[Zoid23]

i have recently been introduced to harmonics and have seen them before on tabs but have ignored them, but now they need to be noticed and i am not sure how to do it, ii have seen the sample on the begginer help and have tried but failed as i either pluck the string and with my finger over it it sounds like i am muting it, and when i press down it sounds as if i am plucking it normally? could somebody help

[darryls]

Perhaps the intonation on your guitar is not set up right. You should hear the harmonic when touching the string lightly at the 12th fret. Try moving your finger just a bit above and below the 12th fret, if you hear the harmonic above or below the fret, then your intonation needs to be adjusted, if that is possible on your guitar. Otherwise, you need to learn where to touch the string to get the harmonic to sound.

[Jean]

Did you check out this?- http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/playing.html

[aarona36]

make sure you are touching the sting VERY VERY lightly, pluck the string repeatedly and move your finger up and down around the 12 fret until you hear it, you will know when you do. Also if you are playing an electic try selecting different pickups, depending on the pickup location and the harmonic played they can sound weak or almost not at all.

[allthumbs]

Pick the harmonic with as much nail as possible. Harmonics tend not to be as loud as fretted notes.

[LarryKu]

To get a harmonic to ring the truest, you should remove your fingertip from the string immediately after the string it picked. This is especially true of harmonics played other than on the 12th fret (5th, 7th, 9th, etc.) It sounds as if you are letting your fingertip rest lightly on the string after it is picked.

[namiguShin]

you haven't mentioned what guitar you are playing (acoustic, electric...) I play an acoustic, so I can talk only about it...
start with 12th fret... it's the easiest...
Just to mention... many people use their ring finger on their freting hand for playing harmonics... it's not a rule... you can surely get them with other fingers, but it tends to be easier with ring finger, especially for beginners... it surely was for me...

if nothing of the mentioned helps (freting hand: very light touch right over the fret, using ring finger, removing the finger immediately after picking a string; picking hand: picking harder with your nail) then the problem is probably in guitar's intonation... you can find that out, as darryls said, by trying to get the harmonic by moving finger a little above/below the 12th fret... if that is the case you can remember it and move the finger at that position whenever you're playing harmonics... but I would suggest a repair... the repair means your saddle should be adjusted (as I figured out Ultimate Garage Band, Guitar Tech forum, can help you)... bad intonation practicaly means all your frets are "displaced" (not in general case, though)... your guitar would never sound ok... you'll always be out of tune... that frustrates as you'll think that you suck, and not the instrument... you'll end up quitting... (that much of postive attitude but I think that's a bare truth...) anyway let's think positive, and hope it's technique and not the intonation...

post about your progress... have this tips helped...

long live... bye...

[danthelion]

When you first start picking harmonics, pick the note as close to the bridge as possible (as opposed to having your picking hand hovering near the sound hole). You will find this makes it significantly easier & the harmonic much clearer.

Once you become proficient you will be able to do it with your picking hand in the normal position & still get a good sound. The beauty of this, is that you now only have to think of what you are doing with one hand instead of two, you can now just focus on where to touch the string with the fretting hand & how lightly.

Hope this helps

Dan