HarmltHH*cs

Na,tura,l, a,rtificial, ta,pped a,nd' pinched; harmonics

come is ma,ny sha,pes a,rrd sizes. TONY SIITIINER'
shows you how to
Pla,Y
them alt...
track brlhc,def&
Chime fime
-we lnur
own
harmonics idsas wien yos
make up a solo
Ihe
Suitar
used was a 1983
,r8il.uicr.,$tn!,
!,liqll.sFiazlo',,
Hot Rails pickup at tte Mge,
ttrqrdr a Mar$all JMP-1
pre-amp and Boss GT-S
@itars: Joe Benn*t
r
Johnly
B Goode retrllv clid
'play
the
guitar just like tr-ringin' n bell' he rnust
have been prettl handl'u4ren it carlle to
harmonics. Depending or-r tl're tlpe yolr use,
)'ou
ciln use hartnonics to ndd a variety of bell-like
chimes to
1'our
guitar plaving. They are trlso a great
rvay of adding rdnge Io the guitar
*
b1' enabling
1'ou
to play notes that are much higher than the
norrnal {retted notes availtrble.
TSGlceT3Q$E
Nafural hartnonics are the easiest tlpe to learl
first. Try this
-
pl:ry the lorv E string ancl then
touch the string right above the 12th fret. Don't
press clomr on the fingerbonrd,
just gentlv touch
<lirectly aboxe
(rather than behhd) the frehvire. As
soon as
)'ou'\re
plLrcked the string, rernovc'\our
finger to let the harrnonic ring on cleally. Ntitural
hirmonics occur on all strings on lrets 12, 7 and 5.
TLe firsi exercise
(uc r, co rRAcK
31,
nvrr l)
is an exiunple of sottte of these harmonics in
actiou. Nirtural hartnonics also occur on frets 9 irncl
4
-
but as
1-ou'll
cliscover, these irle a bit harder to
get sounding clerrrly Notice horv htrrtnonics on the
5th and
gtli
{rets prochrce a different note frorn the
one nomrallv ploduced on that fret. Erperitnent
with 12th {ret natula] hartnotrics and a delay rrnit
to get sorre U2 tlpe rills (co rRAcK
31,
nvrn z)
-
Edge rrses this techniqrre on Pritle (In Tlrc Nanrc
Of Loue), atlotrg others.
Tappecl hannonlcs are urost c'asil1'played by
fretting and picking a note irs nortnirl :urd then
touchirrg the satne string 12 or 7 flets higl'rer'.
Again, make sure that you tap (rather than press)
right nbove the frehvile. The other', slightly nrote
difficult, n-rethod is to fret the note then ttrp the
halmonic point
(or'node') fairl-v liard over the {rei
This is often enough to trigger tlie hamonic on its
orvn. \Vhichever method
)rou
use, the e{I'ect is
great for ilcorporatlng one or hvo high notes itito
a phrase of nolmal fretted noies, srrch as in the
next example
(rrc z, co rRAcK
31,
nrrn
3)
An
ertra bit of trtnp girin or overdrive r'"'ill help you
prochrce the hannonics more easily.
Anifcial lnnnutics are sitnilirr to tapped
harrlonics, in thirt vou touch the stling 12 frets
highel thau the fietted notc' Hos'ever, in this
technique, instead ofpicking the fretted note first,
you pick the string u'ith the niddle finger ol the
picking hrincl after yru have
Positionecl
the first
ffnger over the harmouic node. This rnethod of
producing harnionics gives you tnrtch gleater
flexibihty; allor.r'ing vou to plal'lr4roIe plirases in
hannonics
-
bui itb muclt more di{ficult. As :r
taster try practising a scale using artificial
harmonics
(rIc
a,
cn rRAcK
31,
BYTE
4).
Pinched lnnnonics provide the icing on every
rock guitarist's cake. It's a stunning tecluriqrre for
+
+*
i
f
naking screeching high notes appear ortt o:
nou4rere in the nricklle ol a lick (uc ,1, co rn
'
3r,
BYTE
5).
The effect is achieved br fittr.: :
note as nornriil ancl then picklng the strili'1 r'
-
sicle of the plc'ctnrm, allou'ing the sicle o1 tl,,
thul'rb to alnost il'rrttecliittell'torrch the stn:
-
create a h:u'rnonic. The rpalig'artcl pitch oi:
sound that
I'ott
zrchieve depends ttptln u'h.r.
pick tlie string. A bit of distortion ancl aclde,l :-
uill delirriteh trtuke tlrittgs errsier'
3fi F"Rryr&3{gfr 5 5ffi :V$!5#gff
Once yort",'e got
Xnrr
fingers arouncl sollle
( :
-
techniques try; to incorpor:rte hartnonics ill:
solos. I'r.e played a strmple sokt in the kev rr-- :
rnirior (ct rnlcx
3o)
to displav sorne of ti,.
possibilities. Use the btrcking track proride.i
(co rnecr
3z)
to try out vour orl.r ideas. E
all
, r4t
It
,,
+a
lli']j
.{t'
A
h
I
Th,
tal
E
'gi0&ql
tdistafl*,!n],
,lTlr5]
Q4CA|
ffi
l. il;1i rnirl {lJ $i rtdi rr:1r {?i
Shom here &re two
positioDs of the E Datural
minor scele -
use tltese to
improvise a solo over the
brcking track. Remember,
you can get ar @tave
hmonic by touching the
fret 12 frets higher than
auy uote in the scale.
Also, every natural
hamonic at the 6th. 7th or
12th fret oD any string is &
note whlch occurs in the E
naturel minor scale.
Seritar ssffiffid
!farmonics are easier to execute iJ
tlyorr select the bridge pickup anri
whaek the treble uP
-
malre sure the
guitar tone is on full. Playing near
the bridge (for natural harmonics)
also helps. Compression and
distortion can enhance the effect.
'oo
EEEEGEEE
Notural hamonics have a chlme-like quellty
-
here's the 'Big Beu' bell chimes,
arugpd for 12th aDd 7th fret h&moDics.
A simple rtff i! E minor spiced up Fith t.pped @tove harDonics. Play the
hmonics by toucbhg the striDg 12 frets higher thaD the frettd notes.
AH 17 AH 15 AH 17 AH 16 AH 14 AH 17 AH 16 AH 14
AH.t7
+a
AH 15 AH 14
+
AH 17
-
AH 15
a
AH 12
+
AH 14
The E lotural minor scale played with ertifici&l hmoDics. Both hauds have
b ploy the sc&Ie in unison an octave (12 frets) apart.
PiDched h&monlcs on aD E Einor rlff. Plle oE the distortion ud dtg iD dep
-ith
the slde of the plectruD, catching the side of the string with your thuDb.
issuE
43
MAY 1gg8 EEEIEEEEE.o'