Advanced Harmonics on Bass: Unlocking Unique Tones

Want to take your bass playing to the next level? Advanced harmonic techniques can add shimmering, bell-like tones to your sound, helping you create beautiful melodies, percussive textures, and even full chordal passages. Whether you’re inspired by Jaco Pastorius or Michael Manring, this guide will show you how to master artificial, pinch, and tapped harmonics!

1. What Are Advanced Harmonics?

Harmonics produce a chime-like sound by lightly touching a vibrating string at specific points. While natural harmonics (played at the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets) are common, advanced players use artificial, pinch, and tapped harmonics to create unique effects.

• ✅ Artificial Harmonics – Producing harmonics anywhere on the fretboard.
• ✅ Pinch Harmonics – Adding a high-pitched squeal to notes.
• ✅ Tapped Harmonics – Using tapping to activate harmonic overtones.
• ✅ Harmonic Chords – Creating lush, ringing chords with harmonics.

2. Artificial Harmonics

Artificial harmonics allow you to play harmonics outside of the natural fret positions, giving you more melodic control.

📌 How to Play Artificial Harmonics

• 1️⃣ Fret a note with your left hand (e.g., 3rd fret on the A string).
• 2️⃣ Lightly touch the string exactly 12 frets higher (e.g., 15th fret on the A string) with your right-hand index finger.
• 3️⃣ Pluck the string with your thumb or another finger while keeping the light touch.
• 4️⃣ Release the right-hand finger immediately after plucking to let the harmonic ring.

🎯 Beginner Exercise

• Fret C (3rd fret, A string) and play an artificial harmonic at 15th fret, A string.
• Move this technique across different frets and strings.

🎵 Songs That Use Artificial Harmonics:

• “Portrait of Tracy” – Jaco Pastorius (a masterpiece of harmonic playing).

3. Pinch Harmonics

Pinch harmonics create a high-pitched squeal by plucking and lightly grazing the string at the same time.

📌 How to Play Pinch Harmonics

• 1️⃣ Hold your pick (or use your thumb if playing fingerstyle).
• 2️⃣ Pluck the string while lightly brushing the string with the edge of your thumb.
• 3️⃣ Adjust your picking position to find sweet spots where harmonics ring out.
• 4️⃣ Try this on the G or D string for the best results.

🎯 Beginner Exercise

• Play a 5th fret note on the G string, then pluck with a slight thumb graze to find the harmonic.
• Experiment with different picking positions for stronger harmonics.

🎵 Songs That Use Pinch Harmonics:

• “Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth)” – Metallica (Cliff Burton used harmonics in solos).

4. Tapped Harmonics

Tapped harmonics are played by tapping a harmonic node instead of plucking.

How to Play Tapped Harmonics

• 1️⃣ Fret a note (e.g., 5th fret, A string).
• 2️⃣ Tap exactly 12 frets higher (e.g., 17th fret, A string) with your right-hand finger.
• 3️⃣ Let the note ring out—this creates a harmonic.

🎯 Beginner Exercise

• Fret A (5th fret, E string) and tap at 17th fret, E string.
• Try moving the tapped note to different harmonic nodes (7th, 9th, 12th frets above the fretted note).

🎵 Songs That Use Tapped Harmonics:

• “Country Music (A Night in Hell)” – Stu Hamm (tapped harmonic melodies).

5. Harmonic Chords & Melodies

Once you master individual harmonics, you can use them to play chords and melodies.

📌 How to Play Harmonic Chords

• 1️⃣ Find natural harmonics at the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets.
• 2️⃣ Play multiple harmonics at once for a chime-like chord.
• 3️⃣ Combine with artificial harmonics to create full harmonic passages.

🎯 Beginner Exercise

• Play a natural harmonic chord by touching the 5th fret on the D, G, and C strings simultaneously.
• Experiment with different fret positions for new harmonic voicings.

🎵 Songs That Use Harmonic Chords:

• “Portrait of Tracy” – Jaco Pastorius (harmonic-based composition).
• “Overjoyed” – Victor Wooten (melodic harmonic playing).

6. Next Steps: Taking Your Harmonics Further

• 🚀 Experiment with different techniques – Mix harmonics with slides, vibrato, and reverb for ambient textures.
• 🎼 Try harmonics in a bass solo – Use harmonics to create unique melodic phrases.
• 🎸 Use harmonics in chord progressions – Try blending harmonic chords with fretted notes.

💬 Which harmonic technique are you working on? Drop a comment below and let’s talk bass! 🎸🔥