Harmonics Exercises
Contents
Natural Harmonics
Tuning
Harmonics Scale
Using natural harmonics, we can play a D Major or B Minor scale. Note that although the harmonics are marked as the 3rd, 4th, and 5th frets, the exact position is actually 3.2, 3.9, and 5.
E---------------------------------------------<5>-----<4>-------<3>- B-------------------------------------------------<3>-----<2.7>----- G-----------------------------<5>-----<4>-<3>----------------------- D-----------------<5>-----<4>-----<3>------------------------------- A-----<5>-----<4>-----<3>------------------------------------------- E-<4>-----<3>------------------------------------------------------- note G# A B C# D E F# G A B D E F# G# A B harmonic order 5 4 6 5 4 6 5 4 6 5 6 4 6 5 7 6
Artificial Pinch Harmonics
Harmonics per String
harmonics order 3 4 5 6 5 4 3 4 5 -[3]--[3]--[3]--[3]--[3]--[3]--[3]--[3]--[3]--
-[6]--[6]--[6]--[6]--[6]--[6]--[6]--[6]--[6]--
-[9]--[9]--[9]--[9]--[9]--[9]--[9]--[9]--[9]--
Repeat for all strings.
Chromatic Scale
n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n -[3]-[4]-[5]-[6]-[5]-[4]-[3]-[4]-[5]-[6]/[7]-[8]-[9]-[10]-[9]-[8]-[7]-[8]-[9]-[10]- repeat for n = harmonic orders 3-5 repeat for all strings
Major Scale
E--------------------------------------------------------------[5]-[7]-[8]- B--------------------------------------------------[5]-[7]-[8]------------- G--------------------------------------[4]-[5]-[7]------------------------- D--------------------------[4]-[5]-[7]------------------------------------- A--------------[3]-[5]-[7]------------------------------------------------- E--[3]-[5]-[7]-------------------------------------------------------------
E---------------------------------------------------------------5--[7]--8-- B---------------------------------------------------5---7--[8]------------- G--------------------------------------[4]--5--[7]------------------------- D---------------------------4--[5]--7-------------------------------------- A---------------3--[5]--7-------------------------------------------------- E--[3]--5--[7]-------------------------------------------------------------
Pentatonic Scale
E-------------------------------------------[5]-[8]-- B-----------------------------------[5]-[8]---------- G---------------------------[5]-[7]------------------ D-------------------[5]-[7]-------------------------- A-----------[5]-[7]---------------------------------- E--[5]-[8]-------------------------------------------
E------------------------------------[5]-[8]-- B------------------------------[5]-8---------- G-----------------------[5]-7----------------- D-----------------5-[7]----------------------- A-----------5-[7]----------------------------- E--[5]-[8]------------------------------------
E--------------------------------5--8-- B--------------------------5-[8]------- G--------------------5-[7]------------- D-------------[5]-7-------------------- A-------[5]-7-------------------------- E--5--8--------------------------------
Artificial Tapped Harmonics
Fret the notes indicated and tap with the right hand finger over the note in parentheses.
Chords
E--------------------------------0(12)-------------------------------------------0(12)- B--------------------------0(12)-------------------------------------0(12)------------- G--------------------1(13)-------------------------------1(13)-------------1(13)------- D--------------2(14)-------------------------2(14)-------------2(14)------------------- A--------2(14)-------------------------------------2(14)------------------------------- E--0(12)-------------------------------0(12)-------------------------------------------
E--------------------------------1(13)-------------------------------------------1(13)- B--------------------------1(13)-------------------------------------1(13)------------- G--------------------1(13)-------------------------------1(13)-------------1(13)------- D--------------3(15)-------------------------3(15)-------------3(15)------------------- A--------3(15)-------------------------------------3(15)------------------------------- E--1(13)-------------------------------1(13)-------------------------------------------
E--------------------------3(15)-------------------------------3(15)- B--------------------5(17)-------------------------5(17)------------- G--------------5(17)-------------------5(17)-------------5(17)------- D--------5(17)-------------------------------5(17)------------------- A--3(15)-------------------------3(15)------------------------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------
E--------------------------5(17)-------------------------------5(17)- B--------------------6(18)-------------------------6(18)------------- G--------------7(19)-------------------7(19)-------------7(19)------- D--------7(19)-------------------------------7(19)------------------- A--5(17)-------------------------5(17)------------------------------- E--------------------------------------------------------------------
These exercises can be played for any chord's left-hand fingering using the same tapping patterns above, as well as descending, so long as they are low enough for the octave +12 frets to be tapped.
Pentatonic Scale
E--------------------------------------------------------------5(17)-8(20)-- B--------------------------------------------------5(17)-8(20)-------------- G--------------------------------------5(17)-7(19)-------------------------- D--------------------------5(17)-7(19)-------------------------------------- A--------------5(17)-7(19)-------------------------------------------------- E--5(17)-8(20)-------------------------------------------------------------- for an advanced take on this exercise, tap with the same fingers on the right hand as the left hand is fretting.