10 Hawaiian Tunes You Should Know

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

OK, it's list time.

Name the top 10 Hawaiian tunes (w/tunings) that you feel every non-peddler should know.

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

"SAND" played in B-11 would top my list of steel guitar instrumentals. But what you are asking is impossible to answer as there are literally thousands of GREAT Hawaiian songs out there waiting to be played.

mikey · From: New Jersey

Little Grass Shack, Acoustic...Low Bass G or A, Lovely Hula Hands, electric, C13 or C6

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

I gotta wonder why any mention of tunings is really necessary. Most any Hawaiian song can be played effectively in whatever tuning you are most comfortable using. The main criteria is to select and study one to three tunings...study each of them thoroughly. Learn to read and know where every note can be played. Most importantly, a thorough knowledge of music, scales and the chordal structures derived will take you much further than messing around with a pile of different tunings...(this, from a guy who picked up the steel guitar in 1942).

Gerald Ross · From: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

Tunings are important when trying to learn a song. Granted you can play any song in any tuning if you know the tuning well enough and are willing to jump around to find the melody and chords. But some songs sound better and fall more naturally into specific tunings.

Example1: 'Sand' & 'Mapuana'
These must be played in B11 to get the dark
9th sound, especially 'Sand'.

Example2: 'Paradise Isle' & 'Aloha Tears'
When played in the C#m tuning the melody is on the top three strings. Very thin unwound strings.

You can play it exactly the same in C6 tuning by shifting the melody to strings 2, 3 and 5. Two unwound strings, one wound. Different sound and tonality altogether. You also have string #1 available when improvising or playing melody notes without having to move up the neck.

To my ear these songs really sing in C#m. You can play them in C6 but much of the sweetness is muffled by the wound strings.

[This message was edited by Gerald Ross on 03 May 2000 at 12:59 PM.]

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

Absolutely. C#m, (and it's cousin, the F#9), are beautiful tunings for any Hawaiian song which is precisely what I am saying...pick a tuning(s),(doesn't matter which), study it thoroughly. The great master Dick McIntire used the F#9 (C#m) and was never stumped to play any Hawaiian song on only 6 strings.(Long before the days of multi-necks, pedals, etc.)

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

I didn't know about the B11th tuning when I recorded "Sand" on my Quasar Steel Guitar album. I think it sounds pretty good in plain old A6th!

Other Hawaiian classics I like to play are:

Maui Chimes
Ua Like Noa Like
My Little Grass Shack
Hawaiian War Chant
Moon of Manakura
Hilo March

------------------
Bobby Lee quasar@b0b.com gigs
Sierra Session S-12 (E9), Speedy West D-10 (E9, D6),
Sierra S-8 Laptop (D13), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (D13, A6)

Andy Volk · From: Boston, MA

Hi, George

To what notes are the strings tuned for McIntire's F#9 tuning? Thanks.

[This message was edited by Andy Volk on 03 May 2000 at 05:55 PM.]

George Keoki Lake · From: Edmonton, AB., Canada

Yes Bobby, SAND can sound great in ANY tuning. If you happen to have an old recording by Benjamin Rogers, you'll note how beautifuly he played it and he wasn't using B-11. He played it single string style.

Andy, in many recordings of Dick you'll hear him playing the F#9 tuning ... hi to lo:
E C# G# E A# F# It's a beautiful tuning with those fat 9th chords on the lower strings. I prefer it over the C#m whenever I get out my 6 string Rick-ity-back frypan. Dick also used E7 and/or D9 in many of his recordings.

mikey · From: New Jersey

Resophonic and acoustic Steels DO sound and resonate better in major tunings...IMHO
Mike

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