ETUDE
May 1943
volume LXI
number 5
page 353, 360

The Electric Hawaiian Guitar

By George C. Krick

IN RECENT YEARS we have witnessed a most remarkable innovation in connection with musical instruments, namely, electric amplification, especially that applying to the Hawaiian guitar. This type of instrument now offered by the leading American manufacturers is a triumph of instrument making and engineering skill. Its tone from the faintest pianissimo to a fortissimo of organ-like quality is beautiful and enchanting, and the instrument is becoming more popular from day to day. Its artistic possibilities are almost unlimited, but its continued popularity will depend on the development of capable teachers and serious public performers. While the player of the ordinary Hawaiian guitar should have no difficulty in adapting himself to the electric instrument, it is necessary to make a thorough study of its tonal possibilities and its technical requirements for right and left hand, in order to bring out its beautiful tone and to control its power.

It is unfortunate that so far no all-comprehensive instruction book by an unquestioned authority has made its appearance, and for this reason we shall try to give here some hints that might prove helpful to those entering upon the study of this interesting subject.

Avoid the use of the open strings as much as possible and use them only when absolutely necessary. Pick firmly with the tip of the finger picks, but not too hard. Get perfect control of the glissando and use it judiciously, but guard against overdoing it.

For the electric guitar the steel and picks should be much lighter than those used on the ordinary guitar. This assures much easier manipulation of right and left hand. We know of some players who use the bare finger tips, but we believe that best results can be gotten with a light metal pick.

From personal experience we find that the heavy gauge treble strings – 1st – 2nd and 3rd are most satisfactory; the three bass strings should be of a smaller gauge than those on ordinary guitars. The tonal volume of the treble and bass strings should always be kept properly balanced, and since the treble strings generally carry the melody these should stand out somewhat above the basses. This can be done on the tone controls with which most instruments are equipped.

The volume control may be turned on in full and then regulated to fit the size of the room or hall in which the player is performing. The best position for the player is near and in front of the amplifier. If you use an A. C. amplifier be sure that the current you expect to use is correct, as D. C. through an A. C. amplifier will do a lot of damage. While a guitarist is not expected to be an electrician, he should become thoroughly familiar with his amplifier, so he can make minor adjustments when necessary, not forgetting to carry with him the several tools necessary for that purpose.

Many professional players use different tunings for their guitars. The one we advocate for beginners is that in A major, as most of the music is published in this notation. This means from lowest to highest E – A – E – A – C-sharp – E. Another favorite tuning is that generally called High Bass tuning and is as follows: A – C-sharp – E – A – C-sharp – E. The E 7th tuning is also used considerably by professional players and consists of: E – B – D – G-sharp – B – E. As stated before, beginners will do well to adopt the first one mentioned and later on, when proficiency has been obtained, the other tunings can easily be acquired.

The Mandolin

In a recent letter one of our correspondents bemoans the fact that in the past this column has devoted more space to the guitar, and furthermore wonders if for some personal reasons we are neglecting the mandolin. If this correspondent had faithfully read this column during the past few years, he should have learned that we have given considerable space to matters pertaining to the mandolin, and if articles on guitar matters seem to predominate it is primarily because our monthly mail received from guitarists is ten times that received from mandolinists. This evidently shows that guitarists are much more interested in this column and are always ready to write us about it.

It so happened that the mandolin was the first musical instrument in which the writer became interested, and he made a study of it under the guidance of William Foden, who was one of the pioneer mandolin teachers in this country. At one of the early conventions of the “American Guild,” we, together with three of our advanced players, introduced to a Philadelphia audience the “Original Plectrum Quartet in G major,” by Carlo Munier, which was the first American performance of this beautiful composition These were the days when a mandolin could be found in almost every home and every high school and college boasted of its mandolin or banjo club. In some localities the mandolin has evidently lost some of its former popularity in recent years, a condition which is difficult to explain. Perhaps, young boys listening in on the radio hear Benny Goodman, Gene Krupa and others, and Father has to look around for a clarinet or a drum. If the mandolin in the hands of a real artist was heard more often over the radio or in concert more people would become fascinated with it and would want to play it.