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Topic: Harmonics |
Deirdre Higgins
From:
Connecticut, USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2015 9:31 am |
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Hi friends,
Is there a trick to doing palm harmonics? I've been practicing PH for a while and still can't get them right. I hardly ever get them on the first try, I have to keep adjusting my hand one way or the other to get the harmonic. Do you look at the fret markers below the 12th or just memorize the palm positions? I find having to look at them first causes me to have to pause a split second.
Thanks
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Jerry Byrd Fan |
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Rick Barnhart
From:
Arizona, USA
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Posted 7 Jan 2015 9:39 am
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The way I've found that works for me it to pluck the string(s) 5 frets in front of wherever the bar is...while ever so lightly, letting the blade (karate chop part) of my picking hand brush the same string(s). Once the harmonic is achieved, the bar can be moved up for a harmonically colored gliss, as well. It takes lots of practice.
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Clinesmith consoles D-8/6 5 pedal, D-8 3 pedal & A25 Frypan, Pettingill Teardrop, & P8 Deluxe. |
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Jean-Sebastien Gauthier
From:
Quebec, Canada
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Posted 7 Jan 2015 10:27 am
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You have to have a light contact of the palm exactly one octave higher (12 frets) than the bar (for example fret 15 if bar is at fret 3). Pick lightly and use vibrato to get sustain.
It need lots of practice to be consistent, its very a muscular memory thing. When you think about it its very hard to do and when Im in studio and think about it I can't play them because Im in fear! Nobody can do them perfect 100% of the time, you can see youtube videos of Jerry Byrd missing some harmony!
But if you work very hard you can get good at it. |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 7 Jan 2015 4:59 pm
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You have to understand how the harmonics work. To simplify the situation, I'm going to stick with the easiest one and that's the one that is halfway between the nut and bridge, which is normally the 12th fret. If you take your little finger and pluck the fist string (for example) right on the 12th fret, you will get a harmonic. Understand, that you touch the string with your finger in what I teach my students as a "touch and go" airplane manuever.
Now to the palm harmonics. I'm still going to stick with the first string for simplicity.
If you put your bar on the first string on the fifth fret, you have shortened the tone distance from the bar to the bridge. So, you need to find out where the centrepoint is by measureing that distance, and find the centre point.
That centrepoint is exactly where your palm must touch the strings. Where you pick is your regular picking distance from that centrepoint. You can't say it is exactly "X" number of frets because it varies with the overall distance and the length of your hand. You just learn to get the hang of it.
Experiment by trying your bar at the 3rd, 5th and 7th frets and it will come. Not only do you have to get the "hot" spot, you have to execute the touch so as not to mute the note. It's tricky but a little practice wiill bring it to fruition.
Geo
_________________
http://georgerout.com
"I play in the A Major tuning. It's fun to learn and so easy to play. It's as old as the hills....like me" |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 7 Jan 2015 5:13 pm
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Here's a simple but nice example on my version of Harbour Lights. Go to:
http://www.hsga.org/GeorgeRout.htm and select Harbour Lights
Geo
_________________
http://georgerout.com
"I play in the A Major tuning. It's fun to learn and so easy to play. It's as old as the hills....like me" |
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Deirdre Higgins
From:
Connecticut, USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 5:53 pm
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Thanks Rick, Jean & George.
George love your version of Harbor Lights BTW.
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Jerry Byrd Fan |
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George Rout
From:
St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 8:07 pm
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Thank you Deirdre for your compliment. It's a nice tune in which to do some easy harmonics.
Geo
_________________
http://georgerout.com
"I play in the A Major tuning. It's fun to learn and so easy to play. It's as old as the hills....like me" |
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Orville Johnson
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 8 Jan 2015 10:00 pm
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| Start out by practicing making the harmonics at the 12th fret with your right hand with the strings unbarred. That way you can work on your touch with the picking/harmonic sounding hand without introducing the variable string length that your bar causes. After you feel comfortable hitting the harmonics and feel like you're getting a good sound, then put the bar at the second fret and sound the harmonics at 14. |
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Roger Fletcher
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 9 Jan 2015 7:56 am
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I like to think my harmonics are not too bad, but it has taken a VERY long time to get even this far and more hours of practice than I ever dreamt would be necessary.
If that seems discouraging, don't let it be. You are far from unique in finding this difficult, and if you keep practising, it will come. My advice is, don't try to make it happen, but relax and let it happen in its own time. As soon as you put pressure on yourself, your muscles will tense up, and this will destroy any chance of getting decent harmonics.
Others have said you need to touch the string lightly EXACTLY 12 frets above the bar, but my experience is a little different. I find there are a few millimetres leeway to the left of that 12th fret but none at all to the right. So I aim to undershoot just a little.
Hope this helps, Roger |
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Andrew Goulet
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Posted 13 Nov 2020 9:11 pm
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| This is all helpful. It's a tough technique. |
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Mike A Holland
From:
United Kingdom
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Posted 14 Nov 2020 4:01 am
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| My experience with palm harmonics is to play them with the lightest touch possible and never rush. Always give yourself plenty of time if possible. |
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Andy Volk
From:
Boston, MA
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Posted 14 Nov 2020 4:46 am
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One way to practice them is to place the bar at fret 1 and play the harmonics from string 6 - 1 at fret 13, then move the whole thing up one fret to fret 2, palm at fret 14 and play the harmonics from string 1-6. Then move up the fretboard one fret at a time, reversing the direction of the strings each time. It's tedious, but a helpful practical approach. Eventually the picking hand position becomes more or less subconscious.
Do I do this myself? Not for many years and it shows - as I often muff a harmonic I'm going for lately. So I think I'm gonna take my own advice! 
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Steel Guitar Books! Website: www.volkmediabooks.com |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 14 Nov 2020 1:52 pm
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| Mike A Holland wrote: |
| My experience with palm harmonics is to play them with the lightest touch possible and never rush. Always give yourself plenty of time if possible. |
Right, a light touch with the palm. But press down harder on the bar, and pick with authority to get a nice loud chime. It's tricky to pick hard while only lightly grazing the string with the palm (or whatever part of your hand you use to do harmonics. Me? Little finger curled under.) |
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Bob Stone
From:
Gainesville, FL, USA
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Posted 15 Nov 2020 6:31 am
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Here is the way I approach right hand placement for palm harmonics: I use my thumb pick as a guide. For harmonics with bar at the 3rd fret, place the tip of the thumb pick at the 9th fret, at the 10th fret with the bar at the 5th, 12th fret with the bar at the 7th, and the 15th fret with the bar at the 12th.
You may have to make minor adjustments for the size of your hand and scale length. Since the palm is a pretty large contact area, the accuracy of right hand placement is somewhat forgiving. Once you are quick and comfortable with executing harmonics at these positions, right hand placement for harmonics with the bar at other frets will come easily. Practice, practice, practice. It’s so rewarding when you “get it.†One of the most beautiful voices of the steel guitar. |
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