slack-key

[ slak-kee ]

noun

1. a style of Hawaiian popular music played on an acoustic guitar with strings tuned to notes lower than standard guitar tuning for more bass resonance.

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to this style of music.

Word History and Origins

Origin of slack-key¹

First recorded in 1975–80; slack ¹( def ) (in the sense “loose, not taut”) + key ¹( def ); translation of Hawaiian kī hō‘alu, equivalent to kī “key” + hō‘alu “slack”

Example Sentences

In addition to the ukulele and slack-key guitar virtuosos, many other traditions have returned.

From Seattle Times

In 2012, he released “George Winston: Harmonica Solos,” and in 1983 he created his own label, Dancing Cat Records, to record practitioners of Hawaiian slack-key guitar, a genre he particularly admired.

From New York Times

Hawaiian Music Festival Feel the vibes with this family-friendly outdoor show featuring vocalist Aolani Kaeka-Preuss and Grammy-winning slack-key guitarist Jim “Kimo” West.

From Los Angeles Times

Not long after at a slack-key guitar convention, he met Sunny Chillingworth, who was “Tiny Bubbles” legend Don Ho’s musical director.

From Seattle Times

Slack-key isn’t as well-known as the ukulele of the islands, which has made the art a mission for Makana: “It’s like that image is stuck in the minds of millions of people around the world,” he said of ukulele.

From Seattle Times