How to Make Hawaiian Steel Guitar Music
Use your steel guitar as an art form to convey feelings through playing. Forget what kind of steel, what kind of bar or picks — PLAY MUSIC! The word talent is greatly overused. Without desire, talent is NOTHING. You’ll never ever finish LEARNING steel guitar. It’s a solo instrument. Be an individual. Don’t let somebody else tell you what you should do. PLAY YOUR PERSONALITY. Get the listener involved in what you’re doing. Lead them into the music. Make them anticipate your next note. Steel guitar is a LAID BACK instrument.— Jerry Byrd
HSGA Videos
You’ll find video clips from HSGA’s Hawaiian Music Festival performances across many decades as well as other Hawaiian steel guitar videos from HSGA-supported events. Watch great performances from some of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar legends and discover some wonderful Hawaiian Steel players that you might not have known about.
HSGA Song Tabs
Click the button to see our growing colleciton of song tabs we have been working on for the last 30+ years. Many of the songs include a backing track. What Are Tabs? Tabs, short for tablature, are shorthand charts that document music for the Hawaiian Steel Guitar. Tabs make it quick and easy to learn songs by telling you which strings to pluck and which frets to place your steel on.
HSGA Member Recordings
Enjoy some of the wonderful Hawaiian kīkākila (steel guitar) recordings made by our members who range from legendary musicians to nā mea hoihoi (enthusiasts). You will hear a mix of songs that feature a wide variety of styles and steel guitars.
HSGA Tips
There are many things to know in order to play the Hawaiian Steel Guitar. Here you can find our growing collection of tips on everything from basic techniques, harmonics and bar slants, to different steel guitar tunings and reading tabs.
HSGA Teachers
The HSGA has a network of members who are teachers of the Hawaiian Steel Guitar at every level. Click the button to see a list of instructors by region along with phone numbers and emails to help you connect and get started. Many of the teachers offer remote lessons online by Skype or Zoom.
