Breau/Kimock Harmonics
Introduction
I thought I'd take a couple of minutes to write up a little tutorial on Kimock/Breau harmonics. These are the sparkly little chime sounds that you hear Kimock do here and there, the most familiar use probably being in the very very beginning of his tune Tangled Hangers.
Most stringed instrument players are familiar with how to play harmonics, and the technique is particularly well-developed in classical guitar, but this specific application was really developed by the late great Lenny Breau. It's certainly a step up for those whose use of harmonics is limited to the "Roundabout" type. The lesson below includes some sound files to illustrate how some of the techniques ought to sound. It may be a little more convenient for you to download them all to your machine and load them up on your favorite mp3 player simultaneously.
The main ideaThe fundamental concept behind this technique is that you are going to alternate the plucking of harmonic notes with natural (non-harmonic) ones. By carefully choosing the pattern of this alternation, you can build very beautiful scales, arpeggios, and even chords that have a unique ringing quality.
Getting startedThe technique requires two separate types of string plucking, neither of which can be easily accomplished while holding a pick, so, kids, put your plectra down for this one.
The first step is the sounding of the harmonic with the thumb and index finger (there are other ways to do this, but this is the easiest way to start). Take the index finger of your picking hand (since most of you are non-lefthanders, this is usually your right-hand), and make a pointing motion at the low E string right at the twelfth fret, barely touching the e-string with your fingertip. The illustration below shows how your hand ought to look. (Remember that I'm a lefty, so rightys would look like a mirror image of this.)
While barely touching the string with your fingertip, use your thumb to pluck down on the same string. After you pluck the string with your thumb, raise your index finger away from the string. If you've done it right, you should hear the harmonic ring out.
The second step is plucking a string without the harmonic. In this beginner's example, you would simply pluck the open G string with your ring finger. If you look again carefully at the illustration, you can see my ring finger preparing to pluck the G string.
Now, all you need to do is combine those steps in the right sequence over the right strings, and you're on your way to some interesting new musical stuff. I've tabbed out a basic exercise to get you started. In the tab when you see a fret number in brackets, like <12>, it means you play the forefinger-thumb harmonic on the 12th fret. When the fret number is not in brackets, it means you just pluck the natural note (i.e., no harmnics) with your ring finger.
So here's the exercise:
Ascending:
e----------------------------------0---------------
b------------------------0-------------------------
g------------0---------------------------<12>------
d----------------------------<12>------------------
a----------------<12>------------------------------
e------<12>----------------------------------------
This should sound something like this: listen.
And, descending:
e---------------0----------------------------------
b---------------------------0----------------------
g------<12>----------------------------------------
d-----------------<12>------------------0----------
a------------------------------<12>----------------
e---------------------------------------------<12>-
This should sound something like this: listen.
Getting more advancedOnce you are comfortable with the motion, practice repeating the pattern until you can get it nice and smooth. After you get the basic pattern under your fingers, you can play with all sorts of variations. The chords underneath can get very sophisticated--it's possible to get some great unusual altered chords using the technique. As an easy example, try playing a full bar across the 7th fret, and plucking the pattern at the 19th fret. It sounds like this:listen.
You can also vary your pattern of plucking to do interesting variations of the scale or chord underneath. Here's an example of the same Bm barre chord at the 7th fret, played in a different pattern. listen.
Some of my favorite chords to play underneath are tabbed out below. Remember, you play the pattern 12 frets above where you have each chord tone fingered. (of course, you can get inventive and try 5, 7, and even 3! frets above, but creating cogent chords and scales gets a lot more complex).
e-------0----2----7----3----5----3----12----2-----
b-------2----1----8----3----3----3----12----3-----
g-------2----0----7----2----0----2----11----2-----
d-------0----0----7----2----4----2----11----2-----
a-------2----0----7----3----2----2----10----3-----
e-------0----2----0----3----0----1----10----3-----
After you get pretty comfortable with the technique, you can add pulls and hammers to produce very pretty scales. Here's an example of a descending C major scale (hint, bar at the 5th fret). listen.
You can also pluck the harmonic and natural notes simultaneously. Here's an example of a B minor 9th chord with the notes plucked out in pairs. (hint, bar at the 7th fret and add the C# with your third finger). listen.
In the end, the varations are limited pretty much only by the size and strength of your hands and your imagination. I'll try to update this page as I am able, adding a bit more detail and maybe some new examples as I go. For now, work hard and have fun!