Harmonics

I really can't remember when I discovered harmonics. It may have been watching Earl Scruggs play The Bugle Call Rag on the 5-string banjo on the Flatt & Scruggs weekly TV program in the 1950's and 60's. I just know that I can't remember a time I didn't know about harmonics on stringed instruments. Actually, I was taught to call them chimes long before I learned the word harmonic. Not to sound like a candidate for Alzheimer's medications, I clearly remember the difficulties I had making a simple F chord in those days. I also vividly remember how excited I was to discover how Chet Atkins played those artificial harmonics in his recording The Bells of St. Mary's just a few years later. I've used harmonics all of my musical life, either in arrangements or as an aid to tune an instrument. I've found it to be an effective tool, and audiences seem to love them, as well. Many papers have been written on the physics of what a Harmonic is. I really don't have anything to add to that aspect of the study. What I've discovered is that the higher the quality of the guitar, the more places I've been able to find harmonics. Harmonics fall into two general categories: Natural and Artificial. A natural harmonic is when the string is plucked (the closer to the bridge the better) while a finger lightly touches the string at the string's half, third, quarter, fifth, etc. division points. Upon plucking the string, one can remove the left hand finger, and the harmonic will continue to ring. Fortunately, these division points occur either over or very near to a fret. The half division is located over the 12 th fret. This harmonic is also called the 1st harmonic. If one divides the string into thirds, the 2nd harmonic be found in two locations, approximately over the 7th fret and over the 19th fret. Don't take my word for it: try it yourself. Yep, it's the same note. The quarter division of the string is found approximately over the 5th fret and also over the 12th and half the distance between the 12th fret and the bridge, somewhere over the sound hole. On many guitars, especially Spanish guitars the 19 th or 20th fret is about the limit for frets. We can't use the 12th fret to play this 3rd harmonic, as that is where we get the 1st harmonic. The 3rd harmonic is there, but only as an overtone to the lower harmonic. The fifth division or 4th harmonic can be comfortably found approximately over the 4th fret and also over the 9th and 16th frets. In Classical guitar literature, fifth division natural harmonics are about the limit as to what may be found, and only relatively modern composers, like Heitor Villa-Lobos have dared to use fifth division harmonics. However, on very responsive guitars, a 5th harmonic can be found near the 3rd fret. Note I said near or approximately over a particular fret. Fretted instruments are well-tempered instruments with fret locations to make it possible to play in all 24 of the major and minor keys. Musicians are fond of saying that well tempering makes the guitar equally out of tune in all keys. Harmonics are not found over well-tempered locations. Play a natural harmonic at the 7th fret. Move the left finger either slightly closer to the bridge or to the nut to find where the harmonic rings the best. If you have several guitars available, try it on all of them. What you may discover is that each guitar is slightly different. Artificial Harmonics: The term artificial harmonic is a bit of a misnomer. The actual physics of the harmonic is identical to the natural harmonic. The difference is that we finger a note with the left hand, and with one finger of the right hand lightly touching the string at the halfway point or 12 frets from the note's fingered fret. We then pluck the string and a harmonic is produced that is one octave higher than what the fretted note would be. The touching right hand finger is almost always the index or the I finger. In classical music literature, the plucking finger is almost always the ring or the A finger. This gives us the capability of playing bass note with the thumb or P, and we can play a harmony note with the middle or M finger.

Examples of Artificial Harmonics

Another method for producing an artificial harmonic was exploited in the recordings by Chet Atkins and Lenny Breau: to also use the I finger as the touching finger, but pluck the string with the thumb. This will allow the guitarist to use the A finger to play a note. This gives us the capability of more effects. The following example gives two different hybrid techniques, combining normal notes with artificial harmonics.

Two Techniques Using Artificial Harmonics

A hybrid scale, using artificial harmonics and descending legatos or slurs, is depicted in Measure 1. The first note is an artificial harmonic, plucked with the P and I combo. The second note is plucked by the A finger, and it pulls off to an open string. Then the picking pattern is repeated for the next three notes and ends with an artificial harmonic. In Measures 2 and 3, there is a hybrid arpeggio using artificial harmonics on every other note of a held chord form. We play a chord progression built of close spaced 4-string chords. Note the progression I used in the example changes chords by one or two notes. The P-I combo will play artificial harmonics on the 3rd and 4th strings, and the A finger plays natural notes on the 1st and 2nd strings in a 3 1 4 2 pattern. In the above examples, we have been using artificial harmonics in combination with natural notes to form scales and arpeggios. One additional technique is playing both the harmonic and a natural note as an interval or 2-note chord, as some prefer to think. When we use the traditional method of playing the natural harmonic, it will give the effect of adding an octave spacing. That is to say, a third will sound like a tenth, and a sixth will sound like a thirteenth. Using Atkins/Breau technique, we have an inversion. A sixth will sound as a third. Study the following example by comparing the fingering as shown on the tablature staff with the tones as shown on the standard notation staff:

Two Examples of Hybrid Intervals

In Measure 1 of the above example, we finger an A minor chord. Using the traditional artificial harmonic techniques on beats 2 and 4 of this measure, note how an octave is added. Measure 2 is our old friend, the ubiquitous Blues Turnaround, we've all used thousands of times. In Measure 3, we finger the same notes, but on the notes of the 3rd string, we play them using the Atkins/Breau technique. Note how the tones have inverted the interval. An additional technique we may use with artificial harmonics involves any of the hammer/pull off forms that we constantly use with normal notes. These include hammers or ascending legatos, slurs or descending legatos, grace notes, mordants, and trills (often referred as appogiatura.) You play the first note with the right hand artificial harmonic technique of your choosing, and the left hand does the rest, just as if it were a natural note at the beginning of the grace note, hammer, slur, etc. As this is relatively rare in classical guitar literature, one might discover that it is more difficult to notate than to play! The following example has two measures of Blues riffs using a variety of legatos and appogiatura. In Measure 1, on the first beat, there is a descending legato or slur. To play this as an artificial harmonic, you'll preset your left hand on the 2 nd string, with the 4th finger on the 4th fret, and the 3rd finger on the 3rd fret. With the technique you wish to use for the right hand, lightly touch above the 16th fret with your right index finger (I) and pluck the string. Then do a pull off with the left hand. Measure 1, beat 3 has a trill. At this time TablEdit does not have the capability to enter an artificial harmonic trill. To notate the trill so that the MIDI playback is accurate, enter the first note of the trill and make it an artificial harmonic. Call up the Grace Note window with <alt>-g. Select Trill and then for the position, select a number that is 12 higher than the fret you'll use to make the 2nd note of the trill. Since our trill in this example is a C to D trill, one must add 12 to the D on the 3rd fret, 2nd string, (12 + 3 = 15). Measure 1, beat 4 has a mordant. At this time, I have not been able to make an artificial harmonic mordant from the Grace Note window. Therefore, we just make it as a pull off/hammer. Measure 2 is a riff of ascending legatos or hammers. To play them, use the same technique we described with descending artificial harmonics, but with a hammer instead of a pull off.

Examples of Harmonics in Legatos and Appogiatura

The above examples of all the forms of artificial harmonics are going to be review for many guitarists. As a teacher of classical guitar technique, I remember the enthusiasm of students wanting to learn this technique. Pieces that are famous that use this are the Miguel Llobet arrangements of Catalonian Folk Songs, and many Christmas Carols for solo guitar. On Youtube, guitar great Tommy Emmanuel gives a demonstration of both natural and artificial harmonics that we mere mortals can only dream about! Watch it at your own personal risk! One additional technique using artificial harmonics is available, although extremely rare. Normally, we use the 1 st harmonic. We also can use the 2nd harmonic, by either touching 7 frets down (rarer) or 19 frets down (more common for this technique.) It gives us a note that is a perfect fifth above the 1st harmonic, or the equivalent of putting a capo (or

cejilla, if you prefer the Spanish word) on the 7th fret, and making artificial 1st harmonics. If we finger a common C Major triad, and use these 2nd harmonics, it will sound like a G triad. What makes these 2nd harmonics treacherous is that many guitars only have 19 frets, which we use as a traffic sign to give us the location of where to touch the string. A simple solution is to use a permanent marker, such as a Sharpie, and make a dot on the string at the correct location. On some arch top guitars with a pick guard just below the strings, marks or dots can be made there, as well. Be aware that 2 nd harmonics are never as loud as 1st harmonics, both natural and artificial. If you become proficient with this type of artificial harmonic technique, please write me. Practically everyone I have spoken with about artificial 2 nd harmonics has tried it in practice once and is still in search of an excuse to use them! Natural Harmonics: I believe that a neglected area of study is the use of natural harmonics. These harmonics are written off as being elementary and not really of any value for in depth study. I have been intrigued by the possibilities we have with natural harmonics and use them often in my personal arrangements. To effectively use natural harmonics, we must not only learn the position of the harmonic, but the tone as well. Here are the tones for harmonics through a 6-division natural harmonic position. Note that to limit the ledger lines, I have used a standard notation staff that displays actual tones, instead of the one octave higher notation we generally use:

Natural Harmonics Available

The study of natural harmonics might seem frightening to a beginner, who may be overwhelmed by the can't see the trees for the forest syndrome. It's actually pretty simple if you use these tricks:

12th fret harmonics are the same as the 12th fret notes (or open string notes, an octave higher.) 7th fret harmonics are the same as the 7th fret notes, but one octave higher. 5th fret harmonics are the same as the 12th fret harmonics, but one octave higher, and two octaves higher than open strings. 4th fret harmonics are the same as 4th fret notes, only two octaves higher. 3rd fret harmonics are the same as 12th fret harmonics, only two octaves higher and three octaves higher than open strings.

If you're thinking So what? How does that help me? Once again, don't get intimidated by the big picture. If we look closely we can find chords and chord fragments within these natural harmonics. A standard tuned guitar has most of the strings tuned up a perfect fourth from the next lower one, with the exception being the third string. This will give us a naturally occurring 2nd inversion Major triad, a minor triad, a Major 6th, a minor 7th, a Major 6/9 chord, and lots of partial chords. All of the rules of chord substitution also apply with harmonic chords. The following example gives some of the possibilities for 12th fret natural harmonics:

12th Fret Natural Harmonics Chord Possibilities

As you look through the natural harmonics chord possibilities in the above example, you may be saying to yourself Some of those chords have jazz sounding names. I don't play that kind of music. How will this help me? The answer is simple: if it sounds good in YOUR music, use it and don't worry about the name. Country guitarists like Doc Watson and Merle Travis love to end tunes with 6, 9, and 6/9 chords, even though they may have only used triads or an occasional dominant 7 th in the arrangement. Let's continue with 7th fret natural harmonics chord possibilities:

7th Fret Natural Harmonics Chord Possibilities

Since the 5th fret and the 3rd fret chord possibilities are the same as the 12th fret, only one and two octaves higher, I won't list them here. But the 4th fret gives us some useful forms of some new chords:

4th Fret Natural Harmonics Chord Possibilities

As you can see, there are a lot of possibilities. If you add to the list 2-note intervals, that are substituted for chords, it greatly expands. For example, you're playing a piece in A or A min. On the first beat, play an interval of the natural harmonics on the 5th and 6th strings at the 12th fret. This perfect fourth will continue to sound as you play melody notes, giving a multiple guitar or mini orchestra illusion. With all of these notes, we can make partial scales using the natural harmonics. I first became aware of this in the 1960's with Chet Atkins' recording of Lovely Weather. Here's that intro that I transcribed:

Chet Atkins' Intro to Lovely Weather Using Natural Harmonics

For me, it is much easier to have a cheat sheet of the available notes in a harmonic scale. Here's a sample giving about two octaves worth of notes. With this scale, plus an occasional artificial harmonic (when you just can't get the right note naturally!), you can pretty much play a tune:

Natural Harmonics Scale Possibilities

Analyzing the above 2 octave scale of natural harmonic notes, notice that we have an E Blues Scale and a complete D Major or B Natural Minor scale. The next time you arrange a tune in those keys remember your capabilities and see if you can add a bit melody from natural harmonics. On some guitars, the 5 th or 4th fret will be your limit. I'm fortunate to have two guitars that give reasonable (read that to mean usable) harmonics near the 3 rd fret. In fact, when I was a college student taking music courses in the 1970's I arranged the following famous chorus from the hit tune Superstar of the Rock Opera Jesus Christ Superstar:

Intro To Superstar Using Natural Harmonics

As I stated earlier in this paper, you're probably going to have to hunt for the so-called sweet spot to get the harmonics on the 4th and 3rd frets, and not all guitars will give harmonics on those frets, or at least usable harmonics. Remember when using natural harmonics on the 7th, 5th, 4th, and 3rd frets, it becomes very important to pluck the string as close to the bridge as possible. The reason is that if you pluck a string at or near a division point, the harmonic will be deadened. Try this as proof: select any natural harmonic on the 7th fret. Pluck it near the bridge. Now pluck it over the 19th fret. Big difference, huh? Conclusion: Harmonics , both natural and artificial are wonderful tools to add to our toolbox of techniques. Like any other technique they should be used sparingly, leaving the audience with a desire to hear more rather than complain about the excess. This is sometimes referred to as the Brylcreme Axiom from a hair cream commercial of more than 50 years: A little dab'll do ya! This paper is intended as an introduction to the capabilities of harmonics. There is quite a bit of literature on harmonics, especially artificial harmonics from the traditional classical school. As pointed out above, there are also video lessons on websites such as Youtube. There is not quite as much documentation of natural harmonics and I believe that most guitarists overlook their use, while concentrating more on artificial harmonics. We may speculate that this is due to the appearance of natural harmonics as being a simple technique not worthy of delving very deeply into the subject. I have attempted to balance the two forms a bit. Hopefully, this paper may give you some insight on not overlooking the capabilities of natural harmonics. Good luck in your study and use of harmonics. RING THEM CHIMES!