Play Along!
(PĀKAʻA SPEAKING)
Normally when I attend a symphony concert, my kuleana is to listen.
When I go to the symphony concert to hear Pākaʻa Lanakila!, I am invited to prepare a part: : I can play, or sing, or both.
As a player or singer in Pākaʻa Lanakila!, I will do my part from my seat in the audience, along with the symphony musicians who play on stage.
Learn the differences between Symphony Orchestra instruments and Band instruments.
E Pāʻani Pū Mai!
(Wahi a Pākaʻa)
ʻO ka mea maʻa mau, ke noho ma kekahi ʻaha mele simiponi, noʻu ke kuleana ʻo ka hoʻolohe ʻana.
Ke hele au i ka ʻaha mele simiponi e hoʻolohe iā Pākaʻa Lanakila!, kono ʻia au e komo i ka māhele mele: hiki iaʻu ke hoʻokani, hīmeni, a i ʻole nā mea ʻelua.
Ma koʻu ʻano he mea hoʻokani a i ʻole he mea hīmeni ma Pākaʻa Lanakila!, e komo pū ana a e hoʻokō ana hoʻi au i koʻu kuleana mai koʻu noho mai i loko o ke anaina, me nā mea hoʻokani simiponi ma ka ʻāwai.
E aʻo mai i ka ʻokoʻa ma waena o nā mea kani ʻōkeka simiponi a me nā mea kani pāna.
Play Along FAQs
Hand percussion
Soprano (B3-G5) or Alto (Gb3-Db5)
Say the “U-Te-U-Te-Te” rhythm (click here to see the music notes and hear the sounds).
Then clap it: Clap the “U” (pronounced “ooh”) by clapping with cupped hands softly on your ʻūhā (lap). “U” is the lower sound.
Clap the “Te” by striking the flat fingers of one hand against the flat palm of the other. “Te” is the higher sound.
Note: Maybe you know these same sounds? The “U-Te-U-Te-Te” rhythm is a hula rhythm often played by the ipu heke for the kaholo (travelling movement). They are also called “Po” (low) and “Pati” (high) in the Samoan language, and featured in Fa’ataupati, the Samoan male dance.
In the moʻolelo, Pākaʻa convinces his reluctant and protective mother to let him join the poʻe lawaiʻa (people who fish) on their next fishing outing. When the day comes, he paddles his canoe towards the meeting place of the poʻe lawaiʻa.
While he paddles towards them, I watch the conductor carefully for the beat and the cue (signal) to join the symphony orchestra and play my part. It’s holoholo (traveling) music in the moʻolelo, so I’ll want to practice my part well, so I can paʻi (drum) in time, control my dynamic level (loudness) and know what to do when the time comes.
After I play the hand percussion part, the moʻolelo continues. Pākaʻa meets up with the poʻe lawaiʻa, and he paddles with them out through the channel, with the waves getting steeper and the fleet of canoes farther and farther from land, until finally the whole island comes into view.
This is the moment when I watch the conductor carefully for the beat, and their cue to join the symphony orchestra and sing my part. Whether I sing the soprano or alto part, I will hear both melodies played by the orchestra while I sing. I’ll want to practice my part well, so I am ready to sing when the time comes.
After the singing part is over, Pākaʻa mā (Pākaʻa and the poʻe lawaiʻa) arrive at the fishing grounds, and the lawaiʻa nui (head fisherman) aligns the fleet with the landmarks to make sure they are in the right place. Then they wait for the mālolo fish to appear…
Playing or singing with a symphony orchestra or a band is like being part of a big, musical superhero team. To make magic happen on stage, every musician needs a few essential “superpowers” in their musical toolkit. Here are some of them:
Know Your Instrument
- Know how to sit or stand (posture), and where to place your fingers.
- Understand how to care for it.
- Make sure it is ready to play.
Know Your Music Part
- Practice your own part so I can play or sing it consistently well. (Your teacher can ask for the sheet music––teacher, click here––so you can practice in class.)
- The best musicians practice their parts daily, over weeks and months.
- Listen and learn how your part fits in with the other parts.
Control Your Volume (Dynamics)
- Know how to silence your instrument until it is time to play
- Match the dynamic level (loudness) of the group.
- When another instrument has a solo, play quietly so you can hear the solo.
- Play with a strong, beautiful tone when it’s your turn to play a solo.
Keep Perfect Rhythm
- Feel the steady heartbeat of the music, and watch the conductor’s arms for the steady beat.
- Play or sing your notes at the exact time, in sync with the other musicians.
- Count your rests so you do not blink and miss your turn to play.
For Singers, and Woodwind, Brass, or String Players: Hit the Perfect Pitch
- If your instrument needs tuning, tune it before playing.
- Listen closely to make sure your pitch is not too high or too low.
- Blend your sound perfectly with your neighbors.
Watch the Conductor, Who…
- Tells you when to start and stop.
- Shows you how loudly or quietly to play.
- Keeps 100 people moving as one team
ʻIke Pili
ʻO ka pahu lima.
He kopolano (B3-G5) a i ʻole ka ʻaeko (Gb3-Db5)
E oli i ka pana “ʻū–tē—ʻu-te-tē—” (e kaomi i ʻaneʻi e ʻike ai a e lohe ai i nā hua mele a me nā kani). A laila, e paʻi i ka lima:
ʻŪ- E paʻi i ka lima i ke kani “ʻŪ” (puana ʻia “u”) i nā lima me ke ʻano ʻūpoho mālie ma kou ʻūhā. ʻO ke kani “U” ke kani leo haʻahaʻa.
Tē- E paʻi i ka lima pālahalaha i ke kani “Tē.” ʻO ke kani “Tē” ke kani leo kiʻekiʻe.
Eia kekahi: Kamāʻaina anei ʻoe i kēia mau kani? ʻO ka pana, “ʻū–tē—ʻu-te-tē—” ka pana hula, e hoʻokani ʻia i ka ipu heke no ke kāholo ʻana. Kapa ʻia nō kēia ʻo “Po” (ka leo haʻahaʻa) a me “Pati” (ka leo kiʻekiʻe) ma ka ʻōlelo Kāmoa, a hiki ke ʻike ʻia kēia i ka Faʻataupati, ʻo ia ka hula kāne Kāmoa.
I ka moʻolelo, e noke ana ʻo Pākaʻa i kona makuahine kaʻukaʻulua a palepale hoʻi e ʻāpono aku iā ia nei e hoʻohui i nā poʻe lawaiʻa i kā lākou holo hou aʻe. I ka hiki ʻana o ia lā, e hoe ana ʻo ia ma luna o kona waʻa i kahi e hui ai ʻo nā poʻe lawaiʻa.
ʻOiai ʻo ia e hoe aku ana iā lākou, e nānā pono au i ke alakaʻi i ka pana me ka hōʻailona e hui pū me ka ʻōkeka simiponi a mālama i koʻu kuleana. ʻO ia hoʻi he ʻano mele holoholo ia i ka moʻolelo, no laila makemake au e hoʻomaʻamaʻa i koʻu māhele me ka maikaʻi, no ka paʻi pono ʻana, ka mālama ʻana i koʻu leo wawā, a me ka maopopo ʻana o ka manawa kūpono e hīmeni ai a hoʻokani ai hoʻi.
Ma hope o ka māhele paʻi lima, hoʻomau aku ka moʻolelo. E hui ana ʻo Pākaʻa me nā poʻe lawaiʻa, a hoe aku ʻo ia me lākou i ke kai, piʻi akula ke kai me ka holo mau ʻana aku o ka ʻau waʻa mai ka mokupuni aku i ke kai, a hiki i ka ʻike ʻana i kekahi mokupuni ʻokoʻa hou.
Ma ia manawa nō e nānā pono ai au i ke alakaʻi no ka pana, a me ka hōʻailona e komo pū i ka ʻōkeka simiponi a hīmeni aku i koʻu māhele. Inā nō paha au e hīmeni i ka māhele kopolano a i ʻole ka ʻaeko, e lohe ana nō au i nā melokia ʻelua e hoʻokani ʻia ana e ka ʻōkeka ʻoiai au e hīmeni ai.
Ma hope o ka hīmeni ʻana, hiki ana ʻo Pākaʻa mā i ke koʻa, a hoʻonohonoho ka lawaiʻa loea i nā waʻa i nā māka o uka e hōʻoia ai i kahi kūpono. A laila, noho mālie lākou a hiki mai ka mālolo.
Pau koʻu kuleana a hiki ke noho a nānā mālie i ke koena o ka ʻaha mele.
Ua like ka hoʻokani ʻana a me ka hīmeni ʻana me ka ʻōkeka simiponi a i ʻole me ka pāna me ke komo pū ʻana i ke kime meʻe kupanaha o ka ʻaha mele. I mea e puka pono ai ka hana kupanaha ma ka ʻāwai, pono nā mea hoʻokani a pau i kekahi mau mea pono i ko lākou waihona mākau mele. Eia kekahi o ia mau mākau:
ʻIke i kāu mea kani
- ʻIke i ke ʻano e noho ai a i ʻole e kū pono ai, a kahi pono e kau ai i nā manamana lima.
- ʻIke i ke ʻano e mālama pono ai i ia mea kani.
- ʻIke i ka mākaukau o ka mea kani.
ʻIke i kāu māhele mele
- Hoʻomaʻamaʻa i kāu māhele i hiki ke hīmeni a hoʻokani maikaʻi ʻia. (Hiki i kāu kumu ke noi i ka palapala mele, e kāomi ma ʻaneʻi—e hiki ke hoʻomaʻamaʻa i ka papa.)
- Hoʻomaʻamaʻa nā loea hoʻokani i ko lākou māhele i kēlā me kēia lā, no nā pule me nā māhina lōʻihi.
- Hoʻolohe a aʻo mai i ke ʻano o ka ʻānoni ʻana i kāu māhele me nā māhele o nā poʻe ʻē aʻe.
E mālama i ka nui o ka leo
- ʻIke i ke ʻano e hoʻēmi ai i ka leo o kāu mea kani a hiki i ka manawa kūpono e hoʻokani ai.
- E hoʻopili aku i ka nui o ka leo o kāu mea kani me ka nui o ka leo o ka hui nui.
- I ka leo kū kahi o kekahi mea kani, e mālama a emi iki mai ka leo o kāu mea kani i lohe ʻia ka leo kū kahi.
- E hoʻokani me ka ikaika a me ka nani i kou manawa e hoʻokani ai he leo kū kahi.
E kulukeoe ka papana
- E mālama i ka pana kū mau o ke mele, a nānā i ka lima o ke alakaʻi no ia pana.
- E hoʻokani a i ʻole e hīmeni i nā hua mele i ka manawa hoʻokahi, me ka hoʻohālikelike aku me nā mea hoʻokani ʻē aʻe.
- E helu i nā hoʻomaha ʻana ou i ʻole e hala iho ka manawa kūpono e hoʻokani ai.
No nā mea hīmeni, nā mea hoʻokani pū ʻohe lāʻau, pū kani ʻeulopa a me ka pila:
- Inā pono e hoʻokī pono i ka mea kani, e hoʻokī pono ma mua o ka hoʻokani ʻana.
- E hoʻolohe pono i ʻike i ke kī kūpono inā nō paha he leo kiʻekiʻe a leo haʻahaʻa paha.
- E ʻānoni maikaʻi i ke kani o ka leo o kāu mea kani me ke kani o haʻi.
E nānā i ke alakaʻi, e…
- Haʻi iā ʻoe i ka manawa pono e hoʻomaka ai a e ʻoki ai paha.
- Hōʻike iā ʻoe i ka nui o ka leo e kū pono ai.
- Mālama he hoʻokahi hāneli poʻe kohu maoli he kime hoʻokahi.
He mau hana ʻē aʻe:
E hana he mea kani ʻūkēkē:
E hana he mea kani kāʻekeʻeke: