The Ukulele and The Slack Key Guitar


The Ukulele and The Slack Key Guitar

The most familiar Hawaiian instrument to those not living in Hawaii is easily the ukulele. Here are some facts so y'all have a little background info. The ukulele is a a small four-stringed "guitar". The primary purpose of the ukulele to Hawaiians was and still is to be played as a solo instrument and to accompany vocals. Many people believe that the ukulele is of Hawaiian origin, however, the ukulele is a modification of a Portuguese instrument. The original technique to play a ukulele is very fast plucking. This technique brought about the name of the ukulele because ukulele translates to "flying flea".
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The first time I saw a performance with a ukulele...I LOVED IT! The music was so beautiful and serene and the ukulele simply represented the beautiful Hawaiian culture.  
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 Although I adore the ukulele, my favorite Hawaiian instrument is the Slack Key guitar. 

 The slack key guitar is an important Hawaiian performance style. Slack Key is a tuning system that the guitar is used for. The slack key tuning goes up by constant intervals which creates "happier" sounding notes that creates a joyful mood. Physically, the slack key guitar resembles the Spanish Guitar more than the Acoustic guitar. The slack key guitar is wider and more rounded with a wider fret, similar to the Spanish guitar. The slack key guitar has a steel bar that is used to fret the strings. This creates a "singing" effect that gives off a peaceful, serene and calming presence to the audience. 
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 I absolutely LOVE the Slack key guitar because it embodies Hawaiian life. The sound it produces is so beautiful and relaxing. It gives you a paradise like vibe that makes you stop your busy routine and just listen to the music. 






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Works Cited  “Drum Pahu.”  Chinese Workers | National Museum of Australia , National Museum of Australia; c=AU;       o=Commonwealth of Australia; Ou=National Museum of Australia, www.nma.gov.au/online_features/cook_forster/objects/drum_pahu_oz410. “Hula Accompanying Instruments from Hawaii.”  Omeka RSS , Grinnell College Musical Instrument Collection , omeka1.grinnell.edu/MusicalInstruments/exhibits/show/ens/hula. “To Search for the Truth of the Hawaiian Culture.”  Ka`Imi Na`Auao O Hawai`i Nei Institute , www.kaimi.org/. Lindgren, Ryan. “Cheyney and Ryan's Blog.”  Ukulele Player , 1 Jan. 1970, cheyneyandryan.blogspot.com/2010/02/ukulele-player.html. “Oli: Hawaiian Chants for Wisdom, Well-Being and Preservation.”  Ho'omana Spa Maui , 19 Feb. 2016, www.hoomanaspamaui.com/oli-hawaiian-chants/. “Hula and Mele Resources: Mele.”  Research Guides , guides.library.manoa.hawaii.edu/c.php?g=574601&p=3968174. ...
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