Re: Artificial string harmonics question

[David Raleigh Arnold]

Amelie Zapf wrote:

> Am Freitag 22 Februar 2002 00:18 schrieb Graham Percival:
>
> > It looks as though "artificial harmonics" means something different for
> > guitars.  I don't know if the cello-artificial harmonics are possible
> > to do on a guitar; if not, that would explain the difference.  :)
>
> True indeed. On the guitar, the artificial harmonic is created by touching 
> the string in the middle (an octave higher than stopped) with the right hand 
> and plucking simultaneously.


No.  If the string is open, it is a natural harmonic, not an artificial 
one.  The original sender had that backwards too.  There is agreement 
that the diamond shaped note is for indications other than the true pitch.

One more time:

Open string = natural harmonic.
Stopped or fretted string = artificial harmonic.

And of course it was natural harmonics that Carcassi was refering to in 
1826.  Pardon the lack of marks, I hope you can make it out:

"SONS HARMONIQUES
  "On produit les sons harmoniques en posant su doigt se la main gauche 
sur toutes les cordes de la Guitare a de certaines divisions seulement. 
 Il faut que le doigt pose legerement mais avec assez de force pour 
empecher a corde de resonner a vide, et on leve ce doigt aussitot apres 
avoir pince la corde un peu fort pres du Chevalet.
  "Les sons harmoniques rendent une octave au dessus de ce qu'ils sont 
marques.  Ils se font a la 12me, 7me, 4me, et 3me touch comme le 
demontre le tableau suivant."

It is easier to use diamond shaped notes than to use his system, which 
was to give fret, string, and true pitch at the octave.  Later in the 
book he marked them as flags, or flagolets. :-)

On the next page artificial harmonics are described thus:

  "On peut aussi executer en sons harmoniques toutes les notes du 
Diapason de la Guitare.
  "Pour y parvenir, on doigte avec la main gauche la note qu'on veut 
rendre harmonique, comme sil'on devait executer une note ordinaire, puis 
l'on pose le bout d l'index de la main droite a la 12me touche 
correspondante de la note doigtee par la main gauche, en ecartant le 
pouce de l'index qui pose legerement sur la corde, on pincera cette 
corde qui resonnera harmoniquement."

Of course those who say that a diamond shaped note is appropriate for 
*other than octave* overtones in all cases, not just the natural 
harmonics, are quite right.

The probability that a person who numbers the fingers of his right hand 
is going to want to indicate an artificial harmonic at some interval 
other than the octave on a guitar is extremely low.  Carcassi refers to 
the index finger of the right hand, and the first finger of the left 
hand, as we do now. The fingers of the right hand are not numbered by 
guitar players.

Touching a fourth higher makes no sense on the 
> guitar, because the resulting sound would be too soft and quaint, as it's a 
> plucked and not a bowed instrument.


It's done with natural harmonics very often.  It's hard to see any 
reason why it would be done with an artificial harmonic.


> Now here's a mean one that throws me off completely: How do you notate the 
> sound often heard by a jazz guitarist that sounds like the basic fretted note 
> and the artificial harmonic together? It is created by striking the note very 
> hard with a pick held between thumb and 1st finger of the right hand and at 
> the same time, touching the string extremely lightly at 1/4 of its way from 
> the bridge with the 3rd finger (takes a lot of balance).


The only way that is not hopelessly confusing is to resort to writing 
the true pitches and indicate that both notes are played on the same 
string.  After all, the whole idea of music notation is to write what 
the music sounds like.  The technique is not at all difficult.  I don't 
know of any classical guitar pieces that exploit it, which is strange.

That's easy, because all you have to do is write the sound you want. 
Here's a tough one: How do you indicate a slur when the slurred note has 
the same pitch as the originating note?  It can be done by touching the 
string at the end when sounding it, giving an imitation of a violin 
pizzicato, and then removing the hand from the string so that the sound 
seems to become stronger.  If you don't want to call that a slur, what 
would you call it?  It sure isn't a tie.

It should work pretty well on a cello open string, too.


> Regards, Amy


--
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Information is not knowledge.           Belief is not truth.
Indoctrination is not teaching.   Tradition is not evidence.
         David Raleigh Arnold   address@hidden