learn to shred part 6 : harmonics

Harmonics

The best way to learn to play harmonics is to understand what they are

harmonics are notes that are created using the wave physics of the string. 
There are many, many incredibly complicated equations that prove how hey work,
beleive me I know of them from my advanced higher physics in school,
but just take my word for them. ( http://superstringtheory.com/basics/basic4a.html )

Q. What are harmonics

A. Well, each string has areas called nodal points; where the string length is equally divisible by the length between the next node



The fundamental is the length of the string that vibrates (ie from the bridge to the nut)
if you lightly touch the string directly over a nodal point you split the vibration of the string in 2 directions both moving away from your finger, this increases the frequency of the vibration and
this increases the pitch you hear made by the string

The amount of pitch increase can be determined
by what nodal point you create the harmonic from;
look at the above image and notice
that every second node has no vibration in the middle of the string;

These nodes will produce a note that is an octave of the origonal note ie nodes 2, 4 and 6
on an open string these points are above the frets;

12th fret (node 2 one octave above open string)
5th and 24th fret (node 4 two octaves above open note)
fret 3.2 and above middle pickup (node 6 three octaves above fretted notes)


now you understand what a harmonic is here is how to play them:

all harmonic types require a light touch above a nodal point to sound them


pinch harmonics:

A lot of people have trouble learning these and that is because they do not understand what their hand is supposed to do to play them;

how to learn them:
pick an open string; let it ring for a second or two
then touch above the 12th fret with the side of the thumb still holding the pick and create a harmonic;

This is what your hand is doing when creating a pinch harmonic it just does it with one motion instead of two,

now hold your thumb close to the tip of the pick and try to play a harmonic at the 12th fret of the open string with one pick motion clipping the nodal point with your thumb when picking

congratulations that was a pinch harmonic

Fretted pich harmonics: these are slightly different because whe you are fretting a note the fundamental length is changed from the bridge to the nut, to the fretted note to the bridge 

This changes the position of the nodes, 
the 2nd node now will be 12 frets above the fretted note, 
try and discover more nodes yourself


How to show off:

play an open string and the touch the 5th fret node with your tounge to create a harmonic,
take your time and make it look sexy on stage making sure that any girls in the audience see your tounge impliying oral sex; this is a great move to get the girls; tried and tested ;)


oh and btw
artificial harmonics are just picking a fretted note and then using a right hand finger to touch the node