"Isa Lei" (and "Si`i Lile Viola Lose Hina")
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- Опубликовано: 13 сен 2024
- "Isa Lei" has become a popular instrumental and vocal piece in Hawai`i and it is known as Fiji's song of farewell. But many Tongan voices have told me that the melody was originally a Tongan song composed to honor royalty. According to some commenters there is also a Samoan version of the same lovely melody.
This is one of the first songs I arranged for slack key, basing my melody on the vocal recording by Bla Pahinui. When I recently thought to do a new video of the song I decided to incorporate the "Spanish bass" developed by Sonny Chillingworth. Joining the flowing melody to the lilting bass figure took a bit of attention and sessions, but I finally persuaded my fingers to cooperate.
I used my Wingert Model E tuned to taropatch open G (D G D G B D) and recorded with a pair of Schoeps CMC62 omni condensers in a spaced pair. The mics were plugged into my faithful Zoom F6 recorder and I put up two Panasonic Lumix GH4 cameras to capture the video. I even managed to capture the brass toucan, our studio mascot. I used REAPER to play with the audio a bit, using a bit of EQ and a dynamic delay effect. All the video editing was done in Edius 9.
Beautiful, thank you!
Thank you for visiting and commenting. I really enjoy playing this song, I'm glad you enjoy listening to it.
Fran
@@franguidry i first listened to this song in a Ry Cooder version as a soundtrack to the movie „Dead Man Walking“ and since that day it is a part of my musical life. Now i‘m 64 and try to learn guitar. Your video is highly motivating to me.
@@willygrand8272 Tuning the guitar like we do in slack key makes the instrument easier to play, but it can be slightly tricky to find instructional material.
I'm not sure if Ry Cooder was using open G for his version, but he has done a lot in that tuning. Good luck with your pursuit.
Fran
Ry Cooder's version ( on "A Meeting By The River") is in open D guys.@@franguidry
I could listen to this all day long!
Thank you, Ben, glad you enjoyed it.
Fran
Beautiful 🇹🇴
Thank you so much, I'm glad you found the channel and enjoyed the clip.
Fran
As always Fran, such beauty in a song of islands! How I’d love to be watching a sun set on a quiet beach! Mahalo🏄🇺🇸
You're always welcome, Ken, thanks for visiting and commenting.
Fran
❤❤
Thank you Fran.
You're certainly welcome, thanks for your visits and comments.
Fran
Big Mahalo again. I was playing music when I saw you uploaded Isa lei so I played along Mahalo from Kona
Aloha Michael, how did you do playing along with this piece?
Fran
@@franguidry I like it it wasn’t hard to play along. These are my favorite and I play them every night. Salomila, Pau Hana Slack Key, E Ku’u sweet Lei Poina’ol, Kananaka, Holoholo Ka’a and others. I’m just a beginner but I pick up something every night. What you’re doing is helping me SO much now I’m adding Isa Lei to my set MAHALO
@@michaelcrisafi7297 Great to hear that you're getting slack key help from these clips, thank you.
Fran
It was beautiful Fran, Mahalo!!
Fran, a lovely piece of music and you did it justice, just as you do to all the tunes you play.
Now though, I will have to try and learn it. You have given a hint that it is based on the melody.
As I remember, I learned the melody from Bla Pahinui's vocal on the Pahinui Brothers album and here on RUclips: ruclips.net/video/axA5gTiWLJc/видео.html I think I hear Ry Cooder doing some lovely stuff on the break.
Another version I really like for a clear statement of the melody by John Pulu and Tom Natoealofa: ruclips.net/video/5TtawSHulKY/видео.html
My "arrangement" really just consists of my trying to play the right melody note at the right time, hopefully with a bit of feeling.
Fran
Beautiful as
usual. Mahalo Fran
Thank you, nice of you to visit and comment.
Fran
Superb once again Fran, thank you. I am working on your tutorial on Kaula 'Ili and also 'Imi Au la 'Oe, but will park this in the wings, such a sweet, Interesting tune. Diolch o Gymru (Thank you from Wales, UK)
This melody really has legs. Do a search on RUclips and you can find a myriad of versions, instrumental and vocal. If you want to go exploring I have a little list: ruclips.net/video/GmkhiW9FIIw/видео.html
Fran
Very nice. I always thought this would work well with that rhumba thumb rhythm.
I've misplaced the ability to really buckle down and work out an arrangement, so coming up with something new takes a loooooong time (grin). This one started as you say, thinking it should work - it certainly showed me that I don't have perfect control of that rhythm. I'm sure I broke meter somewhere in that clip but it was close enough.
Fran
Well done Fran. I like this melody with the Sonny-style bass figure (I didn't know it was called "Spanish bass", but I recognize it from his records). The guitar sounds great... incredible detail. You should use those Schoeps mics more often. Besides, with what they cost, you might as well use 'em!
I've been using the Schoeps a lot lately and I think I'll be taking them with me on our next Hawai`i trip. But I'm afraid my other mics will start to feel neglected (grin).
Fran
What a lovely arrangements! How soothing.
Thank you, it's one of those melodies that falls into place.
Fran
Beautiful melody, beautifully performed - thank you Fran 👍
Thank you, Brian. It is indeed a lovely melody. There are many beautiful renditions of the song.
Fran
Great song, great "Spanish bass"! Mahalo!
Thanks Arthur, I think I slipped a couple of times but mostly kept it going. I love playing songs with that motif.
Fran
You take me right there Fran, no matter which island it is!
Thank you, John , I'm so glad you enjoy the clips.
Fran
I remember very well you posted this Fiji？Tonga ？wonderful farewell song playing a dozen years a go♪
This is one of my favorite songs.
Thank you for posting.
Thank you, I'm honored that you have delved into my collection of clips.
Fran
Aloha Fran, I always enjoy the "re dos". In my mind you've always been excellent but I'm enjoying watching your progression thru the years. The descriptions are always enlightening and a treat to view. Mahalo
Robert, always nice to hear from you. There seems to be a lot to learn about his song, I've only brushed the surface I'm afraid.
Fran
Great sound. Great performance 👍👍👍👍👍 Thank you for this video, Fran. I wish you a Happy New Year.
Thanks Michael, all the best to you in 2023.
Fran
Beautiful......
Always lovely to hear from you, Phil.
Fran
well done! All good wishes
Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Fran
Just beautiful. At what point do you change from Isa Lei to Si`i Lile Viola Lose Hina?
I probably should have been more clear in my description. The melody is the same for both songs so there is no point of change. I first heard the song with the Fijian lyrics and the name "Isa Lei" but when I posted it some commenters mentioned that it was originally a song from Tonga. Since then I discovered versions of the song with the Tongan lyrics but the melody is the same for both.
Fran
@@franguidry I grew up in Louisiana, went to LSU and had many classmates with the last name Guidry.
@@SingleMalt77005 Oh yeah, there are plenty Guidrys in south Louisiana. We call ourselves "the unindicted Guidrys" since a number of our distant relatives have been in Louisiana politics and stumbled over some legal issues.
Fran
Very nicely done Fran. Always enjoy listening to you. Your bird could have been a bit more enthusiastic. 🥴
Ah, the toucan is very hard to impress (grin).
Fran