Slack Key Bach (Bourrée in Open A Taro Patch)

Songsacoustic guitar, Bach Bouree, Bach cello suites, blue sky guitar, classical music, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Hawaii, hawaiian guitar, Kapiolani Park, ki ho’alu, Monkeypod trees, nahenahe, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open G, open tunings, Pablo Casals, Paki Ave, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, slack key, taro patch, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert, yoga

I went through a phase a few years back where I was regularly listening to the Pablo Casals recordings of the Bach cello suites. They were on the USB stick with music I had in my car, and for some reason the memory of listening to them that stands out is that of making my way home from Kapiolani Park after yoga class. Driving along Paki Avenue, listening to the mellow cello suites as the moon was coming out, looking up through the sunroof of my Honda at the moonlight filtering through the intricate silhouettes created by the canopy of Monkeypod trees lining the avenue, an amazing textured design.

Recently, I decided to arrange part II of the Bourrée from Bach’s Cello Suite 4 (BWV 1010) in Taro Patch tuning. Rather than the usual Open G, I used a capo on the 2nd fret to play the piece in Open A which helped make some of the stretches a little easier. This arrangement is based on Stanley Yates’s excellent arrangements of the cello suites for guitar (Mel Bay). In further adapting it for Taro Patch, I decided to use various fingerings and add some harmonics in place of fretted notes – things that one wouldn’t normally do, but which were part of the fun of playing this piece in an open tuning. Hope you enjoy.

Greensleeves

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, Christmas Guitar instrumental, fingerstyle guitar, Greensleeves, guitar instrumental, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert, What Child Is This

Here is an arrangement of Greensleeves I did back when I was teaching guitar full time. The arrangement was meant for intermediate to advanced students, and is both a little challenging and fun to play. Greensleeves (a/k/a What Child is This?) is often thought of as a Christmas classic, but the song actually originated as a love ballad in late 1500’s England. The tune quickly became a staple of popular culture, even to the point of Shakespeare seeming to have a bit of fun with the song’s widespread prevalence in The Merry Wives of Windsor. And the tune remains well known, even to this day. Hope you enjoy.

“Let the sky rain potatoes, let it thunder to the tune of ‘Greensleeves’…”
— William Shakespeare, via Falstaff, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Act V, Scene 5)

Welsh Dragonfly (812ce)

Songs50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dragonfly, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD, welsh dragonfly, Whales

Here is another version of my song Welsh Dragonfly, which was written after listening to some of the ‘acoustic’ music born out of Led Zeppelin’s retreat to the Welsh countryside. That music had an atmosphere at once both ethereal and bucolic, a vibe I try to tap into myself from time to time. This version of Welsh Dragonfly was recorded on a guitar with rosewood back & sides and a redwood top – the rosewood’s scooped midrange provides a nice separation between the bass and treble parts, fitting well with this arrangement. The redwood top mellows out the song a little – evening out the volume dynamics (adding sustain at times), and producing a warm sound. This song makes me feel relaxed and peaceful when I play it. Hope you enjoy.

Spooner Slack Key (First Take)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Hawaii, hawaiian guitar, Hawaiian koa, kailua kona, ki ho’alu, koa taylor, Neumann TLM 103, nick borho, open tunings open G, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, slack key, taro patch, taylor grand concert, Taylor K22ce

Spooner Slack Key was born out of an idea improvised between recording takes of another song. I decided to record an improvised version of the song as a demo to remember the idea – resulting in this ‘first & only’ take (so far) – then resumed working on the other song I was recording at the time. When listening back to the original recording recently, I like the energy and decided to post it. Hope you enjoy.

Here Comes the Sun (912ce)

SongsAbbey Road, acoustic guitar, beatles fingerstyle, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, George Harrison, Here Comes the Sun, Neumann TLM 103, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, rosewood taylor guitar, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert

Here’s a snappy take of my arrangement of the Harrison classic Here Comes the Sun. It’s a bright, happy tune that sounds great on acoustic guitar. Hope you enjoy.

Welsh Dragonfly (912ce)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dragonfly, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Line Audio CM4, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, rosewood taylor guitar, Taylor 912ce

Here is another version of my song Welsh Dragonfly, which was written after listening to some of the ‘acoustic’ music born out of Led Zeppelin’s retreat to the Welsh countryside. That music had an atmosphere at once both ethereal and bucolic, a vibe I try to tap into myself from time to time. This version of Welsh Dragonfly was recorded on a rosewood and spruce guitar – the rosewood’s scooped midrange provides a nice separation between the bass and treble parts, fitting well with this arrangement. This song makes me feel relaxed and peaceful when I play it. Hope you enjoy.

Dragonfly at Dawn (Improv)

Songs50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dragonfly, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, improv, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD

Dragonfly at Dawn is part of what has become a small group of improvisations (dubbed Dragonfly Songs) exploring related ideas and textures. This improv serves as a meditation of sorts, with a recurring set of phases floating over a drone from the lower strings. It also feels like a contemplative interlude between some of the other improvisations in the group. Hope you enjoy.

Dragonfly in the Rain (Improv, 812ce)

Songs50th Anniversary 812ce, acoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, Sinker Redwood tone, Taylor 812ce LTD

Recorded during a thunderstorm, this improvisation expands upon some of the ideas and textures from my song Welsh Dragonfly. This recording and some other, related recordings made on different guitars and at different times, have formed into a small group I’ve dubbed Dragonfly Songs. Sometimes it’s good to further explore familiar musical terrain and approach existing themes from a new angle. Hope you enjoy.

Butterflies (Original Fingerstyle)

Songsacoustic guitar, awesome little song, blue sky guitar, butterflies, fingerstyle guitar, nick borho, original fingerstyle guitar, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, signs music has changed your life

Today’s song from the vaults is called “Butterflies.” It’s a meditative song with a mellow, ethereal quality suitable to the title. Butterflies is a track from a project I had called Signs Music Has Changed Your Life. Hope you enjoy.

Irish Well Wishes

Songsacoustic guitar tone, blue sky guitar, celtic guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar instrumental, Hawaiian koa, koa taylor, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, Open D, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, taylor grand concert, Taylor K22ce

Irish Well Wishes is an improvisation inspired by my love of Ireland and the Irish people. When I recorded this, I had recently been reflecting on my visit to Ireland years ago; the beauty of the land and the warmth of the Irish people is often talked about and portrayed in various films, etc., but actually traveling there I found it really did meet and exceed expectations (and yes, it really was ‘that green’). Also, at the time of recording this, I had been listening to a fair amount of Tony McManus and Martin Simpson – all of this gave rise to the improvisation here around some pieces of melody from Danny Boy and various other Celtic guitar ideas. Hope you enjoy.

Nick Borho

Slack Key & Fingerstyle Guitar