Published:
2025-07-13
Updated:
2025-07-13
Learning Ukulele with Curt
Hawaii Ponoi (Hawaiian National Anthem)
Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Hawaii Ponoi - (Hawaiian National Anthem)
Author(s): Curt Sheller Publisher: Curt Sheller Publications Code: ULHA-YB-103
Main Category: Harmonic-Analysis Main Instrument: Ukulele
Subjects: Chords
2025-07-13
Harmonic Analysis (RMA) Worksheet for the song: Hawaii Ponoi - (Hawaiian National Anthem)
Hawaii Ponoi (Hawaiian National Anthem)
Released: 1874
"Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī" ("Hawaii's Own") is the anthem of the U.S. state of Hawaii. It previously served as the national anthem of the independent Hawaiian Kingdom during the late 19th century, as well as the short Republic of Hawaii, and has continued to be Hawaii's official anthem ever since annexation by the United States in 1898.
The words were written in 1874 by King David Kalākaua with music composed by Captain Henri Berger, then the king's royal bandmaster. "Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī" is one of the national anthems of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and also was the national anthem of the Republic of Hawaiʻi. wikiwand
It was adopted as the national anthem in 1876, replacing Liliʻuokalani's composition "He Mele Lāhui Hawaiʻi". It was the adopted song of the Territory of Hawaiʻi before becoming the state symbol by an act of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature in 1967. The melody is reminiscent of "God Save the King" and the Prussian anthem "Heil dir im Siegerkranz" "Hawaiʻi Ponoʻī" is commonly sung at sporting events in Hawaii, immediately after the U.S. national anthem.[citation needed] It is sung at many local schools and Local Service Organization Meetings and Events. wikiwand
Hawaii Ponoi (Hawaiian National Anthem) is in the The Daily Ukulele — 365 Songs for Better Living book.
Strum a different song every day with easy arrangements of 365 of your favorite songs in one big songbook! The Daily Ukulele features ukulele arrangements with melody, lyrics and uke chord grids and are in ukulele-friendly keys that are particularly suited for groups of one to one hundred to play and sing.
Ukulele Chords
These and many other chords are covered in the Learn A Chord A Day series of lessons.
C Tuning Chords
In the Daily Ukulele series of book the chords are actually listing in their order of appearance. And, are always the basic open position chords when possible.
Starting Melody Note and 1st Interval
- Hawaii Ponoi (Hawaiian National Anthem) is in 3/4, Common Time and the Key of F .
- Start on M3 ↓m2.
C Tuning, Low or High G
Intervals Legend: Root=note that begins a scale of the starting key; C is C, D is D, Am is A, Em is E, etc… m=minor; M=Major; P=Perfect; D=Diminished; A=Augmented. • ↑ is up/ascending; ↓ is down/descending;
Harmonic Analysis (HA) Worksheet
Visit the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection series of lessons for information on creating your own Harmonic Analysis Worksheet
A re-harmonization, in Red can be a simple, sticking pretty close to the original composer's intentions or complex and a whole new set of chord changes.
II7
(V of V)
G Mixolydian
I7
(V of IV)
F Mix
The Harmonic Analysis (HA)
A Harmonic Analysis (RMA/HA) and its worksheet are intended to show the function of the chords, the harmonic principles used, the keys and tonalities the song explores. And, can be used for scale selections and chord and scale substitutions.
NOTE: A Harmonic Analysis Worksheet is NOT intended to be a lead leadsheet.
Minimal roadmap information such as repeats, fine, D.S., D.C., and codas has been used in preparing the worksheets to somewhat mirror the leadsheet in the Daily Ukulele book.
Sections, Verse, Chorus, 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks …
The worksheets will show 1st, 2nd Ending, turnbacks, etc. as indicated in the Yellow Book
. You should start to recognize that 1st endings typically always return to a previous verse or an 
section. With a 2nd ending, a transition to a different part of the song, a 
or chorus. Harmonic Principles are used for these repeats and transitions.
If turnback chords are not indicated for these 1st and 2nd endings in the original Yellow Book leadsheet, recommended chord(s) will be indicated in parentheses or as an alternate harmony in Red . Typically the last measures or turnbacks will be a chord that resolves to and harmonically leads you to the next section or turning you back to the same section. Typically a V or direct substitution of that next chord.
Reference Key
This is the key of the source leadsheet.
- Hawaii Ponoi (Hawaiian National Anthem) is in 3/4, Common Time and the Key of F .
Harmonic Principles Used:
These are the harmonic principles used in Hawaii Ponoi (Hawaiian National Anthem).
Nashville Number System (NNS)
Nashville Numbering System always uses four bars/measures per line, no bar lines, and default is each number of the number of beats per bar/measure based on the time signature. If multiple chords in same bar then they are underlined. It can be as simple as converting the Roman Numerals above to Arabic numbers.
At its simplest you simply replace the roman numbers with Arabic numbers. e.g., I becomes 1 , II becomes 2 , etc. The only exception is the bVII7 chord becomes 7 as this borrowed chord from the Mixolydian tonality is so common and the VII (half-diminished seventh) in a major chord is so rare (actually never). And, you could go as far as saying all the modes are numbered: I II III IV V VI VII — just as in the major scale. So calling it a 7 is not that far out.
Check the definitive book Nashville Number System
Scale Selection
Once a Harmonic Analysis has been completed, scale selections can be made. These scale selections can be either vertical or horizontal choices. And, really, only needed if you are going to take a solo or embellish the melody with added notes.
Scale Abbreviation Legend
Traditional Scales: Maj: Major (Ionian), Nat Min: Natural Minor, Dim: Diminished, WT: Whole Tone, Har Min: Harmonic Minor
Contemporary Scales: Minor Pent: Minor Pentatonic, Pent: Major Pentatonic, Blues
Scale/Mode Names: Ion: Ionian (Major), Dor: Dorian (Minor), Phrygian: Phrygian, Lyd: Lydian, Mix: Mixolydian (Dominant), Aeol: Aeolian (Natural Minor), Loc: Locrian
Altered Scales: Mix+4: Mixolydian Plus 4 / Lydian Dominant, Mix-2-6: Mixolydian flat 2, flat 6
Checkout the Lesson Series: Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection or download the Harmonic Analysis for Scale and Chord Selection book. And the QuickStart Series of Scale and Arpeggio books.
Links & Resources
- wikiwand Hawaii Ponoi (Hawaiian National Anthem)
- @svg('brands/youtube', 'text-youtube') USA State Song (Anthem): Hawai'i - Hawai’i Pono’i •