Acoustic Guitar Harmonics - How To Make Your Guitar Sound Like A Harp

Today I would like to show you how you can make your acoustic guitar sound like a harp through the use of harmonics. These unique sounding arpeggios for your acoustic will amaze those who hear you play them. They are constructed by alternating harmonics with regular notes on your guitar. 

Have a listen to the following example:

As was explained in an earlier email lesson on how to play harmonics on your guitar, the harmonic notes above are sounded using the tip of the index finger of your picking hand lightly touching the string directly above the 12th fret. This is then followed by a regular note, in this case an open string, plucked with either the middle (m) or ring (a) finger of your picking hand. The harmonic notes are indicated with a pi where the thumb (p) is picking the string behind the index finger (i).

So the entire technique of playing these acoustic guitar harmonics is in your picking hand, for now at least anyway. The idea is to alternate between a harmonic note and a regular note creating a very cool sounding arpeggio on your acoustic.

Here is another example, only this time the regular note is played first, followed by the harmonic:

Both these patterns are important to you to learn when creating harmonic arpeggios on your guitar, as one can be more suited over the other sometimes, depending on the situation.

Here are two more examples of these harmonics arpeggios. In the first one I am fretting the guitar at the 1st fret, therefore I am sounding the harmonics from the 13th fret with my picking hand (remember to always sound the harmonics 12 frets higher form where the notes are being fretted).

In the second example I am at the 3rd fret and sounding my harmonic arpeggio from the 15th fret:

Applying Harmonic Arpeggios To Chord Shapes

When playing harmonics on your acoustic guitar like this, your fretting hand does not have to be limited to only playing in the one fret like it has up until now. You can in fact apply these harmonic arpeggios to any chord shape you like. Just always be sure to maintain a 12 fret distance between your fretting hand and your picking hand that is sounding the actual harmonic. You are basically mirroring or visualizing the chord shape that the fretting is holding, 12 frets higher, as you apply the arpeggio on your acoustic.

Here are some examples of what I am talking about. To help, I have included chord diagrams below that your fretting hand needs to form before you can apply the harmonic arpeggios. Make sure you have the corresponding chord formed for the examples that follow: 

This first one is all open, like the earlier examples, except I have added a second fretted note on the first string. This note is not sounded as a harmonic in the arpeggio, however I do pick it with my ring finger:

Here is another example. This time I am holding an FMaj13 shape in my fretting hand. This shape has a first fretted note on the bottom string, therefore I have to make sure that I sound the harmonic of this note at the 13th fret with my picking hand. I them continue up the arpeggio, sounding the remaining harmonics at the 12th fret:

The next example is the same as the first one (Em11), only moved up 3 frets. All the harmonics in this arpeggio are sounded at the 15th fret. Remember to always have the chord formed in the fretting hand before doing anything:

Finally, here is a D6/9 chord shape, complete with our harmonics being applied to create a great sounding arpeggio on the acoustic: 

Again, I have made sure to follow the shape of the chord I am fretting while  sounding out the harmonics with my picking hand. This is why I start out by playing my harmonics at the 17th fret, but then change to the 16th, to continue following the chord shape I am fretting.

Finally, here is an audio example of combining the previous 4 Acoustic Harmonic Arpeggios together to give you an idea of what you can do with this technique. I am playing variations of these arpeggios to create variety and interest:

Be very patient when learning to play harmonics on your acoustic guitar. I can’t tell you how much it is worth investing your time into this. Harmonics bring a whole new sound to your acoustic guitar playing, and will amaze anyone who hears them.

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