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Topic: smooth Hawaian sound |
Roy Fouts
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 24 Dec 2020 2:24 pm |
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| Merry Christmas all. I am trying very hard to get the smooth hawaian sound from my guitar that so many players that I have listened to on Youtube have. I am working with a Gretsch Electromatic guitar. I have two amps. One is the Fender Frontman 10G. The other is a Fender Princeton 112 plus. Maybe these are not the right amps or maybe I need help in setting them. Can anyone offer any help? |
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Duane Becker
From:
Elk,Wa 99009 USA
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Posted 25 Dec 2020 2:58 am
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Hey Roy, not sure if you are referring to the actual sound, or the playing technique of Hawaiian steel playing. Nor I can help with obtaining that smooth Hawaiian steel guitar sound, I'm trying to get that sound myself. But are you familiar with Troy Brenningmeyer's pod casts featuring Alan Akaka? Produced about 10 years or so ago, there's 15 or 20 of these, which go into Hawaiian Steel Guitar, how its played and the term 'p-tah'. I can't remember which podcast delves into that term and its application to the steel, but all the podcasts are terrific! Maybe these will help. Good Luck!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ycav7cOPfJM |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 25 Dec 2020 6:02 am
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Mele kalikimaka!
The Gretsch Electromatic isn't a guitar I've played but from looking at the specs...medium/short scale, 6 string, V/T with a P90 pickup. There's nothing there that should be incompatible with the "smooth Hawaiian" sound. Regarding amps, don't be shy with backing off treble and boosting bass. IIRC, Jerry Byrd would set his Fender Twins with basically bass dimed and treble at zero, or something like that. And dial back on the tone knob...you don't want mush, but you don't need all the treble either. Unless you're going for Barney Isaacs sound (he had a brighter tone than many of his contemporaries).
A lot of the sound is ultimately technique. Play to the center point of the stopped string (between bar and bridge), and connect notes smoothly (eg p'tah), get good at slants, develop a nice smooth vibrato...
Obviously the Hawaiian sound is pretty broad...are there particular players, or recordings that exemplify the sound you want?
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Roy Fouts
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 25 Dec 2020 11:30 am smooth Hawaian sound
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| Thanks so very much for the follow ups. In my teens I took lessons on an acoustic guitar modified to play steel. When I finished the lessons I got the guitar. Needless to say life got in the way of staying with the steel guitar as much as I would have liked. After retirement I have found the time to again try to pick up where I left off. Like I mentioned I have a Gretsch but reading about all the different tunings I decided to build another so I wouldn't have to retune all the time. To this date I have built 7. I have tried different pickups in an attempt to get the sound that I hope for. I have watched countless videos on technigue and string gauges etc. hoping I guess to get the sound that I want. But it appears that comes with style, so thanks to you I will continue on working toward that end. Listening to Alan Akaka and others shows me I have a way to go. I will try the amp settings for sure. Thanks again. |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 25 Dec 2020 1:36 pm
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Roy,
The quickest way to learn the smooth Hawaiian sound would be to take some lessons from Alan Akaka, the Master Kumu (teacher).
His website is: www.KeKulaMele.com
You can tell Alan, I referred you. |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 25 Dec 2020 4:23 pm
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Can't argue with that! Ko'u kumu 'o ia! (he's my teacher, as well)
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 3 Jan 2021 12:10 pm
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Hello Roy,
I'm not a Teacher but I do play some Hawaiian Music, a lot of players hook their small righthand finger somewhere near the Pickup and stay there, this can give a very thin type of sound, if you look at this Video and see my right hand floating up and down the Fret Board to change the tones as I go along, see if this sound is anywhere near what you are looking for.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWn8PVH4iWM
James Kerr |
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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Travis Brown
From:
Florida, USA
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Posted 3 Jan 2021 4:34 pm Re: Bobby Ingano
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Great post! Those vids will be very helpful for a beginner. |
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Roy Fouts
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Posted 5 Jan 2021 10:05 am smooth Hawaian sound
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| Thanks all. Some very mind opening tips. Hopefully I will be able to put them to good use. |
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Roy Fouts
From:
Alberta, Canada
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Tom Snook
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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Posted 18 Feb 2023 1:43 pm
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If you want to sound Hawaiian you need to have been born in Hawaii, and grew up living Hawaiian music and steel guitar (imoo).Even the great Jerry Byrd didn't sound as Hawaiian as Jules or Dick MacIntyre or David Keli'i my 2 cents
Aloha
_________________
I wanna go back to my little grass shack........ |
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 18 Feb 2023 2:42 pm
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| Tom Snook wrote: |
If you want to sound Hawaiian you need to have been born in Hawaii, and grew up living Hawaiian music and steel guitar (imoo).Even the great Jerry Byrd didn't sound as Hawaiian as Jules or Dick MacIntyre or David Keli'i my 2 cents
Aloha |
Viewed from outside the USA which includes Hawaii, I would say that authenticity is getting harder and harder. To me, Hawaii looks like the USA and sounds like the USA . . . with palm trees.
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Rick Aiello
From:
Berryville, VA USA
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Tom Snook
From:
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA
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Posted 19 Feb 2023 3:24 pm
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I forgot about him Rick.
Aloha
_________________
I wanna go back to my little grass shack........ |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 20 Feb 2023 5:46 am
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Exceptions prove the rule and all, but I don't think being brought up in Hawaii these days, even if immersed in 'olelo Hawai'i and the music, guarantees an appreciation and love for the steel guitar for sure. Alan's, his students, and the modest number of players scattered through the islands are doing a bang up job of keeping things alive, but the culture at large has kind of "forgotten" that sound. On my first visit to Waikiki (it was Alfred Apaka's 100th birthday, seemed the appropriate thing to do) I got my steel out and played a bit and a local guy who worked at the resorts came over to me and was real friendly, insisting his cousin played "slack key guitar" too, like me. I didn't argue with him (lap steel tunings did sort of begin as a literal "slack key" I suppose). Honestly I'm sort of amazed at how much the instrument is being kept alive by fervent aficionados outside of Hawaii (Europe has some great players! and Japan has a deep and abiding love for the instrument and music).
Last summer we had the Waikiki Steel Guitar week (which was a blast, I timed our trip to coincide) and it was a little pocket of the old style music in a vast sea of modernized mono-culture that has overtaken Waikiki (and probably the other touristy areas). Was talking to Bobby I afterward (was such a privilege to meet these guys in person!) and we were both decrying the change (not that I've seen it any other way), that they basically removed the unique appeal of the place by making it just like any other tourist district. Sure, you can get a margarita and go shopping and listen to bad Jimmy Buffett covers, but you can get that anywhere!
That said, there are plenty of places in the islands that don't feel at all like Waikiki...best bet is to buy island hopper tickets, rent a car, and explore. (obviously I'm pining for a return  )
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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