A contemporary master of slack key guitar provides the perfect introduction to a rich and vital guitar tradition. Called ki ho'alu in Hawaiian, 'slack key' refers to a variety of deep, richly-toned tunings in which the strings are loosened from standard pitch to suit the music. The thumb plays the bass while the fingers are used to pick melody in a cross between country fingerpicking and classical guitar. The music, which can be played on any guitar - acoustic or electric - has a lush sound