Here's another FREE guitar lesson from Mike at KillerGuitarTips.com
We are going to look at a series of three tips on harmonics.
Harmonics occur over the 5th, 7th and 12th fret and are a natural phenomenon of your instrument.
If you gently touch the string over the fret and pick the string you will play a harmonic. We'll use the 12th fret for this example. DO NOT fret the string, just touch it directly over the fret and pluck the string.
You will hear the harmonic note. If you just get a muted dull sound move your finger towards the fret whilst constantly plucking the string until it becomes clear.
Play the harmonic over the strings at the 12th, 7th and 5th frets.
You really do need this killer technique and is a 'must know' for any guitarist and should be part of their bag of tricks.
For a good example have a look at the middle section in Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2.
Give it a whirl.
Now that you have had chance to practice harmonics I would like to show you how to tune your guitar using this technique.
This is a very easy and accurate way to tune your guitar. Following on from last weeks tip...
By using the 5th fret on the 6th string you will get exactly the same pitch harmonics as by using the 7th fret on the 5th string.
When playing the two harmonics together a wavering sound will be heard if the strings aren't in tune with each other. Now if you tune let's say the 5th string and the wavering speeds up the string is going further out of tune. Whilst doing this if you find the string wavering slowing down then it's coming into tune. You need to keep tuning until the wavering has stopped. Once the wavering has stopped the two strings are then in tune with each other. If you find you tune to far the wavering sound will speed up again.
Repeat this with strings 5 & 4 and 4 & 3.
To tune the 2nd string we be a little innovative. This is because this string is tuned 4 frets higher than the 3rd, the others are tuned 5 frets higher so this technique has to be altered here. Play the harmonic on the 3rd string at the 12th fret this is the G note, then FRET the 8th fret on the 2nd string again the note is G of course! Now use your strumming hand to turn the tuning peg and tune the string!
Back to normal now, tune the 1st string 7th fret harmonic to the 2nd string 5th fret harmonic.
Try this tuning technique with distortion on as this really makes the wavering sound stand out.
As stated earlier this is a great way to tune your guitar and much more accurate than the normal and tuning method.
Moving along to the last in ghis series of three on harmonics. We will have a look at what's known as pinched harmonics or also known as false or artificial harmonics.
To create this type of harmonic we need to touch the string very slightly with the side of the thumb immediately after you have plucked it. To get the best effect you need to have your distortion/overdrive turned on and sounds like a screech. Here is how we do it: Move your picking hand up and down the string whilst picking constantly to find where the different harmonic notes are found.
Billy Gibbons is an absolute master of this technique and if you want to hear what it should sound like there is no better man to listen too.
Remember practice equals progress!!
We are going to look at a series of three tips on harmonics.
Harmonics occur over the 5th, 7th and 12th fret and are a natural phenomenon of your instrument.
If you gently touch the string over the fret and pick the string you will play a harmonic. We'll use the 12th fret for this example. DO NOT fret the string, just touch it directly over the fret and pluck the string.
You will hear the harmonic note. If you just get a muted dull sound move your finger towards the fret whilst constantly plucking the string until it becomes clear.
Play the harmonic over the strings at the 12th, 7th and 5th frets.
You really do need this killer technique and is a 'must know' for any guitarist and should be part of their bag of tricks.
For a good example have a look at the middle section in Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2.
Give it a whirl.
Now that you have had chance to practice harmonics I would like to show you how to tune your guitar using this technique.
This is a very easy and accurate way to tune your guitar. Following on from last weeks tip...
By using the 5th fret on the 6th string you will get exactly the same pitch harmonics as by using the 7th fret on the 5th string.
When playing the two harmonics together a wavering sound will be heard if the strings aren't in tune with each other. Now if you tune let's say the 5th string and the wavering speeds up the string is going further out of tune. Whilst doing this if you find the string wavering slowing down then it's coming into tune. You need to keep tuning until the wavering has stopped. Once the wavering has stopped the two strings are then in tune with each other. If you find you tune to far the wavering sound will speed up again.
Repeat this with strings 5 & 4 and 4 & 3.
To tune the 2nd string we be a little innovative. This is because this string is tuned 4 frets higher than the 3rd, the others are tuned 5 frets higher so this technique has to be altered here. Play the harmonic on the 3rd string at the 12th fret this is the G note, then FRET the 8th fret on the 2nd string again the note is G of course! Now use your strumming hand to turn the tuning peg and tune the string!
Back to normal now, tune the 1st string 7th fret harmonic to the 2nd string 5th fret harmonic.
Try this tuning technique with distortion on as this really makes the wavering sound stand out.
As stated earlier this is a great way to tune your guitar and much more accurate than the normal and tuning method.
Moving along to the last in ghis series of three on harmonics. We will have a look at what's known as pinched harmonics or also known as false or artificial harmonics.
To create this type of harmonic we need to touch the string very slightly with the side of the thumb immediately after you have plucked it. To get the best effect you need to have your distortion/overdrive turned on and sounds like a screech. Here is how we do it: Move your picking hand up and down the string whilst picking constantly to find where the different harmonic notes are found.
Billy Gibbons is an absolute master of this technique and if you want to hear what it should sound like there is no better man to listen too.
Remember practice equals progress!!
About the Author:
About The Author: Mike Jones is a Professional Guitar Tutor. Offering Guitar Lessons geared to getting the beginner through to an great player in the shortest possible time, using unique speed learning techniques developed over two decades of teaching and playing guitar as a professional. To get more information about Mike's teaching methods and receive FREE tips and tricks each week visit his website at: Guitar Lessons