A what harmoic? A false harmonic?

llacnayr · #1 11-05-2008, 05:29 PM

So I was looking around the BG technique forum and I didn't see anything on false harmonic.
Before I make myself look like a complete d-bag, is anyone interested on hearing about them or is this just basic technique?

rarisgod · #2 11-05-2008, 05:31 PM

It's not basic, I'm sure many people would benefit from you posting about it if you felt like explaining it just for the benefit of others.

Try searching "artificial harmonic" or even "pinch harmonic". There's definitely stuff around here.

llacnayr · #3 11-05-2008, 07:06 PM

It actually may be called artificial harmonic, I've always referred to it as a false harmonic.

Any who, a false harmonic can be done on a fretted or fretless bass. A false harmonic gives off a very 'ringing' sound. Also it looks really cool and makes you look better then you are.

First start off by tapping the 12th fret, right on the fret. When you tap it, put some power into it, almost the same amount of force as a flick. Remember to not touch other part of the string while doing this drill. Also, don't press down when you tap the fret, bounce right off. I always use my middle finger too.

If you did this right, you should get a sound that almost resembles a bell. But don't stop at just the 12th fret (doesn't matter which string), you can do a false harmonic on any fret above the 12th fret. BUT, the notes must be corresponding. i.e if you want a B false harmonic on the G string, fret the 4th fret and tap the 16th fret. This is always 12 frets above the note you harmonize.

If you have any questions or things I should fix, let me know :]

El-Bob · #4 11-05-2008, 07:11 PM

i think you'll find alot of people referring to that technique as a "tapped harmonic", as for whether or not it's a basic technique...depends how you use it i suppose

llacnayr · #5 11-05-2008, 07:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El-Bob

i think you'll find alot of people referring to that technique as a "tapped harmonic", as for whether or not it's a basic technique...depends how you use it i suppose

Whoops, well, I've never heard anyone else speak of it so it might be nice to post this

Ric5 · #6 11-05-2008, 07:17 PM

here's Billy Sheenan ... he taps out a few false harmonics ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRuOQtg-pJ0

chrism2sych · #7 11-05-2008, 07:20 PM

a-m-a-z-i-n-g-! I've read about the technique in numerous books and web sites and got nothing...........bueler........ bueler. And you just turned on the light in just a few sentences. Do you ever think that the people who write these so called books don't want you to figure out these techniques....maybe to sell more books.... or to keep the secret of false harmonics to the really skilled (ROFL) players!

llacnayr · #8 11-05-2008, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrism2sych

a-m-a-z-i-n-g-! I've read about the technique in numerous books and web sites and got nothing...........bueler........ bueler. And you just turned on the light in just a few sentences. Do you ever think that the people who write these so called books don't want you to figure out these techniques....maybe to sell more books.... or to keep the secret of false harmonics to the really skilled (ROFL) players!

Thanks! Try it out, it makes you look like a crazy tapper but it's really easy.

El-Bob · #9 11-05-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llacnayr

Whoops, well, I've never heard anyone else speak of it so it might be nice to post this

no question about it, it's definitely a good post

i just wanted to let you know why you didn't find it referenced here anywhere else

SuperDuck · #10 11-05-2008, 07:40 PM

I don't think what you're describing are false harmonics.

As far as I've understood it, a "regular" harmonic when played by using your fretting finger as a node and plucking the string - you're not actually fretting the note, but this limits you to specific segments of the string 1/2, 1/5, etc.

A false harmonic is played by fretting with the left hand as normal, and then using the thumb on your plucking hand as the node and plucking _behind_ it, towards the bridge. It's fairly tricky, but pretty neat once the technique starts to feel more natural.

Steve Bailey does this to great effect in the following video. Jaco did it with his thumb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6x6zsbP1Y

SuperDuck · #11 11-05-2008, 07:45 PM

Check this video out. He's actually doing several different techniques at the same time, but if you watch at 3:30ish, Steve is doing the artificial harmonics by themselves. He explains it a little better in tape, but I can't seem to find it on Youtube right now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUcj2qujAxY

chrism2sych · #12 11-05-2008, 07:45 PM

Duck isn't that just an expansion of the earlier posters thought. Instead of tapping the octave your hitting a fifth or a seventh or whatever happens to work..... or is that a little over simplified?

llacnayr · #13 11-05-2008, 07:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperDuck

A false harmonic is played by fretting with the left hand as normal, and then using the thumb on your plucking hand as the node and plucking _behind_ it, towards the bridge. It's fairly tricky, but pretty neat once the technique starts to feel more natural.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJ6x6zsbP1Y

Your right, Jaco did do that but I think we're thinking of two different harmonic types.
I cannot access YouTube on this laptop because it's the schools, but I will make a video on my home computer and post it later.

SuperDuck · #14 11-05-2008, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrism2sych

Duck isn't that just an expansion of the earlier posters thought. Instead of tapping the octave your hitting a fifth or a seventh or whatever happens to work..... or is that a little over simplified?

It is, a bit. With a false harmonic, you're doing three things at once.

1) Fretting a note with your left hand.

2) Resting your thumb or index finger at a very specific location, but not pressing down, with your right hand.

3) Plucking behind that thumb or forefinger with another finger on your right hand.

The important thing is that your "floating finger", for lack of a better term, has to be in just the right spot for this to work.

Try it out for yourself! On your G string, press down at the 12th fret with your left hand. Now _rest_ your thumb on the the string and pluck with your index or middle finger behind it (towards the bridge).

Most likely you'll get a dull thud. But if you move your thumb and finger combination up and down the string, at some places you'll get harmonics.

The cool thing is that while keeping your left hand stationary at the 12th fret and moving where your thumb is, you can get DIFFERENT harmonics by subdividing the string to different lengths.

What the OP described is a harmonic, which I supposed could be called a "tapping harmonic", though I don't know if there's really a name for that. You can play those by tapping, as he described, or resting your fretting finger on the string and plucking with your right hand.

cmewhinney · #15 11-05-2008, 08:01 PM

Percussive harmonic is how I refer to it (and have heard of it).

Edit: To clarify, I'm talking about the OP, not artificial harmonics a la Jaco or Steve Bailey.

colorblindbass · #16 11-05-2008, 08:04 PM

Ladys and gentleman, the inventor, and coiner of the term "False harmonic"
(as far as ive always been told)

(The intro.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqashW66D7o
You should allllll know this tune.

SuperDuck · #17 11-05-2008, 08:06 PM

Here's a quick recording - the first part you can hear me doing what I described in my post. Left finger at the 12th fret, thumb and plucking finger moving up and down the string. I get a lot of thuds, but a few different harmonics while my fretting finger is staying still. The second half is just a few false harmonics strung together.

llacnayr · #18 11-05-2008, 08:07 PM

So the names are false harmonic, percussive harmonic, artificial harmonic, tapped harmonic and percussive harmonic?

I kind of want to make up some new names, like bell harmonic, ding harmonic and flick harmonic.
Haha, too many names.

SuperDuck · #19 11-05-2008, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by colorblindbass

Ladys and gentleman, the inventor, and coiner of the term "False harmonic"
(as far as ive always been told)

(The intro.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqashW66D7o
You should allllll know this tune.

Perfect example of false harmonics.

cmewhinney · #20 11-05-2008, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by llacnayr

So the names are false harmonic, percussive harmonic, artificial harmonic, tapped harmonic and percussive harmonic?

Kinda. I would say that "false harmonic" is the same as "artificial harmonic". The kind Jaco or Steve plays. However, that isn't what you described in your original post. I would call what you described "tapped harmonic" or "percussive harmonic".