Lesson: Harmonics on the Classical Guitar (left hand / right hand / artificial / natural)

[@areguapiri]

Really helpful in understanding the basic theory. It immediately improved my harmonics tone.

[@PaulChaplo]

Thanks for enriching our musical knowledge and our lives with your lessons and performances! We appreciate you taking the time and energy to create these videos and share them with the world! Respect!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

My pleasure!

[@klarinutte]

I just got your book and it is helpful to read along while I watch the video. Harmonics is no longer a mystery to me and your book is becoming invaluable. Thanks Bradford.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Great to hear!

[@martaf.balleste6277]

This video is very clear, detailed, and well paced. Thank you!

[@selinygmrr]

This is the best video about harmonics i’ve watched. I understand it really well and i can do it really well now. Thank you so much for the video. 😊😊😇

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Thanks so much, glad it was helpful!

[@yogeshmaan8012]

Thanks man I was struggling to find a tutorial for harmonics. But you taught the best way👍

[@josealejandrogarciarojas2218]

3:54 It's like magic, my tone improved a lot.

[@maleeliy1232]

Best lesson on harmonics I always wanted to know how to do them and the difference between natural and artificial thank you so much!!!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it helped. The terminology is the only confusion here. There is no consensus on the terms and they have nothing to do with music theory. That said, it can be helpful for guitarists figuring it all out.

[@davidmiller3927]

Thanks for this. I understood and used left hand harmonics, but I wasn't sure what people were doing with the right hand harmonics. Now I get it!

[@ShawonAdhikary]

Really really helpful video,love you bro.

[@spencerduley2817]

Playing the picking hand towards the bridge is a very good trick, thank you

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@screamingjimmy]

great lesson. thanks for posting.

[@elguero933]

Amazing class, thanks a lot

[@hamiddehghan6248]

best harmonic tutorial, thank u so much 🌺

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

You're very welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@denisemicheldc]

Thank you! This is helpful.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@michaelmurphy4794]

I must say thank you very very much that cleared up a multitude of things. Thank you again.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nigeltissington]

Intriguing lesson! Thank you so much

[@pouyaeinollahi5503]

Finally I learned how to do it, great job 👏

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Great to hear!

[@Telcontarnz]

Great lesson and a real reminder to watch your videos in support of your books. I had never come across the concept of using harmonics to make a chord sound...really good!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ewhyte8059]

Thank you for sharing ,this has now been added to my guitar techniques playlist on KZbin.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Thanks for watching!

[@osmarcoelho5]

I have few words to say; simply, I thank to you Very much !!! God save Troubadours, Minstrels, Musicians, Listeners in general to good music.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@miguelcarvalho3685]

Thank you. I am composing a piece for classical guitar and i need this explanations

[@davidjaxx4288]

Thanks mate ✌

[@josealejandrogarciarojas2218]

Excellent video.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Thakjs!

[@terrypackard1942]

Thank you - very informative!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@chansouvannarath3789]

Really helpful stuff here. Thank you.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@chansouvannarath3789]

@@Thisisclassicalguitar when I studied years ago I was a poor college student with a cheap guitar so harmonics stuff were way too much for my cheap Takemine to tackle now with a much better guitar I can pull it off. I usually pluck right hand harmonics with a middle finger it sounds much batter with ring finger Thank you.

[@Jaybird2064]

Wonderful!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Many thanks!

[@kirklandgavin6858]

cool, thanks

[@55bossanova]

Very useful like usual, what would we do without you ?

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Thanks! You'd learn the old fashion way with a teacher (still the best way by far!).

[@Harrier_DuBois]

Apparently plucking natural harmonics with the the thumb is not recommended, it produces too much percussion as opposed to the fingers. It was explained by an expert who had tested this specifically for many hours.

[@juanclaudioaguilar4890]

Can you demonstrate a harmonic on the 17th fret ?

[@samuelwnovak]

What is your preferred notation for both natural and artificial harmonics? I’m composing a piece that uses 3 techniques for playing harmonics: 1) playing natural harmonics by stopping the string at a node with the left hand and plucking with the right as usual, 2) playing natural harmonics by stopping and plucking with the right hand only, and 3) playing artificial harmonics by fretting with the left hand while stopping and plucking with the right 12 frets higher. After consulting 3 books and digging around the Internet, I can’t decide how to write it most elegantly. Most methods don’t seem suited to a unified system that simply and easily communicates all 3 of these techniques interchangeably; usually there’s just too much superfluous text and various kinds of noteheads. Any insight would be appreciated. I’ve learned A TON from the channel since I started playing classical about 2 years ago after 8 years of primarily electric guitar, THANK YOU!

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Good question. I personally prefer to just see the note written as a harmonic (diamond shape) and AT PITCH. Then just leave it up to the performer if it is for advanced players. If you want to indicate where to play it use a roman numeral with an 'h' before it and a circled string number below. For example hXII for harmonic at the 12th fret. You could include LH. hXII if you wanted to be super specific. The string number (circled number below staff) and the fret gives all the needed info and I don't think it's necessary to to indicate which hand.

[@maxbhoi695]

Actually artificial harmonics are those harmonics of fretted notes whereas natural harmonics are those which do not required fretting. Btw great lesson 👍

[@befosocial]

Actually I was searching whether it is possible to do tap/slap harmonics on classical guitars, since I found an arrangement that uses them and I tried for an hour know and seem not to be able to do it... is it me or the guitar?

[@KnockManJo]

Probably you, only very cheap low quality guitars have problems with harmonics

[@befosocial]

@@KnockManJo then why there seems to be not a single video on the internet showing how to do slap harmonics on a concert guitar (nylon strings)

[@talstory]

Hi this is great..I was really looking though for something explaining how to READ these sounds correctly in a score, e.g. those bits in Granada where you have to play a harmonic together with an actual note..if you have that I would be grateful but maybe I have to buy the book

[@chansouvannarath3789]

Granada pieces are very tricky to play.

[@epserser9396]

How about a video using CARRILLON by Benvenuto Terzi as an example of natural and artificial harmonics? It would be an amazing lesson. Thanks.

[@Ana_crusis]

your first example of an artificial harmonic isn't one. AH (let's shorten it for ease) are made from fretted notes it's not just a change of fingering. If I fret the note A on the G string and play the harmonic on the 14 fret...that is an artificial harmonic in my book.

[@josealejandrogarciarojas2218]

I think the same.

[@orithelbitz9864]

Very good Harmonic lesson, thank you very much. I try it and like bells. I would like to ask, how to play the last note in Estudio in B minor by Tarrega, which is HX|| strings 1,2,3 together meanning : e,b and g. There is number 4 on the left side of the notes sign. What does it mean? Thank you

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

It probably means to play all three harmonics with the 4th finger stretched out straight. So just lay the 4th finger lightly across all three strings at the 12th fret.

[@orithelbitz9864]

@@Thisisclassicalguitar Thank you so much

[@pierretourne6602]

Can you please give me the title of the book for harmonics I can't read it on the video thank you

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

There are a couple of pages on harmonics in my technique book if that is what you are referring to: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/classical-guitar-technique-essential-exercises-scales-and-arpeggios/

[@pierretourne6602]

@@Thisisclassicalguitar thank you so much 😉

[@milesnuneza9886]

i can do harmonics on 12 fret but when i do higher than 12 or lower than 12, it doesnt sound please help.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Did you watch the full video or own the book?

[@StevenBornfeld]

So, what I'm finding really frustrating is finding finger independence to play harmonics with one finger and stopped notes with another, as in Llobet's arrangement of "El Testamen De N'Amelia". Is it just practicing, or are there any helpful hints you can share?

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Ya, mainly practice. Add some very very simple harmonic exercises to your technique routine, maybe playing a simple scale in harmonics. If it's not part of a daily routine it can be an auxiliary technique rather than just something we do everyday.

[@StevenBornfeld]

@@Thisisclassicalguitar Thanks for the prompt reply!

[@tuomasi1]

Dear Bradford, do you have any advice for natural harmonics on the ninth fret? (I simply can't make the one note at the very end of Julia Florida ring - which is very annoying.) I would be very grateful if you could answer whenever you find the time. Thank you very much and best wishes from Germany.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Guten tag! If you are able to successfully play harmonics at other frets then the 9th fret should work fine. Try playing a one or two millimetres before the fret. Harmonics and frets don't always line up perfectly due to the equal temperament tuning we use. Experiment.

[@jacklee1258]

hi, for right hand, can I use middle finger instead of index?

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Yes you can but you might find you need the length between the fingers to get a clear sound.

[@chansouvannarath3789]

The problem with right hand harmonics is that it's impossible to sight read your way through the piece. My question is that is there a way of not looking at the frets with lots of practice?

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Ya, that's true, but the harmonic passages are usually so short that it can b memorized fairly quickly.

[@chansouvannarath3789]

@@Thisisclassicalguitar Thank you Brad.

[@ivankolobov9502]

I don’t get the technique behind it. How exactly do you play it?

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Have you played regular harmonics? Essentially, you are doing the same thing but touching the string at the node with your index finger of your right hand.

[@randomgame5765]

what is that thing called placed on the guitar's upper corner where the right arm contacts the guitar?

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

An armrest. I have a post about it: www.thisisclassicalguitar.com/armrests-for-classical-guitar/

[@amberperry3382]

Such a clear tutorial! This helped so much. Thank you!! 🙏

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TheRhooger123]

Can the book be purchase online?

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Yes, it can! wernerguitareditions.com/products/classical-guitar-technique-essential-exercises-scales-arpeggios-pdf

[@MarcoMagdy]

What is the Guitar used?

[@flyingmolamola]

Just noticed you have a 12 hole bridge, that’s not that common, I have one on my guitar, do you like it? I really like it.

[@Thisisclassicalguitar]

Yup love 12 hole bridges, they are slowly becoming a new standard, see them all the time now.

[@flyingmolamola]

This is Classical Guitar, I didn’t know that, I thought they were still fairly rare, but I got the guitar in 1995, kinda not in the scene recently, but now I would love a Smallman type guitar. I had no idea 12 hole bridges existed then, first time I heard of them is when I received the guitar, but I really like it!!

[@johndimaggio9020]

Why do you like 12 hole bridge. Don't see any advantage or disadvantage.

[@flyingmolamola]

I’m not sure exactly, but the sharper break angle that the 12 hole bridge gives is supposed to be better. But my main reason is ease of use, i have both, 6 hole and 12 hole bridges on my guitars and the 12 hole bridge is so much easier to string, maybe other people wouldn’t agree, but i just love my 12 hole bridge.

[@seag.1]

I don’t get it

[@markbryant2012]

Ha!! Funny, dude. Nice one.

[@seag.1]

@@markbryant2012 ok ?? Lol