Natural Harmonics

[CallOfCthulhu]

I've seen LOOAADDSS of people use them on a bass, I can tap them fine, but playing a normal natural harmonic, I can only seem to get them on the 7th and 12th frets, no matter what bass I use.

[Jerusalem]

You get the strongest natural harmonics on the 5th, 7th and 12th frets. There are weaker ones at the 4th fret as well.

[CallOfCthulhu]

Wow, you're right, I never tried the 5th fret.

[BMM]

Wow, you're right, I never tried the 5th fret.

How long you been playing? Do you use a pick or open finger?

[Valentin Zukovsky]

There are tons of good natural harmonics that you can get on bass, but most of them exist between the frets. The best way to bring really them out is to pick near your bridge.

Also, if you can't get the 4th fret harmonics to work well you also can try around the 9th and 16th frets and for the exact same tones.

[Valentin Zukovsky]

Wow, you're right, I never tried the 5th fret.

How long you been playing? Do you use a pick or open finger?

How does one play with an open finger?

[BMM]

There are tons of good natural harmonics that you can get on bass, but most of them exist between the frets. The best way to bring really them out is to pick near your bridge.

Also, if you can't get the 4th fret harmonics to work well you also can try around the 9th and 16th frets and for the exact same tones.

There are tons of good natural harmonics that you can get on bass, but most of them exist between the frets. The best way to bring really them out is to pick near your bridge.

Also, if you can't get the 4th fret harmonics to work well you also can try around the 9th and 16th frets and for the exact same tones.

Is this because the frets are spaced futher apart on bass. On guitar it's easier, for me, in the center of the fret.

[BMM]

Wow, you're right, I never tried the 5th fret.

How long you been playing? Do you use a pick or open finger?

How does one play with an open finger?

I use my thumb and index and middle finger. I could never get use to the feel of a pick with the bigger strings on a bass.

[CallOfCthulhu]

I use my fingers, I hate the sound of plectrums and when I use one, I always miss the string I intend on getting   I use my thumb, and all the fingers of my right hand except the little one.  I sometimes slap with my thumb or my palm (I am self taught, and slapping with my palm came from all of the Cliff Burton videos I watched).

[Valentin Zukovsky]

There are tons of good natural harmonics that you can get on bass, but most of them exist between the frets. The best way to bring really them out is to pick near your bridge.

Also, if you can't get the 4th fret harmonics to work well you also can try around the 9th and 16th frets and for the exact same tones.

Is this because the frets are spaced futher apart on bass. On guitar it's easier, for me, in the center of the fret.

No, actually the harmonics that are between the frets exist in the same place on a guitar relative to where they would be on a bass. Though I'm not talking about the 4th, 5th, 7th, 9th, and so on harmonics, those occur right where the fret lines would be on a properly intonated instrument. The between fret ones are a different story. For example, there are probably 3 different harmonics that I've found exist between the 3rd and 4th frets.  Jaco Pastorius uses them a lot in "Portrait of Tracy".

[Valentin Zukovsky]

I use my fingers, I hate the sound of plectrums and when I use one, I always miss the string I intend on getting   I use my thumb, and all the fingers of my right hand except the little one.  I sometimes slap with my thumb or my palm (I am self taught, and slapping with my palm came from all of the Cliff Burton videos I watched).

Lol, you got slapping with your palm from Cliff Burton, while I got it from frustration in my earlier years.

[VoteNo4Pants]

Wow, you're right, I never tried the 5th fret.

How long you been playing? Do you use a pick or open finger?

How does one play with an open finger?

Anaesthesia.

[Valentin Zukovsky]

Wow, you're right, I never tried the 5th fret.

How long you been playing? Do you use a pick or open finger?

How does one play with an open finger?

Anesthesia.

FYP, and what does that have to do with anything? Thats just half of the name of a bass solo. I've already found out that badmattman was referring to a technique similar to that of classical guitarists.

[Tucson Bass Player]

If you take the Steve Bailey approach there is a good strong harmonic at every fret. Place your left handed [right handed players] on any fret then lay your right thumb on top of the fret 5, 7, 12 above that and pick the string with your fingers behind your thumb. Sounds hard but just keep at it and you'll get it!