Guitar Harmonics Frans Absil

Guitar harmonics; an overview in diagram

Frans Absil∗

December 2018

Abstract
This document lists the natural harmonics of the 6-string guitar. It summarizes the
mechanism for generating natural harmonics on a fretted string, then shows all possible
natural harmonics for each string in guitar standard tuning and in ascending pitch order.
Finally, the mechanism for generating artificial harmonics is shown.

1 Introduction
For a recent composition for electric guitar and string orchestra, Redo Or Undo Last Action (Oc-
tober 2018; more information on my website and YouTube channel) I needed an overview of
the natural harmonics for a guitar in standard tuning, preferably in order of ascending pitch. So I
decided to create a figure that shows the harmonics in staff notation, compiling and reshuffling
information from books in my library.
The sources are in the reference list at the end of the document and include books about the
guitar specifically such as [1], [2] and [3]. Guitar harmonics are also described in textbooks on
orchestration and music notation, including [4] and [5].
This document starts with a diagram that illustrates the mechanism for generating natural
harmonics on a fretted guitar string. Then there is the figure with the overview of all possible
natural harmonics in ascending order for the guitar in standard tuning.

2 The natural harmonics of a guitar string

The guitar string is shown in Fig. 1. This diagram holds for a fretted string in any tuning,
with an open string pitch that has fundamental frequency f . The 24 frets are indicated from
left to right, from low to high notes over a chromatic range of two octaves. For this string
we may generate the second to fifth harmonic above the fundamental frequency by touching,
not pressing, the string at specific frets, as shown in the diagram. Some harmonics may be
generated at multiple fret numbers.
From the figure we see that the second harmonic with frequency 2f is generated at the 12th
fret, at the string midpoint. This yields a pitch an octave above the fundamental frequency,
i.e., an octave above the open string pitch. The third harmonic with frequency 3f is generated
at either 13 or 32 of the string length (measured from either end). This is equivalent to the fret
∗
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, with-
out prior permission in writing from the Author. (See last page for additional information.)

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 Guitar Harmonics Frans Absil

GUITAR STRING NATURAL HARMONICS

Nut Bridge
Fret number: 4 5 7 9 12 16 19 24

f
2f
fundamental 3f 3f
4f 4f
5f 5f 5f

2 octaves + octave + 1 octave 2 octaves

M3rd higher 5th higher higher higher

Figure 1: The natural harmonics of a guitar string.

numbers 7 and 19 and will lead to a pitch an octave plus a perfect fifth above the open string
pitch. Likewise the fourth harmonic 4f is generated at fret numbers 5 and 24, corresponding to
the string length proportions 14 and 43 and sounds at two octaves above the fundamental pitch.
And, finally, the fifth harmonic 5f is the pitch at two octaves plus major 3rd above the open
string tuning, and is generating by touching fret numbers 4, 9, or 16, at string length ratios 15 , 25
or 53 .

3 An overview of guitar harmonics in standard tuning

Based on the natural harmonics generation mechanism described in Section 2 we may list all
possible harmonics for a 6-string guitar in standard tuning, i.e., E-A-D-G-B-E. This overview is
shown in Fig. 2, that shows the various notes and fret numbers for the five natural harmonics
for each guitar string at the top. The six strings are listed from lowest, string VI with tuning
E3, to highest, i.e., string I with tuning E5 (written pitch, sounding an octave below). For each
harmonic the lower note is touched by the left hand finger (partial dampening of the string at
this specific position), the upper pitch indicates the sounding pitch of the harmonic.
Then the overview shows the sounding natural harmonics in ascending pitch order. A
number of these can be achieved in multiple ways; these are marked with the +-sign. Finally,
the figure shows how to generate artificial harmonics at either the next higher octave or at two
octaves above. This is a more complex playing technique that involves both hands in the sense
that the left hand finger presses the lower note, with the right hand finger touching the upper
note (diamond-shaped notehead), while also plucking the string with a different right hand
finger.

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 Guitar Harmonics Frans Absil

Score
Guitar Harmonics
Frans Absil

VI: E3 V: A3

o o o o
o o o o o o o #œ œ o œ o # œ o œo
Natural Harmonics

ww #œ œ œ o #œ
4
&4 ww œ # œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ
ww #œ œ œ #œ
œ #œ œ œ #œ
Fret Nr: 4 5 7 9 12 16 19 24 4 5 7 9 12 16 19 24

o o o o √o o
IV: D4 III: G4 II: B4

o o o √o o o o o o
#œ œ œ o # œ œ o #œ œ o œ
œ œ œ œ o œ o œ
œ #œ œ œ #œ
& #œ œ œ œ œ œ œ #œ œ #œ #œ
œ œ œ œ
4 5 7 9 12 16 19 24 4 5 7 9 12 16 19 24 4 5 7 9

√o o
I: E5
o o o
o o #œ œ o œ # œ o
Ascending series of natural harmonics

o #œ o œ œ o œ œ
(+: multipe solutions)

#œ œ # œ œ œ #œ œ
& œ #œ #œ œ œ #œ œ œ œ œ

12 16 19 24 4 5 7 9 12 16 19 24

√ #œ œ #œ o
œ #œ œ œ #œ œ #œ œ
Artificial Harmonics

o œ
& Œ ·œ Œ · Œ ∑ ∑
œ œ RH: fret touched
LH: fret pressed

Figure 2: Guitar harmonics for six strings in standard tuning.

©2018 F.G.J. Absil, www.fransabsil.nl

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 Guitar Harmonics Frans Absil

4 Conclusion
This overview may come handy when composing or arranging music for guitar. Presenting
the natural harmonics in ascending pitch order enables quick lookup of the options available.
However, one also has to consider the playing technique consequences when either writing
successions of harmonics (natural and/or artificial) and the juxtaposition of regular playing
and harmonics; there may be wide left hand leaps along the neck. Do not forget the option of
two simultaneous harmonics, but then the spacing along the fret numbers is also important.
The limitation of this document is that it only shows natural harmonics for the standard
tuning of a 6-string guitar.

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References
[1] Ralph Denyer. The Guitar Handbook. Dorling Kindersley Ltd. Pan Books, London, 1982.

[2] Mike Eulner and Jacky Dreksler. 1000 Tips für die Gitarre. Voggenreiter Verlag, Bonn, Ger-
many, 1981. (in German).

[3] Jürgen Kumlehn. Die AMA Gitarrengrifftabelle. AMA GmbH Verlag, Brühl, 1995. (in Ger-
man).

[4] Alfred Blatter. Instrumentation and Orchestration. Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Schirmer,

Belmont, CA, second edition, 1997.

[5] Elaine Gould. Behind Bars: The Definitive Guide to Music Notation. Faber Music Ltd., London,
2011.

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