Keola Beamer’s Tunings for this Album C Wahine (C-G-D-G-B-E), also known as ‘Keola’s C’ for the songs Lei ‘Awapuhi, HePunahele No ‘Oe, Ku’uipo Ku’u Lei, Sweet Singing Bamboo, Medley: Ke Ali’i HuluMamo & Kimo Hula, Holo Wa’apa, Bali Ha’i & Stranger in Paradise, and Sanoe( electric ‘water’ guitar). C Mauna Loa (C-G-E-G-A-E) for ‘Alekoki. C Old Mauna Loa/Ni’ihau (C-G-C-G-A-D) for… Read More


I created this arrangement in 1971 going for a soulful feel that honors the subject and mood of the song. Because this song has such importance to our culture, I’ve included the lyrics for your study, prepared by my brother, Kaliko Beamer Trapp. Tuning used is Keola’s C or C Wahine (C-D-G-B-D-E) in the key of G.
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Many Hawaiian “mele” (songs) use poetic images of flowers to express affection. The title of this traditional lovely old melody, which translates as “my beloved sweetheart, my beloved lei,” typifies this romantic custom. Learn this in Keola’s C tuning.… Read More


Ka Makani ʻUlaʻula is an original piece that I composed for the “red wind” of our home near the little town of Kamuela, Hawaiʻi. Learn this piece in Modified Taro Patch (DGDGBE).… Read More


E āwaiaulu i ke aloha (a love securely bound) is the subject of this popular mele hoʻoipoipo (love song) attributed to Lala Mahelona and George Kalelohi, Sr. You will learn it in F Wahine Tuning.… Read More


This is my tribute to the region of Maui where I used to play music in the evenings. You will also learn the differences between kāne (male) and wahine (female) tunings.… Read More


kbeamer.com > Instruction > Beginning Realm > This Lesson Introduction We will start with the C Wahine Tuning, (also called “Keola’s C” because of my extensive use of this tuning over many years). It is one of the easiest and most user friendly tunings available for the Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar, plus it has the added bonus of sounding very… Read More


kbeamer.com > Instruction > Beginning Realm > This Lesson A chromatic scale is a scale ascending and descending in half steps, the smallest interval in western music. To play a chromatic scale on the guitar, begin on the open strings. Then play the note on the first fret, second fret and third fret, continuing up to the twelfth fret, and… Read More


kbeamer.com > Instruction > Beginning Realm > This Lesson Left Hand Reach Development Exercise (Also known as The Spider Exercise) This is a great exercise that is VERY effective in left hand training. The movements of the fingers in this exercise are encountered in many styles of guitar playing. They are so basic and occur so often that early mastery… Read More


kbeamer.com > Instruction > Beginning Realm > This Lesson Introduction to Exercises When you thoroughly understand the basic playing position, the free stroke and the rest stroke, the next step is to train the right and left hands to function smoothly in preparation for the pieces in this tutorial. To this end, the more you practice these technical exercises, which… Read More