and tell you the title/author/publisher
	(I believe it was an Oak publication).


15.2*Somebody* out there heard of it!ULTRA::OFSEVITDavid OfsevitFri Aug 29 1986 17:1511
    	That must be the book I have, by Keola Beamer.  By the time
    I was in Hawaii in 1978, he and his brother Kapono had gone heavily
    commercial, but they had made a number of records in the old style,
    plus Keola had written the book.  At that time, Ry Cooder was doing
    good things with the family of Gabby Pahinui, one of the real old-time
    legends (I understand he's since died).
    
    	If you're interested, I do have a few records and tapes.  Contact
    me off-line.
    
    		David
15.3Late EntryMSDOA2::ERNSTThu May 21 1987 01:276
    Alright, somebody likes Cooder besides me! I was introduced to real
    slack key on two of Cooder's albums, "chicken Skin Music" has some
    beautiful stuff, as well as "Chicken Skin Revue", the follow-up
    live album. Gabby Pahinui is on both. I also have a Gabby album
    called "Pure Gabby" from Carthage Records, P.O. Box 667, Rocky Hill,
    NJ  08553. Includes an interview about his style.Rev
15.4Cooder fanFROST::SIMONBlown away in the country...VermontThu May 21 1987 13:097
	Do you know if those two Cooder albums are still available?
	Those are two that I don't have in my collection.  What label
	are they on?  Stock number?

	-gary

15.5Cooder Info.MSDOA2::ERNSTSat Jun 06 1987 17:5512
    Gary,
    
    They should still be available. In fact, I see them in the cut-out
    bins quite a bit.
    Chicken Skin Music  Reprise (Warner Bros.)label  MS 2254
    Showtime (Chicken Skin Revue) Warner Bros. label BS 3059
    
    There is also a 6 song "Live in Europe" album. Warner Bros. 2.3810-1.
     
    I wonder how many Cooder fans there are out there?                                                               
                                                                   
             
15.6where's ryXYZZY::CSSST7Sat Nov 14 1987 17:179
    Hi::
    
    As I'am new to DEC please excuse if this doesn't work right.
    Ry Has been dropped by WEA and is now doing only sound tracks for
    movies (i.e. Crossroads ect....) There has been talk of signing
    him to a indepen label but as far as I know it is all just talk...
    
    rick
    
15.7Get RhythmDOBRO::SIMONBlown away in the country...VermontWed Nov 18 1987 12:3918
re : < Note 15.6 by XYZZY::CSSST7 >

>    Ry Has been dropped by WEA and is now doing only sound tracks for
>    movies (i.e. Crossroads ect....) There has been talk of signing
>    him to a indepen label but as far as I know it is all just talk...


	He just released a new album on Warner "Get Rhythm" so I kind
	of doubt that he's been dropped unless this will be his last
	one for them.

	The new album is great.  He really gets in a lot of hot slide
	playing on this one.  More so than most of his other recent
	works.  There's even some sax work on it.  

	-gary
    

15.8So What Is It?MSD02::KOSKIFri Aug 28 1992 12:4616
    
    
     I know this note is OLD but I thought sombody would see it and
    hopefully answer my questions:
     
       What exactly is slack key ?
       Is this the same as (this is what my uncle called it) floppy
    strings ?
      
    
    I'd realy like to find out just what my uncle meant by floppy strings,
    (he mentioned this many years ago, before I played guitar). He said
    the guy that played in his band "The Boiler Room Boys" played floppy
    strings.
    
                    thanks for any help......Dana
15.9FROST::SIMONBirds can't row boatsFri Aug 28 1992 13:1011
re:
>       What exactly is slack key ?
>       Is this the same as (this is what my uncle called it) floppy
>       strings ?
      
    
	I'm not sure what floppy strings are, but Slack Key is in reference
	to hawaiian music played on a guitar with an "altered tuning" in
	which some of the strings pitchs are lowered (slackened).  

	_gary