Lesson 12: Advanced Technique Part 3

This is one of my favorite technique on a guitar. You can use this technique both on electric or acoustic guitar with or without effects. You can create a sweet clear ringing ambiance sound coming out from a clean electric, acoustic guitar or a wild scary horror sound with a fully distorted effects on an electric guitar. The natural harmonics also can be used to perfectly tune your guitar !
That so much isn't it !

The natural harmonics can be sound perfectly at the 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 16th, 19th fret on EVERY strings on the guitar.
That doesn't mean trying this technique on the other fret won't work, it just only on those fret that the produced sound come out perfectly or completely ringed out.
How to do it ? Here's how :
 

Touch the string(s) (don't fret it) on precisely ABOVE the before-mentioned frets then pick the string(s). With a split second interval, release your finger from the fret and let the picked string(s) completely rang out.

The timing of picking then releasing your finger and touching precisely above the strings is the most important aspect on this technique.

• If you hold your finger too long, the note that came out from your guitar will be a "plunked" sound.
• If you're not touching the strings at precisely ABOVE the frets the note that come out will not be completely ringed sound.

See the illustration below :

Touch the string(s) (don't fret it) on precisely ABOVE the before-mentioned frets then pick the string(s).
With a split second interval, release your finger from the fret and let the picked string(s) completely rang out.

You don't have to use the index finger as illustrated on the picture. Instead all of the fingers can be used to sound the natural harmonics. Just choose which one suits you best.

Try this exercise :

Tab Notation : !5 = Sound the natural harmonic on the 5th fret


E|-----------!5-----------!7-----------!9----------------!12----------------!16--|
B|---------!5-----------!7-----------!9---------------!12----------------!16-----|
G|-------!5-----------!7-----------!9--------------!12----------------!16--------|
D|-----!5-----------!7-----------!9-------------!12----------------!16-----------|
A|---!5-----------!7-----------!9------------!12----------------!16--------------|
E|-!5-----------!7-----------!9-----------!12----------------!16-----------------|
 

E|----------------!19-------!12------------------------------------------------|
B|-------------!19----------!12------------------------------------------------|
G|----------!19-------------!12------------------------------------------------|
D|-------!19-------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----!19----------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-!19-------------------------------------------------------------------------|

6.1 Tuning With Natural Harmonics

The natural harmonics can also be used for tuning your guitar. Here's the steps:

You must first get the low-E or the high-E perfectly tuned Click here
Sound the natural harmonics at the frets given below, and match the notes that come out on the frets which are on the same colors. (5th on low E with 7th on A, 5th on A with 7th on D, 5th on D with 7th on G and 4th on D with the 5th on B and the 7th on E)

E|---------|--------|--------|-------!7-|
B|---------|--------|--------|----!5----|
G|---------|--------|-----!7-|-!4-------|
D|---------|----!7--|--!5----|----------|
A|-----!7--|-!5-----|--------|----------|
E|--!5-----|--------|--------|----------|

6.2 Distorted Natural Harmonics and Tremolo Bar

Ok, now for the wild part, turn your amp/effects distortion level to full throttle and put the tremolo bar on your electric guitar. (You can't achieve the desired sounds without those tools ) Here's for the wild natural harmonics and tremolo bar dive technique.
First, pick the open G string note then dive the tremolo bar until the all the strings turn flapped across the fretboard then quickly sound the natural harmonics at the G-string 5th fret and pull the tremolo bar. This process must be done swiftly and very quick. Because if you dive and pull the bar to slow, it will be difficult to sound the natural harmonics due to the flapped strings touching the fretboard.
 

Try out this additional exercise :
 

Notation:

• - max = pull down the bar till all of the strings get flapped on the fretboard
• + up to neutral = pull up the bar back to the neutral position
• + 2 = pull up the bar for a whole (2 step) interval up from the neutral position
• - 1  = push down the bar for a half  (1 step ) interval down from the neutral position
• /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ = shake the tremolo bar
• !5 = Sound the natural harmonics at the 5th fret

W/bar
    - max     + up to neutral  /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
E|---------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------|
G|---!5-------!7--------------shake the tremolo bar--|
D|---------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------|
 

6.3 Using Tap To Sound The Natural Harmonics

Like I said on the previous lesson, the tapping technique can also be applied to sound the natural harmonics.
Here's the tricks.
Remember that the natural harmonics can be sound perfectly at the 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 16th and 19th.
But after a rough experience the 12th fret seems the easiest to sound.
Then what if you want to sound the perfect natural harmonic from 13th or 14th fret ?
Well in that case you must use your right hand's finger to tap on exactly ABOVE the desired fret while use your left finger to grip the lower fret and keep the distance / interval  from the tapped fret exactly 12 frets (1 octave) lower.
Let us say that you want to sound the natural harmonic from the 14th fret on the B string. Here's what to do..
Fret the 2nd fret on the B string with your left finger and tap the 14th fret on that string exactly ABOVE the fret on a guitar with your right finger (index or middle).
Let's count .... 14 minus 2 equal 12...Yes it does have the 12 frets interval !
So if you want to sound the natural harmonic on the..let's say 16th fret, tap the 16th fret with your right hand while fretting the 4th with your left hand and so on.You can do this trick on all of the strings !

Let's do this exercise !

Note : Always fret the 12th frets lower note with your left hand while tapping the note with your right hand.
 

Notation :
t!15 = tap to sound the natural harmonic at the 15th fret with your right hand while fretting the 3rd fret with your left hand.
 

E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 
G|-t!15--------------t!15------t!17-------------t!17------t!15------------t!15------t!14-| 
D|------t!15-----t!15-----t!15------t!17-----t!17----t!17------t!15----t!15----t!15------| 
A|----------t!15------------------------t!17-----------------------t!15------------------| 
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| 

7. Artificial Harmonics (Pinch Harmonics)

While the natural harmonic are achieved by touching (but not fretting) the strings, there is another way to sound a meaner, screamin' harmonics by pinching the string.
Pinching mean :
Hitting / attacking the string with the edge / tip of a pick and letting the fleshy part of your thumb also touch the string at the same time.
See the Animated Illustration below......

Some pointer about this technique :

• Crank the distortion level on your amp or effects up to the maximum level.
• For an easy start, grip the fifth fret on the B string with your left hand and pinch the string with your pick.
• The pinching is what important on this technique you may not be able to perform it perfectly at first but keep on trying till you got a suitable pinching move and the harmonics really coming out of your guitar.
• Remember to hit the string with the edge / tip of a pick hard and let that fleshy part of your thumb touch the string at the same time. You won't get anything if you don't hit it hard enough.

Do this simple exercise :

P.H = Pinch Harmonic

                          P.H                  P.H        P.H          P.H
E|---3--6--4--3------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------6--4--3--------------------3--6^2-r-^2--------------------------|
G|------------------------5^2-r--3--2--3--5---------------5^2-r-^2-----3~~~~-----|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------5------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------|