Tag Archives: harmonics

LIVE 115 • Mino’aka (Alt Take)

Here’s an alternate take of Keola Beamer’s Mino’aka (Smile), from his awesome Soliloquy album.  Soliloquy is one of my favorite Dancing Cat era albums from Keola and a highly recommended listen.  Keola’s book is one of the first I picked up when I really delved into the slack key style years ago, and this was one of my favorite songs featured in the book.  In fact, I also recommend Keola’s book for beginner to intermediate fingerstyle players who are looking to learn some slack key.  Although the version I recorded here is at a slightly faster tempo, I hope it still captures the original’s relaxed feel.  Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 912ce (Rosewood/Spruce, with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD Light strings) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.

GEAR 507 • My Taylor 412ce-LTD (Rosewood / Spruce)

After doing several tangential videos on the acoustic guitar I’ve been using for performances, lessons, etc. on this channel (see links below), I thought it would be fun to do an overview of the guitar and its features for those who are curious. The guitar is a Taylor 412ce, a Fall Limited Edition with what was then a non-standard wood combination of Rosewood/Spruce (400 series typically used Ovangkol/Spruce) that also featured notch diamond inlays not normally used on 400 series guitars. In addition to the grand concert size body and short scale length, I also touch on how the top has aged, the addition of Gotoh 510 tuners, and replacing the nut / saddle with another Tusq set.