Tag Archives: relaxing guitar

Sí Bheag, Sí Mhór (Taylor 312ce)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, celtic fingerstyle, celtic guitar, Elixir HD Light, fingerstyle guitar, Line Audio CM4, nick borho, Open D, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, sapele tone, Taylor 312ce

Here is another version of my arrangement of Si Bheag, Si Mhor, composed by famous 17th century bard Turlough O’Carolan. While some of my prior recordings of this song were down tempo, this is a more up tempo version with a snappier feel. I think the song works well both ways to be honest, one of the many interesting things about it. Hope you enjoy.

Acacia Improv (K22ce)

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

Acacia Improv is an outtake of some improvisation done one day while I was recording “Acacia Just Noticed.” That song as well as this short little improv were meant to highlight the koa guitar’s warm low-mid tone with a touch of sparkle in the treble register, to bring out the characteristic warmth and sweetness of the wood. Hope you enjoy.

After the Solstice (Early Take)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, guitar harmonics, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, original fingerstyle, peaceful guitar, playing a melody with harmonics, relaxing guitar, Taylor 912ce, taylor grand concert

After the Solstice and its harmonic laden chorus came to me one day after a winter solstice. It’s a quiet, peaceful time of year where the days are gradually getting longer and your mind turns to the hope of a new cycle. (I think it’s also fine for the already long days of summer too though.) Hope you enjoy.

Here Comes the Sun – Fingerstyle Beatles Cover (Taylor 412ce)

SongsAbbey Road, acoustic guitar, beatles fingerstyle, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, George Harrison, Here Comes the Sun, honolulu hawaii, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, rosewood taylor guitar, Taylor 412ce, taylor grand concert

One of the classic George Harrison songs from the Abbey Road album, Here Comes the Sun is a bright, happy tune that sounds great on acoustic guitar. This is an alternate take of my fingerstyle arrangement of the song. Hope you enjoy.

Keiki Slack Key (412ce)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, fingerstyle guitar, Fred Kelly, Hawaii, hawaiian guitar, honolulu, keiki slack key, ki ho’alu, love, nahenahe, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open G, open tunings, peace, peaceful guitar, Ray Kane, relaxing guitar, relaxing music, slack key, st louis heights, taro patch, Taylor 412ce-R, taylor grand concert, taylor guitars, thumbpicks, tranquil song

Here is another version of the Ray Kane classic “Keiki Slack Key” I recorded on my Taylor 412ce-R steel string guitar. Keiki Slack Key (not to be confused with the Sonny Chillingworth song of the same name) is one of the first slack key songs I transcribed, and has stayed on my setlists ever since. To me, Ray Kane is probably the best example of an ‘old style’ slack key player, and his tracks are always nahenahe. Hope you enjoy.

Warm & Cozy (Original Fingerstyle, 312ce)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, Elixir HD Light, fingerstyle guitar, Neumann TLM 103, nick borho, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, sapele tone, Taylor 312ce, warm n cozy

Today’s song is “Warm and Cozy,” a fingerstyle improvisation I filmed while trying a new recording set up one day. Hope you enjoy.

Meditation on Which Will (Nick Drake Guitar Part)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, double drop d tuning, Elixir HD Light, fingerstyle guitar, Neumann TLM 103, nick borho, Nick Drake, Nick Drake cover, peaceful guitar, Pink Moon, relaxing guitar, Taylor 312ce, taylor grand concert, which will

Nick Drake’s guitar parts (and music in general) seem to live in their own magical realm that we can tap into whenever listening to an album like Pink Moon. I was trying a new recording set up one day and decided to see how it would sound playing my version of the guitar part from “Which Will,” which is not really meant as a note-for-note copy of the original guitar part. Rather, I wanted to do a sort of meditation on the part and just enjoy the mellow vibes that Drake’s music always impart to me. Hope you enjoy.

Ki Ho’alu (Gabby Pahinui Slack Key Cover, Taylor Nylon Guitar)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, dennis kamakahi, Gabby Pahinui, Hawaii, kailua kona, ki ho’alu, mauna loa tuning, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, open tunings, Ozzie Kotani, peaceful guitar, Pure Gabby, relaxing guitar, slack key, taylor 414ce-NR, taylor classical guitar, taylor nylon

Here’s an alternate version of my take on Gabby Pahinui’s classic instrumental simply and appropriately titled “Ki Ho’alu,” which of course is the Hawaiian term for “slack key.” I probably first heard this song on the stellar “Pure Gabby” album, although it has appeared on other compilations and been covered by numerous slack key artists, including Ozzie Kotani’s excellent version. My version is inspired by Gabby, Ozzie, and also Dennis Kamakahi who was prolific in the Mauna Loa tuning.

Crossing the Field (Original Fingerstyle)

Songsacoustic guitar, blue sky guitar, Crossing the Field, Elixir Polyweb, fingerstyle guitar, Hawaii, Holualoa, kona coffee, ksm141, nick borho, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, shure, Shure KSM141, taylor 310ce, Taylor Dreadnaught

Here’s another take of “Crossing the Field,” a song from my “Awake Again” album. “Crossing the Field” was recorded as part of a pair of songs (along with its companion song, “Moment in the Sun”) to set the stage for the second half of the album. Following the dramatic strumming of “Make” that closed the first half of the album, “Moment” & “Field” framed the mellower vibe of the album’s remaining songs. Hope you enjoy.

Magic Sands (Original Slack Key, Alt Take)

SongsAlii Drive, big island, blue sky guitar, Hawaii, hawaiian guitar, Honl’s, Kahaluu Snorkel Beach, kailua kona, Keauhou Bay, ki ho’alu, kona coffee, La’aloa Beach Park, laaloa, Magic Sands, nahenahe, Neumann TLM 102, nick borho, Old Airport Beach Park, open G, peaceful guitar, relaxing guitar, slack key, taro patch, Taylor 412ce, Taylor 412ce-R, taylor grand concert, White Sands Beach

I used to take a guitar to sit and play some slack key at beaches around Kailua-Kona like Old Airport, Honl’s, Kahalu’u, Keauhou Bay, and La’aloa Beach Park… which is also known locally as White Sands, or Magic Sands. La’aloa Beach Park is just off Ali’i Drive a few miles South of Kailua-Kona. Often known as Magic Sands because the sand ‘disappears’ practically overnight from most of the shoreline during winter swells, only to fully ‘reappear’ in the Summer, the beach is a popular spot for residents of Kona. I often used to head over there with a cup of Kona coffee in the early morning before the crowds arrived, when it was still quiet, and sit on the picnic tables and play guitar. Here is a slack key style tune I wrote one day while hanging out with my guitar around Magic Sands. Hope you enjoy.

Nick Borho

Slack Key & Fingerstyle Guitar