# Harmonic Notes



## bscott (Mar 3, 2008)

I can easily get harmonic notes on the 12th and 7th frets. I am wondering about all the other frets. Are harmonics possible on any of the other frets? Other than a light touch on top of the strings, are there other techniques that enable you to play harmonics all over the fret board?


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

You can usually get a harmonic at the 5th fret too. There are harmonics above the 12th fret, but they are the same pitches as the ones below. Basically harmonics are found at whole number fractions of the length of the string i.e. one half, one third and one quarter of the length of the string. Theoretically, there are harmonics at one fifth and one sixth the length of the string as well, but they are hard to find and not very strong.


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## Guest (Jan 31, 2015)

Tapped harmonics are fun. 'Tap' the harmonic 
(12 frets above) of a fretted string. 

[video=youtube;GLBFEcvONGI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLBFEcvONGI[/video]


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

bw66 said:


> You can usually get a harmonic at the 5th fret too. There are harmonics above the 12th fret, but they are the same pitches as the ones below. Basically_* harmonics are found at whole number fractions of the length of the string i.e. one half, one third and one quarter of the length*_ of the string. Theoretically, there are harmonics at one fifth and one sixth the length of the string as well, but they are hard to find and not very strong.


There must be a reason why that is so. Do you know the mechanics behind why that is so?


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## Option1 (May 26, 2012)

Steadfastly said:


> There must be a reason why that is so. Do you know the mechanics behind why that is so?


Without looking it up, I'd suggest it's due to simple wave physics. I'm sure googling would reveal a long explanation of exactly how it works.

Neil


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Option1 said:


> Without looking it up, I'd suggest it's due to simple wave physics. I'm sure googling would reveal a long explanation of exactly how it works.
> 
> Neil


Essentially this is it. Each string has a set of natural frequencies that it will vibrate at based on its length, weight, and tension. When you touch the string at the twelfth fret you prevent the lowest frequency of vibration (the fundamental) leaving only some of the higher frequencies. The twelfth fret harmonic is an octave above the open string (twice the fundamental frequency), the seventh fret harmonic is the fifth above the octave (3 times the fundamental frequency), etc.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

bw66 said:


> Essentially this is it. Each string has a set of natural frequencies that it will vibrate at based on its length, weight, and tension. When you touch the string at the twelfth fret you prevent the lowest frequency of vibration (the fundamental) leaving only some of the higher frequencies. The twelfth fret harmonic is an octave above the open string (twice the fundamental frequency), the seventh fret harmonic is the fifth above the octave (3 times the fundamental frequency), etc.


Thanks, BW.



Option1 said:


> Without looking it up, I'd suggest it's due to simple wave physics. I'm sure googling would reveal a long explanation of exactly how it works.
> 
> Neil


Neil: I took your suggestion and asked Mr. Google. He came up spades. I wouldn't say I understand the math enough to explain it clearly but I at least understand the idea.


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## deadear (Nov 24, 2011)

Fifth fret are a little harder to get but I find the bridge PUP works best. Those are the main ones used 5th ,7th and 12th.


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## stringsalive (Nov 3, 2014)

Easiest are 5,7,12,19,24 (as someone else pointed, several occur in multiple spots because it's about ratios of the string length). These are all based on basic Pythagorean principles (yes, the same guy with the triangles). There are also some at the 9th/4th and ~3rd, and a few others... Have fun playing around and finding them....

Those are all natural harmonics, there are also "artificial" harmonics (use the same principles, but shorten the string length by fretting a note; eg. Fret 1 of the first string, the 12th fret harmonic is now shifted to the 13th). And there are what are referred to as violin harmonics (used less frequently, but still interesting). For these, the string is fretted, and the harmonic highlighted by the left hand pinky usually.


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## stringsalive (Nov 3, 2014)

With all of these, plucking/picking closer to the bridge is the best way to get them to speak.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_harmonics...explains it better than I can.

Amazon lists several books on the subject. I have one somewhere.

one of Pierre Bensusan's books has a nice decryption as well.

Peace, Mooh.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Mooh said:


> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_harmonics...explains it better than I can.
> 
> Amazon lists several books on the subject. I have one somewhere.
> 
> ...


An excellent article - and as always, the pictures are worth a thousand words.

Your link didn't work properly though: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guitar_harmonics


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

You can also do them anywhere on the fretboard by emulating a "12th fret harmonic". My sister's ex-fiance taught me how to do it years ago. Once you get used to it, it is simple. 

There's a Van Halen song that implements it (if anyone knows it, please let me know) at the beginning.

For example, you would fret anywhere on the neck with your left hand, lightly touch the string 12 frets up from there with your right hand index finger and pluck the string with the pinky of your right hand. It sounds more complicated than it is. Here a video I did just now plucking an A and Am chord in harmonics.

[video=youtube;zYWpfob7vR0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYWpfob7vR0[/video]


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

Harmonics can be found all along the fretboard some just stand out more than others (5ht, 7th, 12th ect.)
A little gain never hurts either.

Make it squeal like Dimebag or make em artificial like zakk wylde. Or listen to either of these guys if you dont know what im talking about.



adcandour said:


> You can also do them anywhere on the fretboard by emulating a "12th fret harmonic". My sister's ex-fiance taught me how to do it years ago. Once you get used to it, it is simple.
> 
> There's a Van Halen song that implements it (if anyone knows it, please let me know) at the beginning.
> 
> ...


Here's a good tutorial of that intro

[video=youtube;_7REzdVasTc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7REzdVasTc[/video]


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

I guess none of y'all are metal/hi-gain guys? I don't know if I'd call it a technique, but if you kick on the distortion, you can find some pretty wicked harmonics all over the place. I've found pretty clear harmonics on the 2nd, 3rd (2 of them), 4th (2 of them), 5th, 7th, 9th, and 12th frets. Lots more above the 12th fret.

Technique-wise, you can also utilize pinch harmonics to get some unique ones. But, that is all unique to hi-gain stuff. You don't hear it much in other styles of music.


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## bscott (Mar 3, 2008)

I love this guys/gals !!! This has generated some great information. Thanks for all of your input.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Another song by Van Halen that has the fretted harmonics is Spanish Fly. 

Also check out the intro to Little Jack Horny by Extreme. 
Nuno plays this in drop D, and uses the 4,5 and seven positions. 

A couple songs that I use to love playing back when I was learning harmonics.......
Dazed and Confused(live is even better)
Red Barchetta by Rush
And the intro to Triumph's Mid Summer Dream.


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## Guest (Feb 23, 2015)

I picked it up from the intro to this

[video=youtube;jctHb5Wvt8I]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jctHb5Wvt8I[/video]


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

bw66 said:


> You can usually get a harmonic at the 5th fret too.


This harmonic is the same as the one at the 24th fret (or where the 24th fret would be, if there were one.)


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Here is an excellent example of use of harmonics on a bass from my all-time favourite bass player. I would imagine you could do the something similar on the bass strings of a regular guitar.

[video=youtube_share;gNgB4MfuTZE]http://youtu.be/gNgB4MfuTZE[/video]


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

Very cool!!! Especially once he started groovin'!


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## jbealsmusic (Feb 12, 2014)

bluzfish said:


> Here is an excellent example of use of harmonics on a bass from my all-time favourite bass player. I would imagine you could do the something similar on the bass strings of a regular guitar.
> 
> **Wooten Video**


I never get tired of seeing that video! Since we're posting examples of cool uses of harmonics. Check out Jon Gomm's Passionflower.

[video=youtube;nY7GnAq6Znw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY7GnAq6Znw[/video]

Tons of crazy cool tricks all over the place.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Here is the theory. It's all divisions. 

http://youtu.be/0Otdm0NA_A0

Basic physics. 

Cool stuff.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

stringsalive said:


> Easiest are 5,7,12,19,24 (as someone else pointed, several occur in multiple spots because it's about ratios of the string length). These are all based on basic Pythagorean principles (yes, the same guy with the triangles). There are also some at the 9th/4th and ~3rd, and a few others... Have fun playing around and finding them....
> 
> Those are all natural harmonics, there are also "artificial" harmonics (_*use the same principles, but shorten the string length by fretting a note; eg. Fret 1 of the first string, the 12th fret harmonic is now shifted to the 13th*_). And there are what are referred to as violin harmonics (used less frequently, but still interesting). For these, the string is fretted, and the harmonic highlighted by the left hand pinky usually.


This was the basis of the brilliant style of the late great Lenny Breau, who would effortlessly fret gorgeous chords lower down on the fretboard, and produce articificial harmonics and octave up with his picking hand.

[video=youtube;qGCSgWqg0Fg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGCSgWqg0Fg[/video]


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