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Topic: An Epiphany About Palm Harmonics |
David DeLoach
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 18 May 2019 4:02 am |
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You guys probably already know this and its probably old news, BUT...
...for picking hand placement for palm harmonics I always used to think about where my palm should be to make the harmonic. However, this week I found I have a better success rate of making the harmonics by focusing on where my index finger floats above the strings vs. thinking about where my palm is on the strings.
The placement of the index finger will vary depending on the fret the tone bar is on (e.g. if the tone bar is on the 3rd fret, your index finger will be around the 7th fret, but if the tone bar is on the 12 fret, the index finger will be around the 13th fret). But the more you do it, the more it makes sense.
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Bill Sinclair
From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
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Posted 18 May 2019 5:00 am
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| Doesn't matter if it's common knowledge, it was your own "a-ha" moment! Those are the best. I look at my thumb pick placement on a given fret for the proper palm placement. My fingers line up behind my thumb when I'm picking so it's more visible than my index finger. Either way, it's definitely easier than looking back at what your palm is doing! That fret alignment point changes with different scale lengths which is one reason I keep coming back to my familiar 22.5" scale. |
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David DeLoach
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 18 May 2019 6:05 am
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| Bill Sinclair wrote: |
| Doesn't matter if it's common knowledge, it was your own "a-ha" moment! Those are the best. I look at my thumb pick placement on a given fret for the proper palm placement. My fingers line up behind my thumb when I'm picking so it's more visible than my index finger. Either way, it's definitely easier than looking back at what your palm is doing! That fret alignment point changes with different scale lengths which is one reason I keep coming back to my familiar 22.5" scale. |
OK, wow - using the thumb vs. the index finger seems to work even better. Thanks! |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 18 May 2019 7:30 am
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Whatever you use, it stands to reason that it must be something you can see! (not your palm, then) 
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Ben Michaels
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 18 May 2019 11:48 am
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| Great advice. Thank you for sharing. Not something I had really thought of either! |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 18 May 2019 2:36 pm
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I am still an amateur and so I have some distrust of when my preferences divert from the usual practices...ie there's surely a good reason palm harmonics are so common...
But what I've been doing mostly lately, aside from full chords brush harmonics (which are still palm and thumb pick) is my pinky finger laying flat, slightly rolled, to hit the harmonic with my index finger striking the string. Works better for me so far...
Another thing I found is that my eyes used to stay with the bar regardless. But because I can use my ear to correct the bar as I slide into a note, it is much more helpful to shift your eyes to your right hand when you're trying to hit harmonics accurately...well at least for me.
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Rich Sullivan
From:
Nelson, NH 03457
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Posted 19 May 2019 3:16 pm
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David,
Here is the hand position to best achieve palm harmonics according to Jerry Byrd. The right side of the palm should be positioned straight across the strings so that the edge of the palm would be in line with one fret. From the photo you posted, you would need to rotate your hand clockwise. Hope this helps.
Rich |
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Ian Rae
From:
Redditch, England
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Posted 20 May 2019 1:16 am
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Nic's index and pinky thing is interesting. It should give a clean sound once mastered. Our hands are all different shapes and sizes, and although palm harmonics seem to be the trusted default, there's plenty of scope for experiment.
_________________
Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 20 May 2019 4:07 pm
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I realized after I posted this and actually looked at what I was doing...it isn't my index finger, but my middle finger, and it arches in this kind of fixed position, and so I have my flat pinky and arched middle finger that kind of moves as one unit to hit the chimes. Funny, I didn't even realize exactly what I was doing until I examined it explicitly...
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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