New to the forum

Hello I am a 24 year old struggling guitar player and I have always wanted to learn harmionics in every form.....I have been getting better at natural and pinched harmonics but I have a question for you regarding tapped harmonics.........

exactly where do I tap to get the harmonics sound......for instance if i am barring the second fret do I tap on the fret wire itself?....and if so is it the fret wire between thirteen and fourteen or is it the fret wire between fourteen and fifteen..........I hope I did not confuse you and i hope to hear from you soon

Thank You

Justin

When I tap harmonics I tap them like this: If I hit an open E string, I tap lightly the 12 fret just above the iron wich makes an octave and so on. There must always be 12 frets between to get them. So if you play G note (3rd fret on E string) tap lightly the iron on 15 fret wich is also G (octave).

here´s the tab:

A-string |--3----t15--|

Now, I´m not sure if you ment this but if you did than this is the only way to do it. Good luck.

PS/This is easy.

There is also a thing called tapped Artifical Harmonics. Really awesome for those A.H. melodies. Really easy to do and great for showing off. :D

Take the idea of how to play artificial harmonics regularly by picking the string while touching the node with your thumb. But with this technique you lay you thumb on the node beforehand, then tap with the other hand. Produces a series of A.H.'s when you tap the line you want to play. A tab will look like this:

e:--T------T------T-----T-------
B:------------------------------
G:--12(19)-10(17)-9(16)---------
D:----------------------10(17)--
A:------------------------------
E:------------------------------

*(A.H pitch that is sounded)

Notes: You'll have to lay you thumb correctly for it to work. It takes some practice just like when you started playing Artifical Harmonics in the first place. Have fun!

There is also a way to produce harmonics with thapping by hitting the strin at the given knotpoint (12 frets above the fretted note for example). The trick is to hit the string hard and fast like a woodpecker eactly ON the fret itself and instantly removing it again - as if you where tapping your finger on something to hear if it is hollow or not.

I don't understand?

Leo Kotke trick.
Bar the 2nd fret, with the right hand lay the index finger across the 14th fret, rake the strings upward w/the pinky removing the index finger as the harmonics ring out.

You can also outline 6th string bar chords this way by angling the index finger so that it lays across the 3 frets.
*note, it will be impossible to produce a harmonic on the 6th str. due to the angle of the finger

Actually I did try it on guitar, and it is a little more difficult than on (distorted)bass. That part is actually a segment from Anesthesia (bass solo by cliff burton). It may just be the way I play it also, but it works for me. The easiest way to start it is by playing a A.H. then just leave you thumb in that position and tap the frets. Sometimes you have to compensate for where the node is, and maneuver your thumb a bit to get the harmonic to sound. It is tough but obtainable. I don’t know any other way to explain it without being able to physically show it.

another thing:

Place pick between thumb and middlefinger

place indexfinger of pickinghand one octave above fretted note - stricke string with pick while simultaneously touching it with the inexfinger at the given fret. works with singlenotelines and full chords

--> see my Claude Debussy piece "girl with the flaxen hair" - it uses that technique