Sound of the Hawaiian © string guitar expands

Recently, the story of how Joseph Kekuka created the characteristic slurring sound of the Steel guitar was told.

This week Floyd Nor- mandy talks about how the Hawaiian guitar ex- panded from six to 24 strings.

by Floyd Normandy

In the beginning, the Hawaiian guitar had on- ly six strings and it was tuned to what was called the standard ‘‘A”’ tuning with low bass. After a few years, some steel player found that by raising the bass, it .was easier to play treble melody on the first three strings and then switch to bass for a chorus or two. This had a very pleasing effect.

After another few years it was discovered that by tuning the strings in still a different way that a much more pleas- ing sound was produced. This was called the ‘‘E’’

tuning. Then after a.

while, another player

‘Floyd Normandy

found a tuning that made a lot of chords much easier and play- able. Then another play- er found that by adding some strings, he could play pieces that were hitherto almost impossi- ble.

This went on and on until by the 1940s, the simple six string Hawai- ian guitar wound up with at least 16 strings and some with 24 strings on three necks and at least 20 different ways to tune

Halley’s comet visible here

You can only see it once about every 75 years, but if you’re lucky - and _ the weather co-operates — you can see it tonight.

Halley’s comet (pronounced holly’s) was . predicted by English astronomer Edmund Halley in the 18th Century.

Ken Juniper of the Terrace Weather Office said the comet will be visible here until Jan.

From p.1

Lakelse fire program

A majority agreement was received on the loca- tion of the fire hall at lot 1300, just past the B.C. Tel trailer.

Increased fire pro- . tection will decrease in- surance rates by up to 53 percent said Lamotte.

A meeting will be held next month in the at- tempt to form a fire- mens’ association and also to work out a budget for the new fire hall.

Something to Sell? Try Classifieds

25, 1986. Then it will disappear until March and last until June. During the time it is invisible, it hasn’t gone away, but is merely lost

_in sunlight. Moonlight

also tends to hide the comet.

Do not expect to see a cartoon-like fireball lighting up the sky. Juniper said it will appear much like a medium bright white star, One probably will not be able to see it at all with the naked eye. Binoculars should be used, he suggested. As well, get away from city lights. You may, with aid, be able to see a bit of a tail, You will not see it move as you watch. The movement can only be traced from night to night.

Where do you look?

If you know your stars, the comet is now south of the constella- tion Pegasus.

Or, Juniper said, look towards the south- ern sky about 8 p.m. and then look up about 45 degrees. You will see a cluster of stars that are almost in a perfect square. Underneath the square is a_ circular group of stars. In that circle, you will now find Halley’s comet. It will move a bit to the west each evening.

them. Then, adding in- sult to injury, so to speak, someone thought up the idea of putting pedals on the Hawaiian guitars so players could change chords with their feet. As if that were not enough, to top it all off, they added knee levers, which makes the old Hawaiian guitars almost as versatile as a Ham- mond organ and quite possibly more compli- cated to play.

These new instru- ments, called pedal guitars, are used for the most part in country and western bands as back- up instruments for sing- ers. These pedal guitars didn’t become very pop- ular with most steel players for the simple reason that most players wanted a true Hawaiian sound from their in- struments and in most Opinions, this was im- possible on pedals. It is the general opinion of most of the best Hawai- ian guitar players that the beautiful authentic sounds come from the hands, and nothing can change that.

Music for the Hawai- ian guitar started in the late 1890s with a few books of mostly authen- tic Hawaiian melodies. These books were writ- ten in regular musical notation in the begin- ning. After a year or, so

country groups,

and numbers.

This number method made it possible to play the instrument with com- parative ease no matter how it was tuned and a Student didn’t have to go through the arduous task of learning notes at the beginning. Many of to- day’s best steel guitarists Started out with this number method.

During the 30s and 40s, there was a Hawaiian music school in Cleveland, Ohio, -that had as many as 1800 pupils. This was called the Oahu School of Ha- waiian Music. It also had a publishing com- pany under the same name. This publishing company is still in opera- tion, but on a much reduced scale. At one time, the Oahu company was selling Hawaiian music in almost every country in the world and its Hawaiian lesson music sales were in the millions of copies in the United States alone.

In todays musical world, the old Hawaiian steel guitar as we knew it, has faded almost into oblivion. Sure, the so- called pedal guitar is a very popular instrument, almost a must in most but where is the old Hawaiian guitar headed? Will the beautiful music of Hawaii Calls survive

Terrace Review — Wednesday, Jan. 22, 1986 23

| From p.2

CP flies new look

point-blank the com- pany’s intent to go head- to-head with Air Canada

over domestic passenger sales.

‘We have a vision of

ourselves as the largest .

carrier in this market,’’ he said.

He concluded the con- ference on an assertive note, saying ‘“We are willing to work harder, be more creative and launch new ideas every day of the week.

In a subsequent inter- view, Carty indicated no

changes are being plan- ned in Canadian Pacif- ic’s services to north- western B.C.

‘We're quite happy with the business we’re getting there. The people seem happy with us. Un- til something tells us that a change is in order, we'll continue the service as it is,’ Carty said.

Canadian Pacific's new look will become in- creasingly visible at the Terrace-Kitimat airport in months to come.

rr

speak.

§ p.m.

CCTaCe SE OMING

Before Feb. 8 — Notice to all winners at last yaar’s Pacific Northwest Music Festival: if you have a perpetual trophy, please return It to Sight & Sound marked "attention Merilyn Kerr”.

January 24, 25, 26 — Terrace Parks & Recreation js holding a Preschool Recreation Leadership Workshop. if you are a parent of preschoolers, a preschool instructor or day care worker looking for new ideas, or a person who wants to learn more about the needs of preschoolers, contact Terrace Parks & Recreation at 633-174.

Saturday, Jan. 25 — A workshop on AIDS will be held at 7 p.m. in the basement of the Terrace library. Michael Welsh of AIDS Vancouver will

Sunday, Jan. 26 — Multicultural Association discussion about race relations and human rights in B.C. i p.m. to 4 p.m., downstairs at the library.

Saturday, Feb. 1 — Worid-renowned pianist Anton Kuerti will be performing at the REM Lee Theatre,

ay

Ee vents

Terrace and District

a native Hawaiian by the name of Kalini’ Peterson invented a method of music by numbers. This caught on like wildfire and by the early 1900s, nearly every book for steel guitar was written both in notes

Hawaiian

jungle of today? Future article:

Guitar Club and members.

or will it be lost forever in the howling musical

Hawatian steel guitar to- day and about the Inter- national Hawaiian Steel

Directory of

Terrace

Churches

Sacred Heart Catholic Church

Mass Times: Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, 8:30, 10:60 & 11:30 a.m.

4830 Straume Ave. 635-2313 - Sunday School HRIST and Adult Class UTHERAN 9:45 4.m. HURCH Sunday Worship - 11:00 a.m. Phone 3229 Sparks Street, Terrace 635-5520 Rev. Michael A. Bergman

Inform your congregation and visitors to Terrace of service times and location.

Only *15 per month

Thursday, Feb. 6 — Public meeting at the Skeena Health Unit, 7:30 p.m., to form a branch of the Ar- thritis Society. Marion Ewing of Vancouver will be in attendance. Contact Edna Fisher — 635-3273.

Saturday, Feb. 6 — The Theatre Alive Society presents Current Figures at 8 p.m. in the REM Lee Theatre.

Saturday, Feb. 6 — B.C. Heart Foundation first an- nual sem-formal Sweetheart Dance at the Terrace arena banquet room, B p.m. to 1 a.m. Phone Betty Campbell, 635-5221, or Lillian de Ballnhard, 638-5888, for information.

Monday, Feb. 10 — Terrace Riverboat Days Socie- ty generat meeting at Branch 13 of the Royal Canadian Legion, All member organizations are requested to ensure a representative attends, Call Dalsy Maiden for information — 638-8141.

Sunday, Feb. 16 — The Kinette Club of Terrace third annual Senior Citizens’ Sweetheart dinner and dance. Doors open at 4:30 p.m., dinner at 5 p.m. Open to all senlors. Please call to register {and indicate If transportation is required) 635-9788 or 635-6791.

Terrace Public Library — Preschool storytime for ages 3 to 5 is hatd Wednesdays at 10:30 a.m. and Thursdays at 1:30 p.m., starting Jan. 22. Tales for Two will be Fridays at 10:30 a.m. starting Jan. 24, Two-year-olds must be accompanied by a parent. Please preregister — 638-8177.

Happy Gang Centre — Cribbage, Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m; Carpet Bowling, Wednesdays at 1 p.m. Bingo, Fridays at 2 p.m.; Bridge, Fridays at 7:30 p.m. Lunches served Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pancake breakfast first Satur: day of every month. Regular monthly meeting, second Thursday of every month at 2 p.m.

Kitsumkalum Ski Club — Is iooking for coaches and assistants for help with the Nancy Greene, Bantam and Alpine Ski programs. Anyone in- terested please cal! Chris Johnson at 635-5598

after 5 p.m.

Terrace Association for Community Living — Is needing advocates for handicapped people living in Terrace. For more Information please phone Janice at 635-9322 or Carol-Ann at 636-3940.

Wheelchair Basketball — Caledonia High School gym, Monday and Wednesday from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome,

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