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Thread: Harmonics - others apart from the 12th fret?

  1. #1
    Studies dead guys. Mandoviol's Avatar
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    Default Harmonics - others apart from the 12th fret?

    Hi guys,

    I can get a good strong harmonic on the 12th fret, but not anywhere else apart from a weaker on on the 7th and a super weak one on the 5th. Any way to play harmonics on other frets?
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    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Harmonics - others apart from the 12th fret?

    There are also natural harmonics on the 3rd, 4th, and 9th frets, and at similar points above the 12th fret. Also there are artificial harmonics at any fret above the octave, which you can get by fretting a note and plucking the string while deadening it an octave up from where you are fretting it. Of course, artificial harmonics can be obtained at points corresponding to the natural harmonics points after adjusting for the shorter string length. You will get better results on fresher strings.
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  3. #3
    Registered User Ivan Kelsall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Harmonics - others apart from the 12th fret?

    Here's a YouTube clip of how to play 'artificial harmonics' on a Guitar. The same technique can be used on the Mandolin,but with less good results,mainly because of the short lengths of string that will vibrate.Even the 'natural' harmonics at the 5th & 7th fret are very poor compared to instruments with a longer scale (string) length,
    Ivan http://youtu.be/eqFg8r7Ckgk
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  4. #4

    Default Re: Harmonics - others apart from the 12th fret?

    The harmonics on mando are very sensitive to where you pluck the strings. Try picking at different distances from the bridge, and use very light touch with the LH.

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