Where do the natural harmonics fall on the bass guitar?
Do harmonics work the same on bass guitar as is the case with a regular guitar (Natural harmonics at the 7th and 12th frets) or is it different on the bass?
guitar bass-guitar harmonics
edited Jan 12 at 5:46
guntbert
1346
asked Jan 11 at 18:21
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
9,00522649
add a comment |
Do harmonics work the same on bass guitar as is the case with a regular guitar (Natural harmonics at the 7th and 12th frets) or is it different on the bass?
guitar bass-guitar harmonics
edited Jan 12 at 5:46
guntbert
1346
asked Jan 11 at 18:21
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
9,00522649
There are many more than that, both on any guitar and any bass guitar. 12th, 7th, 5th, 9th, 17th, 19th, 24th...
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:20
add a comment |
Do harmonics work the same on bass guitar as is the case with a regular guitar (Natural harmonics at the 7th and 12th frets) or is it different on the bass?
guitar bass-guitar harmonics
edited Jan 12 at 5:46
guntbert
1346
asked Jan 11 at 18:21
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
9,00522649
Do harmonics work the same on bass guitar as is the case with a regular guitar (Natural harmonics at the 7th and 12th frets) or is it different on the bass?
guitar bass-guitar harmonics
guitar bass-guitar harmonics
edited Jan 12 at 5:46
guntbert
1346
asked Jan 11 at 18:21
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
9,00522649
edited Jan 12 at 5:46
guntbert
1346
asked Jan 11 at 18:21
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
9,00522649
edited Jan 12 at 5:46
guntbert
1346
edited Jan 12 at 5:46
guntbert
1346
edited Jan 12 at 5:46
guntbert
1346
1346
asked Jan 11 at 18:21
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
9,00522649
asked Jan 11 at 18:21
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
9,00522649
asked Jan 11 at 18:21
Neil MeyerNeil Meyer
9,00522649
9,00522649
There are many more than that, both on any guitar and any bass guitar. 12th, 7th, 5th, 9th, 17th, 19th, 24th...
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:20
add a comment |
There are many more than that, both on any guitar and any bass guitar. 12th, 7th, 5th, 9th, 17th, 19th, 24th...
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:20
There are many more than that, both on any guitar and any bass guitar. 12th, 7th, 5th, 9th, 17th, 19th, 24th...
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:20
There are many more than that, both on any guitar and any bass guitar. 12th, 7th, 5th, 9th, 17th, 19th, 24th...
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:20
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
It's the same as on a guitar. Harmonics occur at equal divisions of the string length. Half the string is the location of the 12th fret. This produces a harmonic at twice the frequency of the open string, which is one octave higher.
Dividing the string into thirds, which is at the 7th fret, produces the fifth of the 12th fret harmonic. (Halfway between the 7th fret and the bridge, at the 19th fret, you'll find the same harmonic.)
This continues to work up the harmonic series. If you divide the string in equal fourths (which occur at the 5th and 24th frets), you'll get a pitch two octaves higher than the open string.
By dividing a string, you can find these same harmonics on any stringed instrument, though you don't necessarily have frets as a convenient reference.
answered Jan 11 at 18:39
trwtrw
2,084822
3
+1, great answer. Two additions. (1) even through in theory the number is infinite there are audible at least 3 more audible ones, 2 between the 3rd and 4th fret (you get M3 and another 5th) and one more before the 3rd fret that is close to a b7. So you get the entire Dom7 arpeggio. (2) The true harmonics will not really lie exactly at frets 5 and 7 (12 will) due to a small dependency between just and equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 11 at 20:10
1
@ggcg - you just beat me to it. Was going to add there's what is very close to a full octave scale around the two and a quarter fret and the second fret. Plucking very close to the bridge will make them stand out better.
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:15
1
@ggcg: Technically a harmonic seventh, not a dominant. The difference is 31 cents, I think, which is quite noticeable.
– Dietrich Epp
Jan 12 at 4:16
1
@ggcg if my calculations are correct, on a 65-cm string, the fifth-fret harmonic and the seventh-fret harmonic are about a third of a millimeter and a half of a millimeter from their respective frets. I doubt many would find such small differences perceptible. The minor seventh in just tuning can be at a ratio of 9/5, 16/9, or indeed 7/4. Whether any of these is "dominant" or not depends on the functional harmony or at least whether the third is major.
– phoog
Jan 13 at 5:01
1
@phoog, I've done the same calculation, you are correct. My point was simple that the harmonics are not the same as equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 13 at 11:37
|
show 7 more comments
Harmonics are always at the same (proportional) spaces on any string.
The only thing that matters when determining where harmonics appear on a string would be length of the string. The 1st harmonic will always appear halfway inbetween the endpoints of the string (if it's fretted, count that as the endpoint), the next one divides the string into 3rds, etc...
That also means that the harmonics will always be in the same location relative to the fretboard (for instruments that have them), so as an example, the bass guitar and the guitar will both have a harmonic over the 12th fret on an open string.
answered Jan 11 at 20:52
user45266user45266
2,5971527
2
This needed to be fleshed out with examples and illustrations. A beginner would have trouble understanding what's said.
– Tim
Jan 12 at 9:25
@Tim I've done the fleshing.
– user45266
Jan 14 at 2:15
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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It's the same as on a guitar. Harmonics occur at equal divisions of the string length. Half the string is the location of the 12th fret. This produces a harmonic at twice the frequency of the open string, which is one octave higher.
Dividing the string into thirds, which is at the 7th fret, produces the fifth of the 12th fret harmonic. (Halfway between the 7th fret and the bridge, at the 19th fret, you'll find the same harmonic.)
This continues to work up the harmonic series. If you divide the string in equal fourths (which occur at the 5th and 24th frets), you'll get a pitch two octaves higher than the open string.
By dividing a string, you can find these same harmonics on any stringed instrument, though you don't necessarily have frets as a convenient reference.
answered Jan 11 at 18:39
trwtrw
2,084822
3
+1, great answer. Two additions. (1) even through in theory the number is infinite there are audible at least 3 more audible ones, 2 between the 3rd and 4th fret (you get M3 and another 5th) and one more before the 3rd fret that is close to a b7. So you get the entire Dom7 arpeggio. (2) The true harmonics will not really lie exactly at frets 5 and 7 (12 will) due to a small dependency between just and equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 11 at 20:10
1
@ggcg - you just beat me to it. Was going to add there's what is very close to a full octave scale around the two and a quarter fret and the second fret. Plucking very close to the bridge will make them stand out better.
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:15
1
@ggcg: Technically a harmonic seventh, not a dominant. The difference is 31 cents, I think, which is quite noticeable.
– Dietrich Epp
Jan 12 at 4:16
1
@ggcg if my calculations are correct, on a 65-cm string, the fifth-fret harmonic and the seventh-fret harmonic are about a third of a millimeter and a half of a millimeter from their respective frets. I doubt many would find such small differences perceptible. The minor seventh in just tuning can be at a ratio of 9/5, 16/9, or indeed 7/4. Whether any of these is "dominant" or not depends on the functional harmony or at least whether the third is major.
– phoog
Jan 13 at 5:01
1
@phoog, I've done the same calculation, you are correct. My point was simple that the harmonics are not the same as equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 13 at 11:37
|
show 7 more comments
It's the same as on a guitar. Harmonics occur at equal divisions of the string length. Half the string is the location of the 12th fret. This produces a harmonic at twice the frequency of the open string, which is one octave higher.
Dividing the string into thirds, which is at the 7th fret, produces the fifth of the 12th fret harmonic. (Halfway between the 7th fret and the bridge, at the 19th fret, you'll find the same harmonic.)
This continues to work up the harmonic series. If you divide the string in equal fourths (which occur at the 5th and 24th frets), you'll get a pitch two octaves higher than the open string.
By dividing a string, you can find these same harmonics on any stringed instrument, though you don't necessarily have frets as a convenient reference.
answered Jan 11 at 18:39
trwtrw
2,084822
3
+1, great answer. Two additions. (1) even through in theory the number is infinite there are audible at least 3 more audible ones, 2 between the 3rd and 4th fret (you get M3 and another 5th) and one more before the 3rd fret that is close to a b7. So you get the entire Dom7 arpeggio. (2) The true harmonics will not really lie exactly at frets 5 and 7 (12 will) due to a small dependency between just and equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 11 at 20:10
1
@ggcg - you just beat me to it. Was going to add there's what is very close to a full octave scale around the two and a quarter fret and the second fret. Plucking very close to the bridge will make them stand out better.
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:15
1
@ggcg: Technically a harmonic seventh, not a dominant. The difference is 31 cents, I think, which is quite noticeable.
– Dietrich Epp
Jan 12 at 4:16
1
@ggcg if my calculations are correct, on a 65-cm string, the fifth-fret harmonic and the seventh-fret harmonic are about a third of a millimeter and a half of a millimeter from their respective frets. I doubt many would find such small differences perceptible. The minor seventh in just tuning can be at a ratio of 9/5, 16/9, or indeed 7/4. Whether any of these is "dominant" or not depends on the functional harmony or at least whether the third is major.
– phoog
Jan 13 at 5:01
1
@phoog, I've done the same calculation, you are correct. My point was simple that the harmonics are not the same as equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 13 at 11:37
|
show 7 more comments
It's the same as on a guitar. Harmonics occur at equal divisions of the string length. Half the string is the location of the 12th fret. This produces a harmonic at twice the frequency of the open string, which is one octave higher.
Dividing the string into thirds, which is at the 7th fret, produces the fifth of the 12th fret harmonic. (Halfway between the 7th fret and the bridge, at the 19th fret, you'll find the same harmonic.)
This continues to work up the harmonic series. If you divide the string in equal fourths (which occur at the 5th and 24th frets), you'll get a pitch two octaves higher than the open string.
By dividing a string, you can find these same harmonics on any stringed instrument, though you don't necessarily have frets as a convenient reference.
answered Jan 11 at 18:39
trwtrw
2,084822
It's the same as on a guitar. Harmonics occur at equal divisions of the string length. Half the string is the location of the 12th fret. This produces a harmonic at twice the frequency of the open string, which is one octave higher.
Dividing the string into thirds, which is at the 7th fret, produces the fifth of the 12th fret harmonic. (Halfway between the 7th fret and the bridge, at the 19th fret, you'll find the same harmonic.)
This continues to work up the harmonic series. If you divide the string in equal fourths (which occur at the 5th and 24th frets), you'll get a pitch two octaves higher than the open string.
By dividing a string, you can find these same harmonics on any stringed instrument, though you don't necessarily have frets as a convenient reference.
answered Jan 11 at 18:39
trwtrw
2,084822
edited Jan 15 at 15:37
answered Jan 11 at 18:39
trwtrw
2,084822
answered Jan 11 at 18:39
trwtrw
2,084822
answered Jan 11 at 18:39
trwtrw
2,084822
2,084822
3
+1, great answer. Two additions. (1) even through in theory the number is infinite there are audible at least 3 more audible ones, 2 between the 3rd and 4th fret (you get M3 and another 5th) and one more before the 3rd fret that is close to a b7. So you get the entire Dom7 arpeggio. (2) The true harmonics will not really lie exactly at frets 5 and 7 (12 will) due to a small dependency between just and equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 11 at 20:10
1
@ggcg - you just beat me to it. Was going to add there's what is very close to a full octave scale around the two and a quarter fret and the second fret. Plucking very close to the bridge will make them stand out better.
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:15
1
@ggcg: Technically a harmonic seventh, not a dominant. The difference is 31 cents, I think, which is quite noticeable.
– Dietrich Epp
Jan 12 at 4:16
1
@ggcg if my calculations are correct, on a 65-cm string, the fifth-fret harmonic and the seventh-fret harmonic are about a third of a millimeter and a half of a millimeter from their respective frets. I doubt many would find such small differences perceptible. The minor seventh in just tuning can be at a ratio of 9/5, 16/9, or indeed 7/4. Whether any of these is "dominant" or not depends on the functional harmony or at least whether the third is major.
– phoog
Jan 13 at 5:01
1
@phoog, I've done the same calculation, you are correct. My point was simple that the harmonics are not the same as equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 13 at 11:37
|
show 7 more comments
3
+1, great answer. Two additions. (1) even through in theory the number is infinite there are audible at least 3 more audible ones, 2 between the 3rd and 4th fret (you get M3 and another 5th) and one more before the 3rd fret that is close to a b7. So you get the entire Dom7 arpeggio. (2) The true harmonics will not really lie exactly at frets 5 and 7 (12 will) due to a small dependency between just and equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 11 at 20:10
1
@ggcg - you just beat me to it. Was going to add there's what is very close to a full octave scale around the two and a quarter fret and the second fret. Plucking very close to the bridge will make them stand out better.
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:15
1
@ggcg: Technically a harmonic seventh, not a dominant. The difference is 31 cents, I think, which is quite noticeable.
– Dietrich Epp
Jan 12 at 4:16
1
@ggcg if my calculations are correct, on a 65-cm string, the fifth-fret harmonic and the seventh-fret harmonic are about a third of a millimeter and a half of a millimeter from their respective frets. I doubt many would find such small differences perceptible. The minor seventh in just tuning can be at a ratio of 9/5, 16/9, or indeed 7/4. Whether any of these is "dominant" or not depends on the functional harmony or at least whether the third is major.
– phoog
Jan 13 at 5:01
1
@phoog, I've done the same calculation, you are correct. My point was simple that the harmonics are not the same as equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 13 at 11:37
3
3
+1, great answer. Two additions. (1) even through in theory the number is infinite there are audible at least 3 more audible ones, 2 between the 3rd and 4th fret (you get M3 and another 5th) and one more before the 3rd fret that is close to a b7. So you get the entire Dom7 arpeggio. (2) The true harmonics will not really lie exactly at frets 5 and 7 (12 will) due to a small dependency between just and equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 11 at 20:10
+1, great answer. Two additions. (1) even through in theory the number is infinite there are audible at least 3 more audible ones, 2 between the 3rd and 4th fret (you get M3 and another 5th) and one more before the 3rd fret that is close to a b7. So you get the entire Dom7 arpeggio. (2) The true harmonics will not really lie exactly at frets 5 and 7 (12 will) due to a small dependency between just and equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 11 at 20:10
1
1
@ggcg - you just beat me to it. Was going to add there's what is very close to a full octave scale around the two and a quarter fret and the second fret. Plucking very close to the bridge will make them stand out better.
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:15
@ggcg - you just beat me to it. Was going to add there's what is very close to a full octave scale around the two and a quarter fret and the second fret. Plucking very close to the bridge will make them stand out better.
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:15
1
1
@ggcg: Technically a harmonic seventh, not a dominant. The difference is 31 cents, I think, which is quite noticeable.
– Dietrich Epp
Jan 12 at 4:16
@ggcg: Technically a harmonic seventh, not a dominant. The difference is 31 cents, I think, which is quite noticeable.
– Dietrich Epp
Jan 12 at 4:16
1
1
@ggcg if my calculations are correct, on a 65-cm string, the fifth-fret harmonic and the seventh-fret harmonic are about a third of a millimeter and a half of a millimeter from their respective frets. I doubt many would find such small differences perceptible. The minor seventh in just tuning can be at a ratio of 9/5, 16/9, or indeed 7/4. Whether any of these is "dominant" or not depends on the functional harmony or at least whether the third is major.
– phoog
Jan 13 at 5:01
@ggcg if my calculations are correct, on a 65-cm string, the fifth-fret harmonic and the seventh-fret harmonic are about a third of a millimeter and a half of a millimeter from their respective frets. I doubt many would find such small differences perceptible. The minor seventh in just tuning can be at a ratio of 9/5, 16/9, or indeed 7/4. Whether any of these is "dominant" or not depends on the functional harmony or at least whether the third is major.
– phoog
Jan 13 at 5:01
1
1
@phoog, I've done the same calculation, you are correct. My point was simple that the harmonics are not the same as equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 13 at 11:37
@phoog, I've done the same calculation, you are correct. My point was simple that the harmonics are not the same as equal tempered tuning.
– ggcg
Jan 13 at 11:37
|
show 7 more comments
Harmonics are always at the same (proportional) spaces on any string.
The only thing that matters when determining where harmonics appear on a string would be length of the string. The 1st harmonic will always appear halfway inbetween the endpoints of the string (if it's fretted, count that as the endpoint), the next one divides the string into 3rds, etc...
That also means that the harmonics will always be in the same location relative to the fretboard (for instruments that have them), so as an example, the bass guitar and the guitar will both have a harmonic over the 12th fret on an open string.
answered Jan 11 at 20:52
user45266user45266
2,5971527
2
This needed to be fleshed out with examples and illustrations. A beginner would have trouble understanding what's said.
– Tim
Jan 12 at 9:25
@Tim I've done the fleshing.
– user45266
Jan 14 at 2:15
add a comment |
Harmonics are always at the same (proportional) spaces on any string.
The only thing that matters when determining where harmonics appear on a string would be length of the string. The 1st harmonic will always appear halfway inbetween the endpoints of the string (if it's fretted, count that as the endpoint), the next one divides the string into 3rds, etc...
That also means that the harmonics will always be in the same location relative to the fretboard (for instruments that have them), so as an example, the bass guitar and the guitar will both have a harmonic over the 12th fret on an open string.
answered Jan 11 at 20:52
user45266user45266
2,5971527
2
This needed to be fleshed out with examples and illustrations. A beginner would have trouble understanding what's said.
– Tim
Jan 12 at 9:25
@Tim I've done the fleshing.
– user45266
Jan 14 at 2:15
add a comment |
Harmonics are always at the same (proportional) spaces on any string.
The only thing that matters when determining where harmonics appear on a string would be length of the string. The 1st harmonic will always appear halfway inbetween the endpoints of the string (if it's fretted, count that as the endpoint), the next one divides the string into 3rds, etc...
That also means that the harmonics will always be in the same location relative to the fretboard (for instruments that have them), so as an example, the bass guitar and the guitar will both have a harmonic over the 12th fret on an open string.
answered Jan 11 at 20:52
user45266user45266
2,5971527
Harmonics are always at the same (proportional) spaces on any string.
The only thing that matters when determining where harmonics appear on a string would be length of the string. The 1st harmonic will always appear halfway inbetween the endpoints of the string (if it's fretted, count that as the endpoint), the next one divides the string into 3rds, etc...
That also means that the harmonics will always be in the same location relative to the fretboard (for instruments that have them), so as an example, the bass guitar and the guitar will both have a harmonic over the 12th fret on an open string.
answered Jan 11 at 20:52
user45266user45266
2,5971527
edited Jan 14 at 2:13
answered Jan 11 at 20:52
user45266user45266
2,5971527
answered Jan 11 at 20:52
user45266user45266
2,5971527
answered Jan 11 at 20:52
user45266user45266
2,5971527
2,5971527
2
This needed to be fleshed out with examples and illustrations. A beginner would have trouble understanding what's said.
– Tim
Jan 12 at 9:25
@Tim I've done the fleshing.
– user45266
Jan 14 at 2:15
add a comment |
2
This needed to be fleshed out with examples and illustrations. A beginner would have trouble understanding what's said.
– Tim
Jan 12 at 9:25
@Tim I've done the fleshing.
– user45266
Jan 14 at 2:15
2
2
This needed to be fleshed out with examples and illustrations. A beginner would have trouble understanding what's said.
– Tim
Jan 12 at 9:25
This needed to be fleshed out with examples and illustrations. A beginner would have trouble understanding what's said.
– Tim
Jan 12 at 9:25
@Tim I've done the fleshing.
– user45266
Jan 14 at 2:15
@Tim I've done the fleshing.
– user45266
Jan 14 at 2:15
add a comment |
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There are many more than that, both on any guitar and any bass guitar. 12th, 7th, 5th, 9th, 17th, 19th, 24th...
– Tim
Jan 11 at 20:20