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hawaiian music

Hawaiian Music

United States · 1800s

Chill Romantic Sentimental Dreamy Dancing

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Description

Hawaiian music blends indigenous chant traditions (mele, including the declaimed oli and danced mele hula) with 19th‑century introductions such as the guitar, ukulele, and later the steel guitar. It is marked by flowing melodies, close vocal harmonies, falsetto singing (leo kidekide), and dance accompaniment for hula.

Through the 1800s and early 1900s, Hawaiian musicians integrated Western harmony and song forms (waltz, march, and popular ballad) into hula k6bei and hapa haole songs, while preserving poetic devices like kaona (layered metaphor) and placedname imagery. The slackdkey guitar (k2b h4dbalu) and the gliding tone of the steel guitar became signature sounds, later shaping country, lounge, exotica, and surf idioms worldwide.

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Influenced by

Polynesian Music

Polynesian music refers to the diverse vocal, instrumental, and dance-related musical traditions of the Polynesian Triangle (Hawai‘i, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti and the Society Islands, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, Tokelau, Niue, Rapa Nui, and others). At its core are chant-based forms (e.g., oli, hīmene, haka/haka taparahi, and imene tuki), powerful group singing with antiphonal call-and-response, and percussion-driven dance accompaniments. Pre-contact soundworlds featured conch shell trumpets (pū), nose flutes (ʻōʻhe hano ihu), slit drums (pātē/toʻere), and skin drums (pahu), while melodies often moved within narrow ranges with speech-like inflections. From the 19th century onward, congregational hymnody and later guitars, ukulele, and Western harmony blended with Indigenous forms, producing distinctive choral styles (e.g., himene tarava) and modern song traditions that remain tightly integrated with dance (hula, siva, ʻoteʻa). Today, the spectrum spans ancient ceremonial chant through contemporary fusions with pop and reggae, but it consistently centers community, genealogy, place, and dance.

Austronesian Music

Austronesian music is an umbrella term for the diverse musical traditions of Austronesian-speaking peoples, whose homelands stretch from Taiwan through Island Southeast Asia to Oceania and Madagascar. Across this vast region, common threads recur: strong communal vocal practices (call-and-response, responsorial choruses, and polyphonic or heterophonic textures), cyclic and interlocking rhythms, and an emphasis on idiophones and membranophones such as slit drums, gong-chime ensembles (e.g., gamelan and kulintang), and bamboo percussion. Melodies often favor anhemitonic pentatonic scales, limited ranges, and formulaic, chant-like contours, while dance and music are tightly integrated in ritual and social life (e.g., hula, siva, haka, and fatele). Local instrumentation and style vary widely—ukulele, slack-key guitar, and himene tarava in Polynesia; gong-row ensembles, kotekan interlocking, and metallophones in Indonesia; kulintang suites in the southern Philippines; nose flutes and bamboo zithers across the region; and valiha (tube zither) in Madagascar—yet they share maritime, oral-poetic, and communal aesthetics shaped by millennia of seafaring and exchange.

Oceanian music is an umbrella term for the traditional and modern musical practices of the peoples of Oceania, including Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. It encompasses Indigenous Australian songlines and didjeridu traditions, Papuan and Melanesian slit-drum ensembles, Micronesian multipart choral singing, and Polynesian chant-and-dance repertoires alongside later influences such as hymnody, string-band, slack-key guitar, ukulele ensembles, reggae-derived "island" styles, and contemporary popular music. Characteristic features include participatory group singing; strong ties between music, dance, and ceremony; interlocking rhythmic patterns on wooden slit drums; antiphonal and responsorial vocal textures; and narratives that honor land, sea, kinship, and ancestry. In the modern era, Oceanian music often blends local languages and timbres with imported instruments and global genres, producing distinctive fusions that remain rooted in community and place.

Portuguese Music

Portuguese music is the broad musical tradition of Portugal, spanning medieval courtly song, liturgical polyphony, regional folk styles, urban song (most famously fado), and a modern landscape of pop, rock, jazz, hip hop, and experimental scenes. At its core is the aesthetic of saudade—a bittersweet sense of longing—that shapes the melodic phrasing and lyrical themes of many Portuguese styles. Hallmark timbres include the bright, shimmering guitarra portuguesa (12‑string Portuguese guitar), classical/folk guitars (viola), cavaquinho, accordion, adufe frame drum, and regional bagpipes (gaita transmontana). Portuguese music also reflects centuries of exchange across the Lusophone world, especially with Brazil, Cape Verde, and other former colonies, enriching local idioms with rhythmic and harmonic colors from Africa and the Americas.

Mexican music is the broad, living tradition of musical practices that emerged in Mexico from the encounter of Indigenous Mesoamerican cultures with Iberian (Spanish) and later African and pan‑European influences. It encompasses rural and urban styles, ceremonial and popular forms, and both acoustic and amplified idioms—from string‑band sones, corridos, and rancheras to brass‑band banda and accordion‑driven norteño. Hallmark features include lively dance rhythms (polka, waltz, huapango/son), bright timbres (violins, trumpets, harp, reeds, accordion, tuba), strong storytelling, and expressive vocalism with gritos, melismas, and call‑and‑response. While its roots stretch back to the 16th century, Mexican music has continually evolved through media (radio, cinema, recordings), migration, and cross‑border exchange, shaping and being shaped by Latin American and global popular music.

Hymns are strophic, text-driven songs of praise, devotion, or instruction intended for congregational or communal singing, most closely associated with Christian worship. They typically use clear, memorable melodies, regular poetic meters, and straightforward harmonies so that large groups can sing together with ease. While the concept of a hymn as a sacred song predates Christianity (e.g., in Ancient Greek and Jewish traditions), Christian hymnody coalesced late in the 4th century with Ambrosian practice in Milan and then expanded through Latin and Greek liturgical cultures. Over time, hymn singing moved from monastic and cathedral settings into congregational life, especially after the Protestant Reformation, where metrical psalms and vernacular hymns became a defining feature of worship. Modern hymnody ranges from chant-like, modal melodies without accompaniment to robust, four-part chorale harmonizations with organ, and even contemporary arrangements that adapt classic hymn texts and tunes to newer popular styles.

Waltz is a dance-music genre in triple meter, most commonly in 3/4 time, marked by a strong accent on the first beat and the characteristic “oom–pah–pah” accompaniment (bass note followed by two chords). Emerging from Central European folk dances and adopted by urban salons, the waltz spans both functional dance repertoire and concert pieces for piano or orchestra. Tempos vary by style: the Viennese waltz is fast and flowing, while the slow/English waltz is measured and lyrical. Melodies are typically long-breathed and cantabile, with 8- or 16-bar phrases and frequent modulations to closely related keys. The genre is culturally tied to Vienna and the Habsburg lands, where composers such as the Strausses and Lanner helped codify its form, but it has since permeated ballroom traditions, art music, folk repertoires, film, and popular music worldwide.

A march is a genre and form of music written to accompany or evoke the motion and ceremony of marching. It is characterized by steady, accentuated beats, simple periodic phrases, and a clear, forward-driving pulse. Most marches are in duple meter—commonly 2/4 or 6/8—with tempos that align to the pace of human steps (roughly 110–128 BPM for quick marches and 60–84 BPM for slow or funeral marches). The classic structure uses repeated strains and a contrasting Trio section, often modulating to the subdominant and thinning texture before a climactic return. Written primarily for winds and percussion, marches are central to military, civic, and ceremonial traditions, yet they also appear in orchestral works, operas, and popular festivities.

Polka is a lively Central European couple dance and musical style in a brisk 2/4 meter, characterized by its buoyant “oom‑pah” bass-chord accompaniment and bright, diatonic melodies. Originating in Bohemia (today’s Czech Republic) in the early 19th century, it quickly became a pan-European craze before taking root across immigrant communities in the Americas. Ensembles typically feature accordion or button box/concertina, clarinet or saxophone, trumpets/trombone, tuba or string bass, and drum kit, with regional variants highlighting different lead voices and rhythmic feels. While the classical ballroom tradition codified polka into formal strains (often AABB with a contrasting trio), folk and popular styles favor singable tunes, simple I–IV–V harmonies, and tempos commonly around 115–135 BPM, inviting upbeat social dancing and communal celebration.

Habanera is a Cuban song-and-dance genre that emerged in Havana in the 19th century, written in duple meter and defined by a distinctive syncopated rhythmic cell often described as a tresillo with an added backbeat (frequently felt as a 3–3–2 grouping across the bar). Typically moderate in tempo and frequently set in a minor key, habaneras combine European salon-song harmony with Afro-Cuban rhythmic sensibility. The style flourished both as a vocal strophic canción with romantic or nostalgic lyrics and as an instrumental dance form for piano and small ensembles. Its characteristic lilt and sensual sway made it an international craze by the late 19th century, permeating opera, art song, and popular music across Europe and the Americas.

Has influenced

Exotica is a mid‑century style of mood music that blends jazz harmony, easy‑listening orchestration, and a collage of global percussion and timbral signifiers meant to evoke imaginary tropical, Polynesian, Asian, African, and Latin locales. Characterized by vibraphone and marimba leads, lush strings, woodwinds, wordless vocals, bird calls, gongs, and abundant reverberation, it creates a cinematic “armchair travel” experience. Rather than documenting specific traditions, exotica assembles stylized sound cues—Afro‑Cuban grooves, Polynesian drum patterns, pentatonic and whole‑tone colors—into atmospheric mini‑dramas. The genre flourished alongside postwar tiki culture and hi‑fi/stereo demonstrations, prioritizing vivid spatial staging and evocative orchestration over virtuoso soloing.

Lounge is a mid-20th-century style of easy listening that blends jazz harmony, light orchestral arranging, and Latin/exotica rhythms into suave, unobtrusive music designed for relaxation and sophisticated ambience. Typically associated with cocktail lounges, tiki bars, and the hi‑fi/stereo boom, it emphasizes lush strings, vibraphone and marimba timbres, brushed drums, gentle horns, and occasional wordless vocals or whistling. Melodies are memorable yet restrained, arrangements are polished, and production often highlights spacious reverbs and playful stereo effects. A 1990s revival reframed lounge as retro‑chic, intersecting with downtempo, chillout, and nu‑jazz while preserving its trademark mood: warm, cosmopolitan, and stylishly relaxed.

Space age pop is a mid‑century style of highly produced “hi‑fi” lounge and easy listening that embraced postwar futurism, stereo spectacle, and exotic color. It blends plush orchestras, jazz harmonies, and Latin/"exotica" percussion with novel timbres such as vibraphone, celeste, theremin, ondes Martenot, and early electronic/echo effects. Arrangers focused on dazzling stereo staging, crisp percussion, and sparkling instrumental details meant to show off new home sound systems. Melodies are tuneful and sophisticated, harmonies are rich (9ths, 11ths, 13ths), and rhythms often draw from mambo, cha‑cha‑cha, and bossa‑tinged grooves. The mood ranges from dreamy and romantic to playful and futuristic—an aural image of the “Jet Age,” tiki bars, and optimistic science fiction.

Surf is a guitar-driven style of early 1960s popular music that evokes the sound and culture of ocean surfing. It is best known for its "wet" spring reverb, rapid tremolo-picked melodies, and bright single‑coil guitar tones that mimic the shimmer and surge of waves. The genre includes both instrumental surf (Dick Dale, The Ventures) and vocal surf (The Beach Boys, Jan & Dean), the latter often pairing lush harmonies with lyrics about surfing, cars, and Southern California youth life. Harmonically it tends to use simple I–IV–V progressions, minor‑key modes for dramatic instrumentals, and singable hooks for radio‑friendly songs. Beyond its beach imagery, surf's sonic signatures influenced film/TV "spy" cues and later rock subgenres, thanks to its distinctive timbre, energetic rhythms, and memorable riffs.

Sutartinės are ancient Lithuanian multipart songs characterized by tightly interlocking voices, canon-like entrances, and striking dissonances (especially seconds) that resolve through stepwise motion. They are traditionally performed by small groups (often two to four women) and can also be rendered instrumentally on skudučiai (end-blown panpipes), ragai/daudytės (wooden horns), or kanklės (zither). The genre features short, repetitive melodic formulas, narrow-range modal lines, and a pulsating, steady beat that supports round-dance movement. Texts span calendar-cycle rituals, work, nature, weddings, and playful themes, frequently using vocables and refrain syllables. Sutartinės are organized in types—dvejinės (in twos), trejinės (in threes), and keturinės (in fours)—and rely on hocketing and ostinati to create a hypnotic, shimmering texture. In 2010 they were inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Easy listening is a lush, melodic, and unobtrusive style of popular orchestral music designed to be pleasant in the foreground and effortless in the background. It favors smooth textures, lyrical melodies, and gentle rhythms over virtuosic display or dense complexity. Typical arrangements feature string sections, woodwinds, soft brass, vibraphone, harp, piano, subtle Latin or light swing percussion, and sometimes wordless choirs. Repertoire often consists of standards, film and television themes, and instrumental covers of contemporary hits, presented with polished studio production and wide stereo imaging. The mood ranges from romantic and sentimental to breezy and exotic, prioritizing warmth, clarity, and relaxed pacing. Improvisation, if present, is restrained, with harmony that leans on jazzy extensions while staying consonant and approachable.

Tropical rock (often shortened to "trop rock") blends laid‑back rock and country songwriting with Caribbean and Gulf Coast rhythms and instrumentation. It evokes beaches, sailing, and escapism, pairing acoustic guitars and pedal steel with steel pans, island percussion, and breezy keyboards. Lyrically, it celebrates coastal life—sun, saltwater, cocktails, and the desire to slow down—delivered with friendly, sing‑along hooks and relaxed grooves.

Country is a roots-based popular music from the rural American South that blends Anglo-Celtic ballad traditions with African American blues, gospel, and string-band dance music. It is characterized by narrative songwriting, plainspoken vocals with regional twang, and a palette of acoustic and electric instruments such as acoustic guitar, fiddle, banjo, pedal steel, and telecaster guitar. Rhythmically it favors two-step feels, train beats, shuffles, and waltzes, while harmony is largely diatonic (I–IV–V) with occasional country chromaticism and secondary dominants. Across a century, country has evolved through substyles like honky-tonk, the Nashville and Bakersfield sounds, outlaw country, neotraditionalist revivals, pop-country, and country-rap hybrids, but it consistently prioritizes storytelling about everyday life, love, work, faith, place, and identity.

Honky tonk is a hard-edged, barroom strain of country music built for noisy dancehalls and roadside beer joints. It emphasizes a strong backbeat, simple I–IV–V harmony, and vivid storytelling about heartbreak, drinking, cheating, and working-class life. Sonically, it features twangy electric (often Telecaster) guitar, crying pedal steel or lap steel, fiddle, pounding honky-tonk piano with boogie-woogie figures, upright or electric bass, and a steady shuffle or two-step drum groove. Vocals are direct and emotive, often with a nasal twang and blue-note inflections, designed to cut through a lively room. Amplification and a danceable feel are central, reflecting its origins in Texas and Oklahoma bars after Prohibition, where musicians needed volume, rhythmic drive, and memorable hooks to reach listeners over clinking glasses and conversation.

Slack-Key Guitar

Slack-key guitar (kī hō'alu) is a Hawaiian fingerstyle tradition for steel‑string acoustic guitar distinguished by "slacked" open tunings, flowing treble melodies, and a steady alternating bass played by the thumb. It emphasizes ringing open strings, harmonics, and graceful vamps that frame vocal or instrumental melodies tied to Hawaiian poetry and place names. The result is a relaxed, singing guitar sound that can feel both intimate and spacious, often accompanying hula or standing alone as a solo art.

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