# Guitar/Harmonics

Harmonics are fun sounds to produce. They can be quiet and bell-like on
an Acoustic or they can be loud and squeally on an overdriven Electric.

## Harmonics Introduction

!**Harmonic series** of a string. Playing harmonics on the guitar uses
a technique that stops certain partials from
sounding{width="250"}
When you strike a note on the guitar, the sound generated is not just
one note but a series of notes. The *fundamental* (also called the first
harmonic) is the loudest and lowest of the series and fainter notes
which all have their own frequency of vibration, amplitude, and phase
are heard as well. The frequencies are integer multiples of the lowest
frequency. Looking at the diagram you will notice that the upper
partials (this is the name given to any sine waves associated with a
complex tone) follow a pattern 2,3,4,5,6,and 7 and these equal-sized
sections resonate at increasingly higher frequencies. The guitar
technique described below shows how to play harmonics by lightly
touching the string directly over the fret. You are essentially
cancelling out certain partials from being heard by not allowing that
part of the string to vibrate. Pianists have no means of manipulating
strings to produce harmonics unless they lift up the lid of the piano
and lightly touch the string. Woodwind instruments can produce harmonics
by the technique of *overblowing*. It must be noted that we all tend to
hear or play music as a \"single sensation\" and that the partials
present are not considered or heard as separate during that experience.

### List of natural harmonics

-   **12th fret** - octave above open string
-   **7th or 19th fret** - octave plus a perfect fifth above open string
-   **5th or 24th fret** - two octaves above open string
-   **4th, 9th or 16th fret** - two octaves plus a major third above
    open string

There are more harmonics than these but these are the easiest to produce
and the most audible. They are ordered from lowest to highest in pitch.\
== Natural harmonics == Natural harmonics are the easiest to produce. A
good place to begin is the 12th fret of the high e string. With your
fretting hand, lightly touch a finger against the string directly above
the 12th fret. Do not hold it down or apply any pressure. Then strike it
with your picking hand and immediately release the string; almost
simultaneously. If executed properly the result should be a
high-pitched, silvery note. Try it again at the 7th and 5th frets; as
shown on the Natural Harmonic fretboard diagram. Each harmonic shown on
the diagram will produce a sound that is higher in pitch than its
fretted note counterpart. Harmonics will sound quieter and the higher
harmonics may be nearly inaudible without the overdrive of an amp.

![](Guitar_Natural_Harmonics_5th-7th-12th_Frets.png "Guitar_Natural_Harmonics_5th-7th-12th_Frets.png"){width="1700"}

### Harmonic Chords

Below are the Harmonic chords of **Em** and **Bm**. Both chords are
first inversion with the third in the bass. You can play Harmonic
arpeggios, add the open low E string to the Harmonic Em chord or play a
melodic phrase.

![](Guitar_Fretboard_Harmonic_Chords_Em_and_Bm.png "Guitar_Fretboard_Harmonic_Chords_Em_and_Bm.png"){width="1700"}

Below are the Harmonic chords of **G** and **D**. Both chords are second
inversion with the fifth in the bass.

![](Guitar_Fretboard_Harmonic_Chords_G_and_D.png "Guitar_Fretboard_Harmonic_Chords_G_and_D.png"){width="1700"}

A good example of the use of natural harmonics is in the song *Imperium*
by Machine Head. Clear 5th fret harmonics can be heard enforcing the low
drop B tuning.

## Pinch harmonics

Pinch harmonics are also known as Artificial Harmonics though there is
really nothing artificial about them. This is an advanced technique and
was popularized mostly by Billy
Gibbons and later Zakk
Wylde, as well as many others as early
as the 1970s including many Heavy
Metal artists. These harmonics follow
the same principles of physics as a natural harmonic; the difference
being how the harmonic is produced. In this technique a note is struck
in a downwards motion with the pick and in the same motion the string is
touched (one might really say brushed) with the edge of the thumb that
is holding the pick. You can also use the edge of the index fingernail
followed by the pick.

Pinch harmonics are most effective and audible using an Electric guitar
with overdrive or distortion. These harmonics are virtually inaudible
when using a clean (not distorted or overdriven) amp channel with the
Electric guitar or when using an Acoustic. It can sound good when
correctly used even without much overdrive but it\'s not always clear or
detectable. Use overdrive or distortion for best results especially
while learning and practicing this technique. This technique takes
practice to master. Beginners may need to spend some time on scales,
soloing, blues, riffing, strumming patterns before they feel comfortable
enough to attempt this technique. It is mostly used in soloing and
intense expressive riffing.

As mentioned above, these harmonics are produced by striking a note with
the pick and touching the string with the picking thumb. Grip the pick
so that the tip barely peeks out between your fingertips (this is why
they are called \"pinch\" harmonics). It\'s easier when you are fretting
a note with the left hand. Try fretting the 5th fret of the D string and
plucking the string just below the neck pick-up pole pieces (maybe 1/8\"
toward the bridge from the pole pieces). The position of the plucking
along the length of the string is one of the most important parts of
this technique. While with regular picking the position of the picking
along the string can make slight variations in the sound of the note,
when executing pinch harmonics the right position is vital and tiny
positional differences can make entirely different harmonics. So try
adjusting the picking hand just millimeters up and down the string
around the area of the pick-ups.

Try imagining the pick and your picking thumb plucking the string at the
same time although the thumb is really just brushing past it. Consider
it to be really one motion. Try thinking of your thumb and the pick as
one entity and instead of picking straight down, pick down and a little
bit (millimeters) out away from the face of the guitar so your picking
motion is a sort of \'letter J\' out from the face of the guitar and so
the thumb brushes past the string and remember that the thumb should
only touch the string for an instant just like the pick does.

Try executing pinch harmonics while fretting different notes and by
striking the string in slightly different places all around the pickup
area of the guitar. Many kinds of harmonic ringing sounds may be
produced.

Without a pick, this technique may be simulated by plucking the string
with the fingertip and lightly touching it with the fingernail.
Classical guitarists use this technique and it is also found in jazz
finger-style guitar.

These harmonics, as opposed to natural harmonics, end up being much more
practical to use while playing and when mastered can be used boldly like
Zakk Wylde making the harmonic part of the riff, or subtly and possibly
unintentionally to add color and character to the notes or chords while
playing almost anything.

Pinch harmonics can easily and effectively be combined with other
techniques, such as bending or
vibrato.

To hear pinch harmonics in action check out the following:

-   Ozzy Osbourne\'s *Ozzmosis* (and several other albums) features many
    different examples of pinched harmonics in various solos.
-   In the movie *Rock Star* at the beginning, the lead guitarist (Nick
    Catanese of Black Label Society/SPEED X) in Blood Pollution (the
    Steel Dragon cover band) is \"not hitting the squeal\". The squeal
    they\'re speaking of is a pinch harmonic.
-   One of the best examples of a bend and a pinch harmonic is Judas
    Priest\'s *Lochness* off the album *Angel of Retribution* at about
    1:10.
-   In System of a Down\'s hit song *BYOB* it is the first bend in the
    chorus (*Every bodys going to the party*) part. It is the only PH in
    the song, so listen carefully

Don\'t despair if you can\'t get harmonics as clear as Judas Priest or
Zakk Wylde, they\'ve got equipment made just for making sounds like
that. They both have expensive high gain amplifiers and their guitars
are equipped with pickups that are naturally very good at pinch
harmonics. Some pickups amplify pinch harmonics better than others (some
pickups hardly amplify them at all). Judas Priest and Zakk Wylde both
play guitars with EMG humbuckers, which are some of the hottest pickups
and some of the best at amplifying pinch harmonics. Hot pickups (EMG,
Duncan JB, Duncan Live Wire, Bill Lawrence 500XL) do an excellent job of
picking up pinch harmonics. Once you\'ve practiced at home, ask to try
out a guitar with \"hot pickups\" and a \"high gain\" amplifier at the
local guitar shop if you want a taste(warning: it\'s easy to get
spoiled/hooked!).

## Tapped harmonics

This technique, like tapping itself, was popularized by Eddie van
Halen. Tapped harmonics are an
extension of the tapping technique. The note is
fretted as usual, but instead of striking the string, the string is
tapped at one of the frets listed in the natural harmonic list. Do not
hold the string down with the tapping hand, just bounce the finger
lightly on and off the fret. This technique can be extended by fretting
a note, then tapping relative to the fretted note. For instance, hold
the third fret, and tap the fifteenth fret, for the twelfth fret
harmonic, because 12+3=15.

## Other techniques

A final technique (known as the harp harmonic) is a sort of combination
between the natural and tapped harmonic techniques. Fret the note
normally, and place the picking hand index finger on a natural harmonic
relative to the fretted note (just as in tapped harmonics). Pluck the
string with another finger and release the index finger, just as if
producing a natural harmonic.

it:Chitarra/Armonici
