Preventing strings from vibrating during harmonics

Micah Larson · From: Minnesota, USA

Hi all,

I see people playing palm/knuckle harmonics on the high E string, without muting the rest of the strings, but I'm not sure how they are doing this. If I don't mute the lower strings, they vibrate. This is especially true with the low A string (C6A7 tuning). I also see people playing double neck steels with both pickups active. This can lead to the strings of the neck not being played vibrating for me. It doesn't seem to be an issue for others. I can mitigate this by using high pass filter around 150 Hz but, of course, this leads to a thinner sound. I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

Thanks,
Micah

Jean-Sebastien Gauthier · From: Quebec, Canada

You can simply lift the bat and just touch the e string with the tip of the bar. The fingers behind the bar will mute the other strings. You can play any single notes like this. Itâ€™s called left hand muting.

Gene Tani · From: Pac NW

Is this with your amp cranked and pointed at the steel? What J-S said but it seems like you could use all the usual muting/blocking methods like bar hand thumb

There's probably at least 10 muting/blocking methods on the 2 hands

James Shelton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_L2J9yElfU

PF Jr: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFumqjf8dRs
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David Matzenik · From: Cairns, on the Coral Sea

I don't find the lower strings to be a problem when I play palm-harmonics on the E, but you can always drag the thumb of the bar hand to damp the lowers.
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother.

Micah Larson · From: Minnesota, USA

Thank you all for your responses. Playing around with EQ settings on my FRFR speaker and its position relative to the guitar have turned this into a non-issue. I also leave my left had down, briefly, as I pick the string (bar is tilted so it touches the one string) to keep the rest of the strings quiet. After that, I can slide as needed and then mute the other strings as soon as I get to the final note.

David Matzenik · From: Cairns, on the Coral Sea

I'm going out on a limb now, and I invite players to correct me, but I don't find many reasons to lift the bar for harmonics just because they are on an individual string. Especially as I will probably go to another string pretty quick. So I am damping the strings behind the bar, and with the thumb on the upper side. As much of my playing is harmonised scales, I don't lift the bar very often except for a staccato effect.
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother.

Tim Whitlock · From: Colorado, USA

Like others have said, it's the left hand that does the muting for harmonics, combined with tilting the bar.

The other issue you mentioned was unwanted resonance when both necks are on. I find this occurs mainly in a smaller space and the guitar is closer to the amp. In larger spaces (on stage) it's not an issue.

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