There are a lot of stories and theories on how Slack-Key guitar style came to be in Hawaii. The most popular story is that the guitar was introduced to local island cowboys (paniolo) by Mexican and Spanish cowboys in the 19th century. When the paniolo tried to play their traditional songs and chants incorporating the guitar, they developed this unique form as it felt more traditional.
The Hawaiian name for Slack-Key is ki ho alu, which means "loosen the key". Slack-Key guitar is a distinctly Hawaiian style of music where one or more strings is detuned or slacked so that the six strings form a single major chord (usually G). The resulting sound is very soothing and quickly takes you to the beautiful island shores.
With most Hawaiian music, the vocals are the most important part. The guitar and drums playing the roll of mood setting or background music. Since the background sound was less key and hence less traditional, ancient Hawaiians were allowed some leeway to experiment. Guitar sounds were developed regionally and passed down through family or "ohana" through each generation. While Slack-Key has a consistent theme, the overall sound can vary by region or island.
The 23rd Annual Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Festival "Maui Style" will take place this year on 6/22/14 from 1 pm to 7 pm at the Maui Arts $ Cultural Center Amphi-Theater. Tickets can be purchased in advance by going on-line to the MACC (http://www.mauiarts.org) or by calling 808.355.0613. The MACC is located in Kahului, HI.

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