Harmonics??

[myname1]

I was just wondering how to put harmonics in the right key in a song. I have heard many recordings with them on it and I know how to make them, but how do you put them into a certian key? Or in a certian song? Is there a certian pattern to it? Take Jim Croce and "time in a bottle". OK, at the end of the song, he does some good harmonics with his accoustic guitar. But are they comming from a scale or pattern in the key he is playing in? I am kinda new to harmonics and how to apply them, but they do seem to intrest me.

[myname1]

DOES ANY BODY HAVE A CLUE!!??

[Nickdel]

do you mean natural or artificial harmonics

[Lee33]

Harmonics are caused by halving the string length thus raising the frequency. I think Croce used the ones on the 12th 7th and 5th frets.


Lee

[zookie]

I'm no expert on this, but, if you're simply asking what the notes for the natural harmonics on a guitar are, I believe harmonics at the 12th fret are the same as the open string's tuning, only an octave higher.

Harmonics played at the 5th fret are the same note as the open string, only 2 octaves higher.

Harmonics at the 7th fret, are an octave and a 5th above the open string's tuning.

As for how it all works, it has something to do with restricting the string's vibrations (but not full-on fretting) at key points along the string's length.

[Nickdel]

There is a natural harmonic at every fret. What their names are I have no idea. And it takes a helluva touch to get them to sing out, but they are there.

Taking a page out of Lee's book, you can get harmonics easier with higher levels of gain. But it does take a degree of touch.

[Adam Long]

2 types of harmonics:

Natural:

Natural harmonics are the harmonics you get when you lightly touch your finger on a certain point of the fretboard without pressing down and it rings, kinda like a harp. This info below is from my site www.theguitarsuite.com. Hopefully you can make some sense of it without the chart that goes along with it but if not it's at www.theguitarsuite.com/FreePages/flamencoclassical.html (I know harmonics don't fall under classical or flamenco but for some reason I put it there anyway)

At that page there is also a downloadable page (too big to attach) with some harmonics exercises.

A. 12th fret / Octave:

This harmonic is an octave higher than the open string. It is at the 12th fretbar. This is the midpoint of the string between the bridge and the nut on the headstock. This is the only place to find it on the string.This is important because each of the other harmonics can be found in 2 places = equal distances from the 12th fret on the string traveling out towards the bridge and the nut.

Exploration:

Play the A string 12th fret harmonic. Now find that note on the fretboard. You'll find it 3 places on the fretboard before the up to the 12th fret: A string / 12th fret, D string / 7th fret, G string / 2nd fret. Notice that each is 5 frets apart.

B. 7th fret / Octave plus a perfect 5th:

This harmonic on the 7th fret is a fifth higher than the 12th fret harmonic. It can also be found around (+/-) the 19th on the same string or on the 5th fret of the string above it.

Exploration:

Play an open A string then the 7th fret harmonic. Now play the A string over and over alternating between it and finding the note that matches its 7th fret harmonic.You should find them at the open E first string, the B string / 5th fret and the G string / 10th fret.

C. 5th fret / 2 octaves higher than the open string:

This harmonic is 2 octaves higher than the open string, one octave higher than the 12th fret harmonic. It can be found also at the 7th fret on the string below it or the 19th fret of the string below it.

Exploration: Where are the notes that match the harmonic?

D. 9th fret / Octave plus a Major 3rd

This harmonic is a major 3rd higher than the octave harmonic at the 12th fret. This one is a bit harder to articulate but it can also be found more or less above the 16th fret also AND in position E. You may find that some harmonics resound better above the 12th fret than within the 1st 12 frets.

Exploration: Try to find these notes as well

E. 4th fret / same as 9th fret

F. 3rd fret harmonic

You really have to bang away to hear this on an un-amplified acoustic. But experiment with it in any case, Try to find where else on the fretboard it shows up.

Artificial Harmonics

With all of these artificial harmonics, think of them as moveable natural harmonics. The harmonic structure moves when you fret a not on the string. For example, open E string = 12th fret natural octave harmonic ... E string fretted at the third fret (G) = octave harmonic (artificial) can be played at the 15th, 3 frets up...get it? Good. We'll look at it more in the exercises.

Two types (that we'll look at)

slap: or tap harmonics... this is a very simple technique to do, but it takes practice to be able to smoothly throw it in on the fly in your playing. But basically all you do is fret a note and quickly slap or tap that string at whichever interval you wish to play, whether it be 5, 7 12 or however many intervals above the fretted note you want. Most people prefer to slap with their index finger but it's really your preference. Remember the distance works like the natural harmonics we talked about above. Plus this technique adds a percussive effect to the mix, which is always fun. When you download the TAB for this lesson, these harmonics will be indicated with an over the slapped fret.


plucked: these are more difficult to do than slap harmonics. And for me, because I have a nasty nail biting habit (dreadful for a guitarist) it's easier to wear a thumb pick. As before, the distance between the fretted note and the harmonic is the same. The physics doesn't change. But this time instead of slapping the fret, extend your plucking index finger like you're pointing to the headstock. Lightly place your finger on the string where the harmonic lies and, with your thumb, pluck the string. The harmonic should resonate. In the TAB there will be a

[RobertSpriggs]

To make any note fit (harmonic or not) it has to be part of the underlying harmony (chord) It's not a coincidence that the words harmonic and harmony have the same root. If you're not sure what note a harmonic is actually sounding, try finding a regular (non-harmonic) note that has the same pitch. Then you'll know what note it is. It can be played over any chord that has that note in it. When your theory takes you to more complex chords, you'll have more possibilities of where to use that note.