Mark Lincoln explains what harmonics are and how they are played.
Taught by Mark Lincoln in Basic Guitar with Mark Lincoln seriesLength: 15:31Difficulty: 2.5 of 5
- Warm-up the hands.Ready?
- Stretch the wrists.
- Play the major and minor open chords.
- Warm up your strumming muscles by relaxing the wrists and letting the pick flow over the strings.
- Play the E major chord in the "new" way and play the type 1 barre chords.
- Play the A major chord in the "new" way and play the type 2 barre chords.
- Practice the "slanting A" technique.
- Practice the type 1 minor barre chords.
- Practice the type 2 minor barre chords.
- Play all of the type 1 mini-barre chords.
- Play all of the type 2 mini-barre chords.
- Review and practice new techniques.
1. Your strings aren't too old and worn 2. Your intonation isn't off (this is a technical term for the alignment of the bridge and neck of the guitar). Maladjusted intonation will affect the ability to tune your guitar properly, especially as you travel higher up the fretboard. 3. You have grasped the basic ability to produce a harmonic tone from your guitar.As we discussed above, pluck the low E-string above the fifth fret. Now pluck the A-string on the seventh fret. These two notes should be the same. Now pluck the A on the fifth and the D on the seventh. These two notes should match as well. Now pluck the D on the fifth and the G on the seventh. The B string is slightly different. Pluck the G-string on the fourth fret and the B-string on the fifth. These two notes should match up. Then pluck the B on the fifth and the high E on the seventh. Assuming that your guitar is set-up properly, this technique will help you attain a more accurate tuning. Chapter 2: (02:04) Harmonics in Music Harmonics can be a useful tool in tuning, but they are also another great way to spice up your playing. Harmonics can be struck in between chords or as you are playing chords. Watch me in the video for tips on how to do this.

Learning the basics of the guitar, the building blocks if you will, is an extremely important step in learning and mastering the guitar. This series is all about the basics.
Lesson 1
This lesson is all about the basics. Mark explains guitar parts, holding the guitar, and more.
Length: 13:12 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 2
Mark begins by discussing equipment every guitarist should own. Then, he introduces chords and proper tuning methods.
Length: 17:28 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 3
Mark finishes his discussion of the "open" chords. He applies these chords to basic rhythm and strumming concepts.
Length: 17:33 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 4
Mark reviews the major chords and introduces the minor chords. He also covers strumming techniques in greater depth.
Length: 25:48 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 5
Mark introduces a few more minor chords. He also provides a monster chord exercise.
Length: 16:36 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 6
Mark Lincoln continues his discussion of chords and strumming. He introduces several new exercises in this lesson.
Length: 19:30 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 7
Mark covers several topics in this lesson. He explains scales and barre chords. He also demonstrates how to find notes on the fretboard.
Length: 21:45 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 8
Mark Lincoln covers E shaped barre chords in greater depth. Mark refers to these chords as "Type 1" barre chords.
Length: 15:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 9
Mark covers the A Shape / Type 2 barre chords in greater depth.
Length: 17:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 10
Mark introduces minor barre chords that utilize the shape of the "open" Em chord.
Length: 13:10 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 11
Mark introduces minor barre chords based on the shape of the "open" Am chord. He refers to these chords as "Type 2 Minor" barre chords.
Length: 12:36 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 12
Mark demonstrates abbreviated versions of the "Type 1" and "Type 2" barre chords. He calls these "mini barre" chords.
Length: 17:43 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 13
Mark teaches the "mini barre" version of the A major shaped barre chord. He also explains dissonance.
Length: 20:29 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 14
Mark Lincoln applies mini-barre chord concepts to minor chords.
Length: 12:28 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 15
Mark Lincoln explains essential components of guitar technique.
Length: 15:59 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 16
Mark Lincoln explains how dynamics can enhance your playing. He covers topics such as volume, tempo, rests, and more.
Length: 27:48 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 17
Mark Lincoln explains more about guitar technique. This time around he introduces "transition strums" and continues his discussion of liquid chords.
Length: 26:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 18
Mark Lincoln explains what harmonics are and how they are played.
Length: 15:31 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 19
Mark Lincoln expands on the concept of liquid chords. He explains new chord variations and how they can be changed in mid-strum.
Length: 16:21 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 20
Mark demonstrates how chord progressions can be spiced up by adding hammer-ons and pull-offs.
Length: 12:21 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 21
Mark explains how chord fingerings must be altered when applying "liquid chord" concepts. He also provides a few new "liquid chord" exercises.
Length: 11:10 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 22
Mark returns to the land of chords. This time around, he provides an exercise that contains four variations on the A chord.
Length: 14:28 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 23
Mark provides a chord progression that shifts from one D chord to another in six steps.
Length: 15:20 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 24
Mark delves deeper into chord construction and alternate chord voicings.
Length: 13:36 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 25
Mark tests your guitar knowledge with a pop quiz. Then, he discusses quantitative and qualitative changes.
Length: 22:54 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 26
In the 26th installment of his basic guitar series, Mark reviews the quantitative and qualitative changes he presented in lesson 25.
Length: 17:34 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 27
Mark provides exercises designed to make you a better rhythm player.
Length: 0:00 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 28
Mark Lincoln expands on the rhythm exercise from lesson 27. This time around he incorporates several C based chords.
Length: 14:31 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 29
Mark discusses proper playing technique. He provides a few exercises that facilitate right hand mechanics.
Length: 17:02 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 30
Mark provides an exercise that features two new chords - Cadd9 and Dsus2.
Length: 0:00 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 31
In the 31st lesson, Mark discusses his "finger glue" technique. This technique improves speed and accuracy.
Length: 21:31 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 32
Mark takes a step back in lesson 32 to explain how to make quick and accurate chord changes.
Length: 22:14 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 33
Mark explains how to use the slide technique between chords.
Length: 19:24 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 34
Mark reviews qualitative and quantitative changes. He explains how to keep time while performing these changes.
Length: 21:17 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 35
Mark discusses qualitative and quantitative changes within an A minor progression.
Length: 19:56 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 36
Mark Lincoln discusses several techniques that can be used when transitioning between chords.
Length: 21:43 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 37
In this lesson, Mark once again covers the subject of chord transitions. This time around, he focuses on barre chords and includes several helpful exercises.
Length: 23:25 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 38
In lesson 38, Mark discusses how playing single notes rather than chords can spice up your playing.
Length: 22:56 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 39
Lesson 39 is all about rocking out. Mark discusses some tips to take your playing to the next level.
Length: 18:08 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 40
Lesson 40 takes a deeper look at slash chords. Mark discusses why they're called slash chords, and how they are formed.
Length: 14:42 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 41
In lesson 41, Mark reviews the warm-up section and provides new tips on playing adequately from the wrist.
Length: 22:09 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 42
Mark builds further on barre chord techniques and liquid chords.
Length: 17:24 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 43
In lesson 43, Mark discusses additional skills related to learning and playing chords, specifically "liquification" of chords.
Length: 20:42 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 44
Lesson 44 is all about trying new things. Mark discusses experimenting with your playing in order to take it to the next level.
Length: 17:20 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 45
In this lesson, Mark once again talks about changing up chord derivatives to create a more unique sound.
Length: 20:56 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 46
In lesson 46, Mark explains how to maximize your options by maintaining chord shapes while playing.
Length: 21:44 Difficulty: 1.5 Members OnlyLesson 47
Today, Mark takes in depth look at strumming.
Length: 23:57 Difficulty: 1.0 Members OnlyLesson 48
Mark Lincoln teaches an original song entitled "Shine Like the Sun."
Length: 18:59 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 49
Mark teaches some useful information on how to mix postures, "finger glue," and techniques to make your chord changes speedy and more effective.
Length: 30:56 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 50
In this lesson, Mark guides you through the world of alternate chord voicings. He teaches several shapes and shows how they can be used to enhance your playing.
Length: 23:06 Difficulty: 2.0 Members OnlyLesson 51
Mark brings us a very appealing aspect to better understand the guitar. With his explanation of "liquified" chords, mark will explain how to move up and down the guitar to create different chord voicing.
Length: 25:32 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
About Mark Lincoln
View Full Biography
Mark Lincoln was born in S. California but was raised near Portland Oregon in a town called Beaverton. When he was twelve years old, he began his journey into the realm of the creative by composing poetry and was later published in a journal called "In Dappled Sunlight." He wrote for four years until his older sister blessed him with his first guitar, an old beat-up nylon stringed classical guitar. Mark played that guitar for five years, continuing to compose his own lyrics and starting the process of matching his own words with chords that he was learning on the guitar. He learned to play chords from his friends and from music books that he both bought and borrowed. Mark cited his four biggest influences, at that point at least, as The Who, Led Zeppelin, Jethro Tull, The Rolling Stones.
Mark cites his most current influences as Radiohead, U2, older music by REM, and Peter Gabriel amongst others. He performs with two acoustic guitars, one being a six-string M-36 Martin with a three-pieced back for increased bass response, and a Guild Twelve-string which is his most recent acquisition. Mark is fond of saying that the twelve-string guitar is better because you get two guitars for the price of one, but he still plays his Martin equally as much and with the same passion.
Mark ended up in Fort Collins Colorado where he currently lives, works as a Marriage and Family Therapist, and continues to write, teach and perform music. He currently performs with a group called "Black Nelson" as well as with a number of other seasoned professional musicians including his cousin David, a virtuoso lead-guitar player. Mark has performed in many of the smaller venues in Denver and Boulder, as well as some of the larger ones including the Fox Theatre, The Boulder Theatre, Herman's Hideaway, and also at The Soiled Dove where he opened for Jefferson Starship as a soloist. Some of Mark's originals are also available for your listening pleasure on MySpace.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Nice dude
I'm good on the 12th, struggling on the 5th and 7th. Could be my stings.
Is it possible to pull out some good harmonics with a nylon-string guitar?
You can get harmonics out of a nylon string but they tend to be softer and not quite as well-defined as a steel string guitar. Mark
HAHA! Finally! Been playing for some years, these harmonics I just couldnt do. #¤&¤! it! But now, tonight, I got it :D Thank you mark!! :D
Nice job Dag, way to stack with it! It's incredible the things we can accomplish when we persevere, right!? Mark
I also really like the sound of harmonics, i'm just having no success producing them. Anyone have any tips or further advice?
Hey Kevin, the key to making clean and audible harmonics is simply getting a grasp of pulling your finger away from the string immediately after you pluck it. So after you've placed a finger from your chord hand over the fifth or seventh or twelfth fret and plucked the necessary string with your strum hand, pull your finger away immediately from the string you've just plucked. It takes some practice but over time you'll develop the necessary timing to get it right. Good luck! Mark
Holy cow ... just got it ... persistence pays off.
Strat great to hear from you! I'm really glad that you are learning and enjoying at the same time, what a novel idea right? Hope to see you soon in the live Q and A as well. Take care, Mark
I really liked this lesson. I knew how to do harmonics but I had not been incorporating them into my rhythm playing. I am loving the combination of "liquid" chords and harmonics. My rhythm playing is so much more interesting now. Thanks Mark!