ne of the first questions guitar players ask me is, “How do you play all those fancy things with harmonics?” Let’s start by looking at how harmonics are traditionally approached by classical guitarists. Lightly rest your picking-hand index finger on any open string directly over the 12th fret. At the same time, pluck the string with the ring finger of the same hand. If you do it correctly in one continuous motion, you’ll hear a bell-like tone one octave higher than the pitch of the open string. You can also produce the octave harmonic of any fretted fretted note as long as there is a distance between the fretted note and the tip of the right-hand index finger. Practicing scales with harmonics is a good way to improve your accuracy. Chet Atkins was the first guitarist I heard
was doing, I would have to play the harmonic on the lower string with my right and index finger. Although I use a thumbpick, many players prefer not to. I found I could play arpeggios, pull-offs, and trills, all with just this one technique! The arpeggio in Ex. 1, which I figured out originally from Chet’s recordings, is the basis for much of what I do with harmonics. It involves a and-forth motion, alternately playing the regular note with the 3rd finger and the harmonic with the thumb and index finger. To keep things simple, we’ll use only open strings on this ascending arpeggio (the chord produced is an A descending version appears in Ex. 2. Finally, tie the ascending and descending versions into one long, beautiful arpeggio This arpeggio fingering works well with a straight bar at any fret as long as the index fin-
slowly until your right hand feels comfortable adjusting for the harmonics at the 14th and 16th frets. Now try the five-note arpeggio in Ex. 6 and the six-note in 7. Your picking hand always traces the shape of the fretted chord 12 frets higher, as depicted in 8. Once you locate the position of the first harmonic with the right hand, use it as a reference point on which to base the subsequent harmonics rather than continually trying to think one octave above each fretted note. Ex. 9 shows some of my favorite voicings for harmonics: some require you to hold down two strings with one fretting-hand finger, flattening the finger over the strings so it bends backwards backwards at the first joint. Experiment, be original, and look for different ways to change things so they become your own. That’s the only way you’ll find the freedom that we’re all looking for. 3 Lenny
a Guitar columnist in prece preceding ding his death death in 1984 1984 Player
