When flatpicking a fast tune on an acoustic guitar I often find that harmonics are generated unintentionally when my finger makes a quick leap from one string to a string underneath it. The effect is most noticeable on those frets where harmonics are easily produced. Similary, the same kind of move sometimes leaves the whole open string vibrating (if only very slightly, and very quitely).
These unwanted sound artifacts are not a major problem, and they're easily drowned out when I'm playing with other people. But I would like to get a cleaner sound if possible.
Does anyone have any advice? I've heard a product called Fast Fret can help. Any opinions on that?
if you play slightly farther behind the frets, you won't be as close to the harmonics. i tend to mute dead strings with either hand or my other fingers.
i've never heard of this being a big problem before, and it only happens to me once in a blue moon, so you must be either getting a really really clean sound with a responsive guitar, or else you're doing something weird when you switch strings.
fast fret might help. it kinda makes you feel like you're playing on ice. weird ice that only slips in two directions.
I'm not sure whether I'm not just being too sensitive about the sound. No one who has heard me play has ever noticed the problems I'm talking about. Or if they did notice they didn't say anything.
Still, it annoys me.
fast fret might help. it kinda makes you feel like you're playing on ice. weird ice that only slips in two directions.
Hahaha I've never used Fast Fret before....but, that's very funny... creates a funny visual.
As to the problem... perhaps the cause is the way you lift your finger from the string?
wow, most players want those harmonics.
where you play on the neck creates them.
if you are picking 5, 7,12, frets away from the note you fretted chances are a harmonic will develop.
a simple finger or palm mute will eliminate them. or pick in a different area.
Yeah. Don't fight it, work it. You might have something developing there.
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When moving between strings, you pull your finger off but the string just keeps on resonating. I just leave it alone, it isn't too noticeable on my acoustic unless you are listening for it. As for the harmonics...
In my limited half knowledge I am going to describe this. It isn't harmonics you are experiencing. Your strings sound emotional and when you attack other strings, they just can't help but sympathize. Kind of seriously, on my acoustic when I pick and A on the D string (7th fret/ 19th fret) my A string rings out in the same octave. If I pick an A on the D string and then mute only the D string, I can easily hear the A string still ringing. For musical strings, the string is ringing in sympathy. Objects have a natural resonance to them, not sure of the right name, and when that frequency (or set in this case all frequencies that are A notes) comes in contact with them, they vibrate. Same is true for even buildings, taller buildings have a low natural resonance and can crumble under smaller earthquakes but can survive strong ones, vice versa for small buildings (although all are at risk during an earthquake). I believe this is also why crystal can break at certain frequencies and hence lead to the singer breaking the crystal glass with their voice (although mythbusters showed that in order to do so you your voice isn't strong enough alone and you need an amplifier). This sympathizing can only be controlled by muting the string but since it resonants in the same octave, I think it only adds to the sound. Unnecessarily long, I know...
It's not easy being green.... good thing I'm purple.
Doh, I just re-read your post, and I was distracted when reading the first time and assumed you were talking about something else. In case sympathy is what is going on, I'll leave my prior moronic post. However, if you are experience harmonics when just moving from string to string, perhaps your fingers are too close to the fret bars. You should only get harmonics when your finger is directly over the fret bar. I can get the harmonic to ring myself if while lifting my finger from a note, I slide my finger foward. This movement would seriously slow me down though, perhaps this is what you are doing.
It's not easy being green.... good thing I'm purple.
Thanks for the ideas. It's really the harmonics that bother me, the light resonance of a dead string is barely audible (though ideally I'd like to stop that, too). So far the best results I've had is from just changing the pattern I'm using to play the tunes (as someone already suggested). The fifth fret on the D sting on my guitar seems to be exceptionally inclined to produce harmonics. Even if I don't pick the note but just lightly fret it and remove my finger quite slowly a harmonic rings out. When playing fast it rings out loudly.
