Harmonics

Harmonics

Have go at locating the harmonics along the length of the string -

by lightly touching/gliding along the string while plucking it quite loudly)

Remember that most of the notes in the natural major scale correspond with the places where these harmonics are found.

Note which harmonics are the strongest. .

The most common harmonics occur at:

• 12th fret (ratio 1/2): an octave above the open string
• 7th fret (ratio 1/3): an octave plus a fifth above the open string. 7th fret harmonics are the same as the 7th fret notes (low to high - b,e,a,d,f#,b).
• 5th fret (ratio 1/4): two octaves above the open string. 5th fret harmonics are the same note as the open string
• 4th fret (ratio 1/5): two octaves plus a major third above the open string
• 9th fret (ratio 2/5; equivalent to 1/5): same as at the 4th fret, since the ratios have the same denominator.

The 1st , 4th and 5th notes are the notes that the MAJOR chords are based on.

At the 9th fret,the harmonic is where the 6th note of the scale occurs.

The 6th , 2nd and 3rd notes are the notes from which the Minors chords are based.

Check out Steve Howe, the guitarist for Yes, playing ' And you and I'