[CHOUT]

I really like the band The Police. I was checking out a site about their guitarist Andy Summers and his gear and I found one of his techniques: Chime harmonics.

Some of The Police live footage I'd see him do what I thought was tapping but it turns out he's doing this. It's cool because when you get the technique, you can pick exactly what note you want a harmonic of. It took me a little while to pick it up, but it's not too hard if you understand what harmonics are and have a little bit of technique - probably not for beginners on guitar though.

Maybe some of you know about this, but this is a first for me.

Here's the lesson.
http://web.tiscalinet.it/andatta/harmonicslesson.htm

[atari 2600]

Andy also invented a few variations on moveable guitar chords known simply as "Andy Summers" chords. He's quite the contortionist with his phalanges.

[CHOUT]

Yep he's known for that 9th chord (double 5ths) as used on Message In A Bottle, Every Breath You Take etc. I use it on one of my new songs I posted here a little while ago.

He's brilliant. I just figured out how to get his Police sound with my pedals so I've been playing lots of his stuff lately. A bit dated sounding, but I still love it. I always thought he used chorus, but it's actually flange and my EH Poly Chorus nails it perfectly.

[krastian]

Hell yeah man.....nasty. They are all great. The Police Live! is one of the best albums ever. I'm not sure if you guys are in to this, but have you listened to Oysterhead? Stewart is on point as usual.

[No Star]

Yeah i think this is called ''Artificial Harmonics'' there is another way to.

instead of finding the frets everytime just move up and down 12"fret onwartds with a drumstick and match whatever your left hand is playing. make sure you have nice treble distorsion too.

[DoubleNickels]

Nah, the difference between artificial harmonics is that it really IS a harmonic you play, where as a harp harmonic it playing the harmonic while slapping the string on the fretboard.

(Oh yeah, I discovered them by accident)

[DemonBox]

Cool

[atsonicpark]

I just lightly stick my fingers on any part of the strings on a guitar and they all chime.

[kingcoffee]

Neat technique! Sounds great! Thanx for the tip.

[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

pinch and chime seem the same to me, except pinch you are 1/4ing the length giving you a higher octave.

[Sheriff Rhys Chatham]

ill have to check this out.
right now Im learning some megadeth (rust in peace) Im not used to this kind of playing and my fingers hurt a lot.

[CHOUT]

Aren't metal style pinch harmonics usually keeping your right hand by the pickups for a more unnatural harmonic?

It is essentially the same Idea as pinch harmonics, but a different approach. I like being able to get harmonics on whatever note you want.

[TheMadcapLaughs]

Thanks CHOUT, this is cool, it could come in handy for a 2nd guitar part, adds a little flavor, its hard for me to sound the harmonic very loudly though, with practice im sure it can get betta

[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

Well, metal/pinch harmonics you are quartering the length of the string, so you get a higher note, plus you are picking and "fretting" the harmonic right next to eachother, you have the right metal distortion on, etc.

If you get your pick attack and your tone down, you can old school 2,2.5,4,5,7,9th and 12th fret harmonics sound pretty unnatural as well. Just listen to Bauhaus of Big Black.

Artificial harmonics are a misnomer I believe, because you are still playing a natural harmonic. It is just called that because it is untraditional and sounds unnatural.

[SpectralJulianIsNotDead]

You know chime harmonics would be nice to play Shadow of a Doubt.