Slack Key, anyone?

[Queequeg]

Instrumental music of the Hawaiian Islands.
Watch for the mongoose running across in the background at 3:56.
https://youtu.be/3k6INzDr0ys?list=RDAnA_a4G6Uw8

[mike in lytle]

Nice easy listening. Thanks.
Is that open G?
Mike

[Queequeg]

Nice easy listening. Thanks.
Is that open G?
Mike

Open G is correct, Mike.
Here's another slack key performance by Doobie Brothers guitarist Patrick Simmons at NAMM years ago.
Includes an explanation why it is called "Soquel Slat Key Rag" on the album. Soquel is a little town on the northern coast of Monterey Bay California.
(The camera stops shaking just about the time he starts playing, around 50 seconds into it.)

[unclrob]

Been listen to it for years and trying to play had to stop a free years.Theres an old thread on it.Good info.

[Silence Dogood]

I've always been a bit confused about the term "slack key."  Isn't it just a guitar tuned down a bit?  If one tunes down a whole step, for example, isn't that technically slack key?

[Queequeg]

I've always been a bit confused about the term "slack key."  Isn't it just a guitar tuned down a bit?  If one tunes down a whole step, for example, isn't that technically slack key?

I only know the term to be used when referring to the Hawaiian slack key style of altered and open tuning, but it does refer to loosening the strings from standard tuning.
The primary difference between a slack key guitar and a standard guitar lies in their tuning. Slack key guitars are typically tuned to open chords (like G major), as opposed to standard EADGBE tuning. This alteration in tuning allows for a distinctive, chord-based playing style where alternating bass, rhythm, and melody are played simultaneously.

The most common slack-key tuning, called "taro patch," is open G tuning. Starting from the standard EADGBE, the high and low E strings are lowered or "slacked" to D and the fifth string from A down to G, so the notes become DGDGBD.

[Silence Dogood]

I only know the term to be used when referring to the Hawaiian slack key style of altered and open tuning, but it does refer to loosening the strings from standard tuning.
The primary difference between a slack key guitar and a standard guitar lies in their tuning. Slack key guitars are typically tuned to open chords (like G major), as opposed to standard EADGBE tuning. This alteration in tuning allows for a distinctive, chord-based playing style where alternating bass, rhythm, and melody are played simultaneously.

The most common slack-key tuning, called "taro patch," is open G tuning. Starting from the standard EADGBE, the high and low E strings are lowered or "slacked" to D and the fifth string from A down to G, so the notes become DGDGBD.

Very cool.  I might try this. Thanks.

[jweave69]

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