When messing around I discovered that when you pluck an open string at the 12th fret, instead of over the soundhole, you get a different sound - kind of reverby and pure-sounding. It's been a while since physics lessons in school but I'm guessing the explanation is that by initiating the string's vibrations at its centre (is this a "node" or are the still points "nodes"?) you obtain the simplest form of oscillation, which should be the fundamental with no harmonics... or something. Anyway, screw the physics, I like the way it sounds and I've been playing around with it... it's a bit tricky to play with your right hand at the 12th at first but with a little practice I could get some cool fingerpicking sounds going on. Obviously when you start to fret the strings their centres change position, but if you stick to open chords and pick around the 12th-14th frets, it sounds good. I'm thinking of adopting it as my trademark style of playing...
Anyway, my question is: is this a recognised technique, does it have a name, and has it been used by any famous players, or am I a guitar pioneer who should patent this technique and name it Martin Picking and sell books on it? [j/k about the books ;) ]
I like to sometimes do that on open chords, its a real nice sound, real smooth. I've seen some people play like that in videos, usually chords at the end of the fretboard.
Dunno if its got a name.
The first time I heard a Beatles song was "Let It Be." Some little kid was singing along with it: "Let it pee, let it pee" and pretending he was taking a leak. Hey, that's what happened, OK?-some guy
surely this is harmonics???
see the thread on here for more. think its on the beginners forum
Matt
Yep, this is harmonics. The 12th fret is exactly half way between the bridge and the nut (assuming your guitar is properly intonated). There are several other places where you can get harmonics, the next easiest being at the 7th fret - which produces tones higher than at the 12th fret (being one third of the length between bridge & nut, if I remember rightly).
I *think* what Martin is talking about is plucking a string over the 12th fret instead of back toward the bridge/soundhole, and since physics was my minor (like real minor, like I never took it at all, lol), I'll have to just guess that, by initiating the vibration at the very center of the string, there's more fundamental in the tone; it is purer sounding. The other harmonics are still there, just not as emphasized. And with the fundamental being so strong and the upper harmonics not as strong, you get a nice, bassy, pure sort of tone with each note.
I wouldn't try to patent it, because guitarists (especially classical players) have been using this technique for years - playing certain melodies or parts right up near the bridge to achieve the nasal, trebly timbre, and then playing over the frets to get a mellow, understated tone - each extreme bringing out certain lines or chords, or creating a 'call and response' type sound, mimicking two instruments. And if you watch jazz guitarists, they almost always pick right up over the end of the fretboard to get that pure, clear, mellow sort of sound.
But though you probably can't patent it, feel free to make it a part of your sound and enjoy it. It's really a lovely, elegant sort of sound, isn't it?
Its not harmonics, its just picking in a different place to get a different sound. Ahm. I may be wrong, but I don't think it has a specific name. Still, if it makes the music sound better, then incorporate it. :D
Somnium Dulcis.
