Hawaiian string band - slack key & `ukulele

[Fran Guidry]

I play in a Hawaiian string band called Kawili, we were a trio until our lead singer very stupidly died. I'm putting together a CD using tracks that we roughed out in some tracking tests before his demise. All my recording experience until this project has been solo acoustic instrumentals, so I've learned a lot trying to deal with vocals and bass and overdubs and mixing. The tutorials and discussions I've found here have been a big help, and of course all the tracking and mixing were done in REAPER.

I still have another pass of mixing to do and then I'll probably go for a pro mastering job, but I've done some crude pseudo-mastering on these.

http://www.kawili.com/cd/songs/01%20Mauna%20Loa.mp3 - one of the more traditional hula tracks. Shaun, the vocalist, is playing a Kamaka 6 string "Liliu" `ukulele. The background vocals and second uke are from the original session as well, while the slack key guitar and bass are overdubs.

http://www.kawili.com/cd/songs/04%20Ka%20Loke%20O%20Maui.mp3 - A Gabby Pahinui influenced piece with all the parts except Shaun's uke and vocal overdubbed.

This stuff is probably pretty left field for most folks, but I got hooked the first time I heard a few notes played in slack key style, so be careful.

Fran

[plgrmsprgrs]

Fran - fun stuff! Mix wise, I felt like in both songs the vox needed to be a bit more forward. And in the first song, the background vox could come a bit more forward in relation to the lead vox. Other than that, sounded good on my cheap comp speakers.

Kyle

PS - thanks for making me aware of the eSonic2 issues.

[msore]

What a great left field.

I have Tongan friends, and some play (uke, gtr) and sing, but when I ask them if they have songbooks they wrinkle their brows. All by ear and by family tradition. Tried looking in several libraries (including universities) but cannot find songs. Internet is no good for such non-pop stuff. Looked also at Polynesian stores, but they have CDs only.

So where would you suggest I find some songbooks with chords/melodies/lyrics?

[msore]

After thinking about my last post and how that might have come across, I have to admit it was wrong of me to lump Hawaiian slack and Tongan folk songs together. They are cousins, with common roots and related language, but very different. Maybe like gypsy jazz and flamenco. My interest crosses both, focussed on older songs.

[Fran Guidry]

Fran - fun stuff! Mix wise, I felt like in both songs the vox needed to be a bit more forward. And in the first song, the background vox could come a bit more forward in relation to the lead vox. Other than that, sounded good on my cheap comp speakers.

Kyle

PS - thanks for making me aware of the eSonic2 issues.

Thanks for the ideas. I'm definitely moving toward pulling the rhythm uke down. I have a lot of trouble with the harmony vocal, I think I'll have to wind up using automation to tweak his levels.

Did you get your Epi yet? I'm a fan of the EF-500 series, I have an RCCE and an M that both stay in Hawai`i.

Fran

[Fran Guidry]

After thinking about my last post and how that might have come across, I have to admit it was wrong of me to lump Hawaiian slack and Tongan folk songs together. They are cousins, with common roots and related language, but very different. Maybe like gypsy jazz and flamenco. My interest crosses both, focussed on older songs.

Right, there's very little crossover of musical styles between Polynesian cultures, except between Tahiti and Hawai`i to some extent.

If you're interested in older Hawaiian songs, the book that most people use these days is called "He Mele Aloha" - uke chords, no melody, so you have to hear the song to know how it goes. For lyrics only huapala.org is the one. They have a lot of stuff going back to the late 1800s.

Fran

[plgrmsprgrs]

Thanks for the ideas. I'm definitely moving toward pulling the rhythm uke down. I have a lot of trouble with the harmony vocal, I think I'll have to wind up using automation to tweak his levels.

Did you get your Epi yet? I'm a fan of the EF-500 series, I have an RCCE and an M that both stay in Hawai`i.

Fran

It's shipped and on the way via FedEx. I expect it will get here tuesday or wednesday. Went with the AJ500M.

Kyle

[Fran Guidry]

It's shipped and on the way via FedEx. I expect it will get here tuesday or wednesday. Went with the AJ500M.

Kyle

The AJ seems to be their most popular body style. I've always wanted to find the semi-legendary AJ500rcce, a cedar topped 12 fret cutaway AJ. They had a lot of trouble with the bridges lifting and stopped producing them, but several people described them as cannons, and I _love_ loud acoustic guitars.

Have fun with yours,
Fran

[Plentos]

I play in a Hawaiian string band called Kawili, we were a trio until our lead singer very stupidly died. I'm putting together a CD using tracks that we roughed out in some tracking tests before his demise. All my recording experience until this project has been solo acoustic instrumentals, so I've learned a lot trying to deal with vocals and bass and overdubs and mixing. The tutorials and discussions I've found here have been a big help, and of course all the tracking and mixing were done in REAPER.

I still have another pass of mixing to do and then I'll probably go for a pro mastering job, but I've done some crude pseudo-mastering on these.

http://www.kawili.com/cd/songs/01%20Mauna%20Loa.mp3 - one of the more traditional hula tracks. Shaun, the vocalist, is playing a Kamaka 6 string "Liliu" `ukulele. The background vocals and second uke are from the original session as well, while the slack key guitar and bass are overdubs.

http://www.kawili.com/cd/songs/04%20Ka%20Loke%20O%20Maui.mp3 - A Gabby Pahinui influenced piece with all the parts except Shaun's uke and vocal overdubbed.

This stuff is probably pretty left field for most folks, but I got hooked the first time I heard a few notes played in slack key style, so be careful.

Fran

Thank you :)

Have you ever tried https://www.ukulele-tabs.com for find tabs ?

[enroe]

Mauna Loa: Sounds very Hawaiian!

Not really the kind of music I often listen to. However is
this song very relaxing and pleasing.

[41TWIN]

soothing, wonderfully sung, and same with the playing. Sorry to hear about the death. That is some special music u guys made. Hopefully u can keep it going. Theres nothing left field about it other than its obviously very rooted in that culture. but i mean, the the singing melodies andnharmonies are great and the warmness of the stringed instruments sound so good.

I may be a bit biased. My Grandpa that died in WWII, his mother was half Hawaiian. Or would that technically be "Polynesian". IDK. Ive never been. I had a chance to go when I was like 24 y.o. but i gave up my ticket to my BIL so him and my sister could use it for their honeymoon.

anyways. THANK YOU for sharing. This is why listening to independent music can sometimes really be a great thing. Its not something Ive heard on the radio (which i barely ever do anyways), or youtube or anywhere i may come across music. very unique in a familiar or just comfortable, way.

I started to learn uke. i played it long enough to use it on one of my songs but i havent played it since that one.