Natural Harmonics - Guitars101

Drak_nyen · 10-06-2005, 06:50 AM

Hi Everyone,

I got hold of a Lick Library DVD with 50 Killer Metal Licks on it and I really liked the section in regards to harmonics and have been playing round trying to get the harmonics to come through.

I can get the natural harmonics on the 12th & 7th fret but I cannot get the harmonics on the 5th fret no matter how hard I try.

Is this to do with the intonation of my guitar being out of line or a possible neck adjustment required????

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Pete

**keihan** · 10-06-2005, 06:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drak_nyen

Hi Everyone,

I got hold of a Lick Library DVD with 50 Killer Metal Licks on it and I really liked the section in regards to harmonics and have been playing round trying to get the harmonics to come through.

I can get the natural harmonics on the 12th & 7th fret but I cannot get the harmonics on the 5th fret no matter how hard I try.

Is this to do with the intonation of my guitar being out of line or a possible neck adjustment required????

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Pete

Most likely it sounds like the intonation might be off a bit. If there is no buzzing at any of the frets on your guitar, I wouldn't consider the neck, itself, to be the problem.

However, the 5th fret harmonics are a bit more difficult to get to ring out than at, say, the 7th and 12th frets.

**guitarwizard2003** · 10-06-2005, 06:59 AM

one thing you can try is to put a piece of rag or somethin under your strings at the top of your guitar after the fretbar where your tuning nobs are, this gets rid of excess vibration.. it sounds weird i know but it works

Drak_nyen · 10-06-2005, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keihan

Most likely it sounds like the intonation might be off a bit. If there is no buzzing at any of the frets on your guitar, I wouldn't consider the neck, itself, to be the problem.

However, the 5th fret harmonics are a bit more difficult to get to ring out than at, say, the 7th and 12th frets.

Yes there is fret buzzing on the low E string around the 1st fret when you pluck the string open.
I think this is due to the nut on the guitar as the Low E string sits really low in the nut.
I am looking to get the nut replaced soon as this is a 2nd hand guitar that has been well used so its not wholly un-expected to need a bit of work on it.

**keihan** · 10-06-2005, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drak_nyen

Yes there is fret buzzing on the low E string around the 1st fret when you pluck the string open.
I think this is due to the nut on the guitar as the Low E string sits really low in the nut.
I am looking to get the nut replaced soon as this is a 2nd hand guitar that has been well used so its not wholly un-expected to need a bit of work on it.

I would suggest having it setup by a professional. If it hasn't had a proper setup in the past year or more, it is definately due for one. A good professional will set it up based on several factors. Your touch, playing style, string guage and prefered action height.

They will also bring to your attention any other repairs that might be necessary, whether the frets are in need of levelling etc etc..

Drak_nyen · 10-06-2005, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keihan

I would suggest having it setup by a professional. If it hasn't had a proper setup in the past year or more, it is definately due for one. A good professional will set it up based on several factors. Your touch, playing style, string guage and prefered action height.

They will also bring to your attention any other repairs that might be necessary, whether the frets are in need of levelling etc etc..

Yeah that is something i am looking to get done. There is a local music shop I trust that can do it but they charge £50 to do the full service and thats not including any parts that might be needed. I currently dont have the money to do that so I am having to wait for a bit to do that

**keihan** · 10-06-2005, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drak_nyen

Yeah that is something i am looking to get done. There is a local music shop I trust that can do it but they charge £50 to do the full service and thats not including any parts that might be needed. I currently dont have the money to do that so I am having to wait for a bit to do that

Aye, I know the feeling. I have a new Schecter that I got in the spring and haven't played it yet because it needs setup before I can play it. They come stock with 10's (strings) and I use 8's. It will cost me about $150 bucks to get it setup and although I could prolly squeeze the money outta me arse somehow, I'm just too damn lazy most of the time to take it in hehehe.

Drak_nyen · 10-06-2005, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keihan

Aye, I know the feeling. I have a new Schecter that I got in the spring and haven't played it yet because it needs setup before I can play it. They come stock with 10's (strings) and I use 8's. It will cost me about $150 bucks to get it setup and although I could prolly squeeze the money outta me arse somehow, I'm just too damn lazy most of the time to take it in hehehe.

Also I am looking into researching as much as I can so I can learn to set up my own guitar and be able to be my own guitar tech. I dont wanna keep paying that out all the time.
And also as its an Epi Les Paul Custom its not got a Floyd that needs to be painstakingly setup.

Does anyone know where there could be any guides about doing a professional setup of a Floyd trem as I hear they are a pain in the ass but I havent tried using one yet & especially not trying to balance one yet. The more info I have the more I can understand it and the more easily I will be able to help any newbies on here and also others I know who are starting guitar.

**guitarwizard2003** · 10-06-2005, 08:04 AM

browse through this thread theres a post how to install a floyd rose and a million other posts from guys on how to setup a guitar

**keihan** · 10-06-2005, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drak_nyen

Also I am looking into researching as much as I can so I can learn to set up my own guitar and be able to be my own guitar tech. I dont wanna keep paying that out all the time.
And also as its an Epi Les Paul Custom its not got a Floyd that needs to be painstakingly setup.

Does anyone know where there could be any guides about doing a professional setup of a Floyd trem as I hear they are a pain in the ass but I havent tried using one yet & especially not trying to balance one yet. The more info I have the more I can understand it and the more easily I will be able to help any newbies on here and also others I know who are starting guitar.

LOL! Yeh, Floyd Rose trems are a "ROYAL" pain in the ass. If I, even, change brands of strings I often have to dick with tension adjustments to my trem. They always have a tendency to detune just a hair, but often it isn't too noticeable, but when it is... ughhh! I float my trem but it can be blocked and that helps to avoid some of the detuning issues.

If I need to alternate tune for a recording, I'll block mine by slipping a steel pick under my "Detuna", throw on a little black tape to keep it from slipping and it blocks it from floating so I can change tunings.

I don't often use the "Detuna" for drop D tuning because once you pop that sucker out, the other strings go sharp to make up for lost tension on the E string. LOL! Now, since I use the lightest guage of strings, this becomes even more of an issue.

strat78 · 10-06-2005, 09:01 AM

If you are trying to get the harmonics to ring out on the fifth fret using the neck pickup it will never work. If they don't ring out with the bridge pickup then perhaps you need to get a pickup with a little more gain. Use a classic trem setup, they sound MUCH better anyway than the locking gear.

Drak_nyen · 10-07-2005, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strat78

If you are trying to get the harmonics to ring out on the fifth fret using the neck pickup it will never work. If they don't ring out with the bridge pickup then perhaps you need to get a pickup with a little more gain. Use a classic trem setup, they sound MUCH better anyway than the locking gear.

Ah right ok. So it is also pickup specific as well?
So would that be the same with the Pinch Harmonics?

Are they any other techniques like this that are pickup specific or work better with a bridge/neck pickup?

**keihan** · 10-07-2005, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strat78

If you are trying to get the harmonics to ring out on the fifth fret using the neck pickup it will never work. If they don't ring out with the bridge pickup then perhaps you need to get a pickup with a little more gain. Use a classic trem setup, they sound MUCH better anyway than the locking gear.

Hmmm I don't have a problem getting those harmonics with either of my pickups. However I use Dimarzio Evolution pickups and they rock. I also adjust the poles so they are as close to the strings as possible. I have to back the poles off a bit on the lower strings (E, A, D) though.. otherwise there is a noticeable volume/gain difference when recording.

**Rid** · 10-07-2005, 06:22 AM

Sounds more like a practice thing??
It does take some time to get them out cleanly and with good authority.
A light touch and a even pickhand.
I am still practicing them alot, even after 23 years

On singlecoils, humbuckers, neck middle or bridge is no matter.

**keihan** · 10-07-2005, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rid

Sounds more like a practice thing??
It does take some time to get them out cleanly and with good authority.
A light touch and a even pickhand.
I am still practicing them alot, even after 23 years

On singlecoils, humbuckers, neck middle or bridge is no matter.

Aye, same here LOL!

They don't always ring so nicely when I want them to... damn it all heheh