Tag Archives: open tunings

LIVE 100 • Jewel Ponds

Open Tunings, Songsacoustic guitar, big island, blue sky guitar, Elixir Polyweb, fingerstyle guitar, Hawaii, Holualoa, kailua kona, ksm141, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, shure, Slack Key, taylor 310ce, Taylor Dreadnaught

This improvisation is named for the beautiful anchialine ponds you find along the leeward coast of Hawai’i Island. These ponds are an ultra rare and pristine habitat (please do not bathe in them) that host rare tiny red shrimp – ‘ōpae ‘ula – and can have a magnificent array of turquoise and opaline colors, like jewels. Some of these ponds are tiny indeed, almost more of a puddle than a pond, and legends tell of ponds that would mysteriously appear to someone only to vanish when visited again. There can be no denying the strange, quiet magic of Hawai’i’s anchialine ponds.

Recorded with a Taylor 310ce (Elixir Polyweb 80/20 Bronze) and a matched stereo pair of Shure KSM141 microphones in Holualoa, Hawai’i, 10/08/07.

LIVE 104 • Ki Ho’alu

Live, Slack Keyblue sky guitar, Gabby Pahinui, Hawaii, kailua kona, ki ho’alu, mauna loa tuning, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, Ozzie Kotani, peaceful guitar, Pure Gabby, relaxing guitar, Slack Key, taylor 414ce-NR, taylor classical guitar, taylor nylon

Here’s my take on Gabby Pahinui’s classic instrumental simply and appropriately titled “Ki Ho’alu,” which is course is the Hawaiian term for “slack key.” I probably first heard this song on the stellar “Pure Gabby” album – a must own – although it has appeared on other compilations and been covered by numerous slack key artists, including Ozzie Kotani’s excellent version. My version is inspired by Gabby, Ozzie, and also Dennis Kamakahi who was prolific in the Mauna Loa tuning.

Recorded with a Taylor 414ce-NR (Rosewood/Spruce grand auditorium nylon string) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.

LIVE 098 • Iris (912ce)

Fingerstyle, Liveacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, nick borho, open tunings, original fingerstyle, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, rosewood taylor, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert

Here’s a version of my song Iris recorded on the 912ce. Iris has a lot of harmonics, which creates a light, chimey atmosphere. The 912 has a lot of resonance, echo and bloom (even moreso than the 412ce I previously recorded this with) which I thought would pair well with the cascade of harmonics in this song. Hope you enjoy.

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

LIVE 096 • Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór (Taylor 912ce)

Fingerstyle, Liveacoustic guitar, celtic guitar, fiddle tunes guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Hawaii, kona, Martin Simpson, O’Carolan songs, open tunings, Pierre Bensusan, relaxing music, Slack Key, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert, Tony McManus, Turlough O’Carolan

Here is another version of my arrangement of Si Bheag, Si Mhor (Little Fairy, Big Fairy), reportedly the first song composed by famous 17th century bard Turlough O’Carolan. This version was recorded on my 912ce, which I feel is a perfect guitar for this arrangement. Hope you enjoy.

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

LIVE 090 • Moonglow (Alternate Take)

Fingerstyle, Liveacoustic guitar, ear trumpet labs, edwina, open tunings, peaceful guitar music, relaxing guitar, relaxing music, taylor 414ce-NR, taylor classical guitar, taylor nylon, tranquil song

Here is an alternate take of Moonglow, a song I wrote years ago while sitting outside under a full moon. I’ve played it on and off for years, most always on steel string guitar. More recently I tried it on nylon and found it worked quite well – perhaps even better. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 414ce-NR (Rosewood/Spruce grand auditorium nylon string) and an Ear Trumpet Labs “Edwina” microphone.

GEAR 516 • Koa as a Tonewood

Uncategorizedacoustic guitar, big island, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Hawaii, hawaiian forest, Hawaiian koa, Ki Ho'alu, koa taylor, mauna loa tuning, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, Slack Key, taylor grand concert, Taylor k22ce

Today we explore the use of Hawaiian koa as a tonewood, also discussing the wood’s origins in mauka forests in Hawai’i, its historical uses in native Hawaiian culture to modern day usage, and forestry stewardship. Koa is a bright, relatively dry tonewood with punchy low-mids; clear, sparkly highs; and sweet chiming overtones. Not only is koa a good sounding wood with a strong heritage, but it is also a beautiful wood that can exhibit stunning figuring. Koa guitars are excellent for jazz, folk and rootsy fingerstyle, and slack key among other applications.

Recorded with a Taylor K22ce (solid koa grand concert with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD gauge set) and a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.

LIVE 068 • Louisville Rag

Liveacoustic guitar, fingerstyle guitar, open tunings, ragtime guitar, Taylor 310, taylor 310ce, Taylor 310e, Taylor Dreadnaught guitar

Here is a demo from the vaults of a song called “Louisville Rag” that I recorded a few years back. The idea behind the tune was to write an uptempo instrumental with a similar feel to the Nashville Skyline Rag from the eponymous Bob Dylan album. Hope you enjoy.

Recorded with a Taylor 310 in Louisville, Ky 9/28/12.

GEAR 514 • Taylor 912ce Review and Demo

Fingerstyle, Gear, Open Tuningsacoustic guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Neumann TLM 102, open tunings, rosewood taylor, Slack Key, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert

The Taylor 912ce is an easy to play guitar with a balanced eq that is ideal for fingerstyle or light strumming. The Grand Concert body gives it a balanced EQ, the advanced performance bracing and vibrant top give it a clear, articulate speaking voice, and the higher grade rosewood back and sides add complexity and richness to both single notes and chords. Gotoh 510 tuners offer greater accuracy and tuning stability – a welcome upgrade to those who use a lot of open or alternate tunings. With the addition of a beveled armrest, the compact guitar is the perfect companion for hours of comfortable play.
Of course, people often notice the cosmetics of the 900 series first, mainly the upgraded inlay work on the headstock, fretboard, and in the rosette & soundboard trim. Yet the inlay work is more subdued than previous incarnations of the 900 series and the upgrades are more tasteful than showy. The guitar does indeed look great, but more importantly it plays and sounds even better. In short, if you’re looking for a small-bodied guitar with upgraded features, the 912ce is a great choice.

Sound demos recorded with a Taylor 912ce (Rosewood/Spruce, with Elixir Nanoweb Phosphor Bronze HD Light strings) and an Ear Trumpet Labs Edwina a Neumann TLM 102 microphone.

LIVE 088 • Auld Lang Syne (Alternate Take, Remix)

Fingerstyle, Slack Keyacoustic guitar, Auld Lang Syne, blue sky guitar, drop C, Fingerstyle, honolulu, Ki Ho'alu, new year song, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, Robert Burns, Slack Key

Here are an alternate take and a remix of my fingerstyle guitar arrangement of Auld Lang Syne. It’s a slack key tinged version with an added bridge/transition, but otherwise follows the familiar melody closely.

Remix of original post:

Alernate take:

Happy New Year!

Both takes recorded with a Taylor 412ce LTD (Rosewood/Spruce, with Elixir Nanoweb 80/20 Bronze HD gauge set) and a single Beyerdynamic MC 930 microphone in Honolulu, Hawai’i 12/30/14.

LIVE 084 • Kaiminani Slack Key

Slack Keyacoustic guitar, big island, blue sky guitar, blueskyguitar, ear trumpet labs, edwina, fingerstyle guitar, Hawaii, kailua kona, kaiminani drive, kalaoa, Keahole Point, Ki Ho'alu, Kohanaiki, Kona International Airport, Kona Palisades, Mamalahoa, open g tuning, open tunings, OTEC beach, peaceful guitar music, Pine Trees beach, Queen Kaahumanu, relaxing guitar, relaxing music, Slack Key, Taro Patch, taylor 414ce-NR, taylor classical guitar, taylor nylon, tranquil song, Wawaloli

Here is an original slack key song I named for Kaiminani Drive in Kalaoa, North Kona, on the Big Island of Hawaii. Kaiminani Drive is a main mauka-makai road that connects the Queen Kaahumanu and Mamalahoa highways (lower and upper roads, respectively). It also runs through the Kona Palisades neighborhood where I lived for a number of years as a child. Back then, the neighborhood was less developed, and my friends and I would build tree houses and play in the vacant lots. We could also watch the planes come and go at Kona International Airport at Keahole Point (KOA), and had easy access to then-uncrowded OTEC (Wawaloli) and Pine Trees (Kohanaiki) beaches. Hope you enjoy.