Understanding and playing harmonics (Apr 21) Questions / Suggestions
Alright, here we are - this time with a topic requested by so many users via email! 
Harmonics represent one of the guitar's most widespread techniques, yet there is no standardized way of writing them down. Rather, a multitude of competing notation conventions exist, overlapping and contradicting each other in music from all periods and styles.
How do we find natural harmonics on the fretboard? How can we be sure we are playing them in the correct octave? How do we distinguish between natural and artificial harmonics? How do we even play articificial harmonics, and what are the best techniques for creating beautiful sounding ones?
Would you like some help with figuring out a particularly difficult or frustrating harmonic passage?
↓ Send a score excerpt from the piece you're working on by replying right here in this thread! ↓
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We are going to be using this thread to gather suggestions and questions!
- What questions do you have on this topic?
- Any particular area you would like us to focus on?
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Hello Mircea , this is a great topic which I still couldn't figured out. I am sure the session will help me a lot, as usual. Before the technical issues, I cannot even read the harmonic notes, which string or which fret or natural or not. El Testament d'Amèlia can be a good example to start, I am sharing the scores. See you in a few hours..
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Gokce Turkmendag Hi Gokce, this is great! I was planning to use Testament d'Amelia as one of my examples (just queued it up on my iPad to show in-stream!), but now that I know you want to know about it, I will spend more time on it.
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Mircea I've found interesting type of harmonics in Ricardo Iznaola's "Kitharologus...". Violine-type harmonics. Here is an example:
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Marek Tabisz Oh yeah, these are very cool! You're totally right - they are a typical violin technique, and they're pretty rare on the guitar, but I have encountered them on occasion!
If you play in higher frets of the guitar (where the frets are smaller), you can even reach other notes with your left hand, like the third above the first octave, for example. It's kind of like playing artificial harmonics with your left, rather than right hand. Thanks for sharing!
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Hello Mircea, taking you up on your offer for guidance, might we look at the final three measures within Tarrega Prelude, No. 1.
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Hello Mircea,
Great presentation on harmonics. I would be grateful if you could give some advice on playing the harmonic section in Songe Capricorne by Roland Dyens - attached, marked in yellow - the harmonic note melody is played by the thumb? begins mezzo forte and proceeds to mezzo piano accompanied by a tremolo note played piano piano - how best to approach this? thank you for your advice.
