Playing with harmonics

Tn harmonic is a crystalline sound that is obtained by lightly touching a string above a fret with a finger, then picking the string while at the same time the finger leaves the string. There are two kinds of harmonics: natural and artificial.

Natural harmonics

Natural harmonics are the sounds obtained by touching a string with a finger above determined frets, without actually fretting a note with the left hand. Natural harmonics are located :

• Between frets 12 and 13: one octave above the open string
• Between frets 7 and 8 : one octave and a fifth above the open string
• Between frets 5 and 6 : two octaves above the open string
• Between frets 19 and 20 : one octave and a fifth above the open string

There are other natural harmonics between frets 1 and 5 but it is difficult to make them sound clear, especially on high strings. In general, natural harmonics are noted used a lot because of the limited choice of notes that we get.

Natural harmonics

(in French)

A lick from Biréli all made of natural harmonics

Artificial harmonics

Artificial harmonics are obtained when the left hand frets a note on a string while the right hand picks the string and at the same time a right hand's finger touches the string 12, 7 or 5 frets above on the neck (and leaves the string rightaway). The index can also touch the string above the rosace and in this case we play two octaves above the fretted note. There are many ways to do the right hand picking: my favourite is to hold the pick between the thumb and the middle finger to pick the string and to touch the string with the index. Other people prefer picking with the nail of the ring finger while wrapping the middle finger above the pick, which is easier to play above the neck.

This kind of artificial harmonics whereby the finger touches the string 12 frets above the fretted note was used a lot by Django - think of the solo in Nuages. These harmonics are called octavados.

Scale played in harmonics

Other view where I fret the notes with my left hand before playing the harmonics at the same place with the right hand while fretting 12 frets to the left on the left hand.

Mixing artificial harmoncis and standard fretted notes

Some musicians like Biréli Lagrène innovate a lot. One of these innovations is the mix of artificial harmonics and normal notes. Holding the pick between the thumb and the middle finger leaces two fingers free: the ring finger and the ear finger. Why not use them then ? Some nice effects can be obtained by alternatively playing an harmonic and a normal note or two. Or they can be played together as parts of the same chord. This really sounds like magic to me...