Hands-on Experiences Offered to Festival Guests

June 21, 2018 • Addison Ching • Festivals and Conventions

HIMELE's steel guitar festivals now feature live steel guitar demonstrations for festival guests. These demonstrations help enhance the steel guitar experience through demonstrations conducted by experienced steel guitar players. Festival guests can find out more about the instrument, hear how the instrument sounds, and participate in a "hands-on" playing experience complete with steel guitar, amplifier, picks and bars. These are similar to demonstrations that are presented to public school students at some of the festivals where students are given an opportunity to learn about the instrument and experience hands-on playing opportunities under the guidance of a Next Generation steel guitarist.

Don Touchi, HIMELE director and Official event photographer, observed "…that it gives people a hands-on experience as to how the instrument plays and sounds." Don's documentation of the many people taking advantage of the demonstrations can been seen on the photo galleries of the festivals that included the demonstrations.

Demonstrations were first offered at the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Ka Makana Ali'i in March and proved to be very popular. Demonstrations were also presented at both locations of the Maui Steel Guitar Festival in April, and again at the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Festival at Windward Mall in June.

Daniel Tremblay at Ka Makana Ali'i. PC-Don Touchi.

Even the youngsters get involved. PC-Don Touchi.

"The demo table at our festivals was designed so adults and children could learn more about the steel guitar," said HIMELE chairman of the board Alan Akaka. "One after another sat down asking questions and [were] given the opportunity to give the instrument a try. I loved watching the excitement and fascination on their faces as they slid the bar up and down the neck emulating what the masters were doing on stage and even trying to pick a melody."

Daniel Tremblay at Queen Ka'ahumanu Center in Kahului, Maui. PC-Don Touchi.

Bob Beard at Windward Mall, Kane'ohe. PC-Don Touchi.

Demonstrations will again be available at Waikiki Steel Guitar Week during the Friday and Saturday Ho'olaule'a programs on July 13 and 14, 2018. The hands-on experience will be located in Helumoa Hale, the Royal Hawaiian Center's meeting room where the steel guitar exhibit will be presented.

FYI