Tips for stronger artificial harmonics

Stringtheorist

Stringtheorist

Fractal Fanatic
Is there any way to tweak my preset to produce stronger artificial (tapped) harmonics without simply adding more gain/drive? I have a preset using the 5153 Red amp which has sufficient gain for rhythm but tapped harmonics are hard to produce. The guitar is a mahogany bodied super Strat with a Bare Knuckles VHII bridge pickup.
 
Lots of treble and compression with very short attack?
 
Fabio KTG said:
Make sure that your guitar's intonation is perfect. I can get tapped harmonics on an acoustic.
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Not sure intonation has anything to do with tapped harmonics. You tap the harmonics one octave (or another interval) higher. When you the guitars intonation is not correct you still get the same attack and volume on the tapped harmonics.
 
Not sure it has anything to do with anything other than your technique. As someone mentioned, practice on an acoustic guitar.
 
Stringtheorist said:
Interesting quote. Not sure what it has to do with harmonics though. :D
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Harmonics have to do with string length. If your intonation is off, the string length from bridge to nut is not accurate and you may not get harmonics where you think you should. It makes a huge difference. Try it out.
 
Intonation I know is critical to getting natural harmonics to pop and it would follow that some but not all tapped harmonics are susceptible to being kinda dead if the intonation isn't right. The nodes have to line up really well wth the frets or you're not going to get much of anything. The guitar itself also has a lot to do with it. Neck curve, string height. The strings and frets themselves play a role. Some just aren't great for that. And then there's technique itself. The more you can make the tip of your finger exactly like a piano hammer the better off you are. Anything you do that deadens the vibration coming off the striking attack is gonna kill it.
 
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Kidsfeet said:
Harmonics have to do with string length. If your intonation is off, the string length from bridge to nut is not accurate and you may not get harmonics where you think you should. It makes a huge difference. Try it out.
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My point exactly. Also, if your intonation is out, your tapped note will oscillate, which will inhibit it from ringing out and sustaining.
 
Kidsfeet said:
Harmonics have to do with string length. If your intonation is off, the string length from bridge to nut is not accurate and you may not get harmonics where you think you should. It makes a huge difference. Try it out.
Click to expand...

Not that quote. The one you posted. :)
 
I was just saying that IMO, intonation is important. My acoustic guitar has perfect intonation and i can tap harmonics all day on it. I used to have a les paul and was trying to recreate some of the bottom e string taps that Slash does live. I struggled like a single parent to do them until I had that guitar setup properly. I'm not saying that intonation is the most important thing, I was just saying that it could be a contributory factor, as well as technique and compression/EQ etc.
 
I don't know jack about jack, but for me, higher gain settings really help. It may be because I am not a very good guitarist. So hey, why not use effects to compensate :)

Oops... apparently I don't pay attention to what I am reading very well either! Ha! Without boosting the gain, I have noticed compression can help, too.
 
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Pickups and pickup placement play a big role with harmonics too. If you have tried everything including the kitchen sink, try plugging in a different guitar and see how it goes.
 
More mids and definitely pups. I just got a D-Activator/Liquifire set, and they SCREAM. Even with a little drive (like a pushed 65 Baseman), you can get the Van Halen tapped harmonics without much effort.

As for things "oscillating" because intonation is out, that sounds like nonsense personally. By that logic tapping a harmonic and bending the original note would cause "oscillation".
 
I recommend the compressor block in front of the amp, studio type, all defaults, attack 4.5ms, release maxed out, threshold to taste. Level 6db to max. The level and threshold interact with your tone so dial them in together to get the sustain and ringing you need for the harmonics without getting that squashed sound.

Then play or record in the same room with speakers up around 85-90db. For me, I need some guitar / speaker physical feedback to get the harmonics to feel right when I'm playing them as part of a longer solo or rhythm groove.
 
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