Slap Harmonics and Open Tuning Guitar Lesson

Chapter 1: (03:31) Intro to Slap Harmonics and Open Tuning In this lesson, David explains a technique commonly referred to as "slap harmonics." Slap harmonics are a specific type of tapped harmonics. As a result, you must master all of the concepts discussed in the previous lesson in order to get the full benefit of this lesson. A slap harmonic is created by simultaneously producing two or more tapped harmonics.

Notation of Slap Harmonics

Since, a slapped harmonic is a type of tapped harmonic, the notation for a tapped harmonic is also used for slap harmonics.

Note: Review how a tap harmonic is notated in the previous lesson.

Guitarists to Check Out

A guitarist named Michael Hedges originally pioneered the tap harmonic style. Hedges used many of the techniques discussed in this lesson series to develop a completely original approach to the steel-string acoustic. He used the guitar effectively as a melodic and percussive instrument. He accomplished this feat through tricks such as tapped harmonics.

Since the inception of this style, countless guitarists have expanded upon Hedges' techniques. Some notable players to check out are Michael Kelsey and Eric Loy. Also, be sure to check out Antoine DuFour. Antoine is a young guitar virtuoso from Mascouche, Canada. He blends natural, tapped, and harp harmonics seamlessly into his own style. Many of these guitarists apply alternate tunings to create their distinct sound. David demonstrates one of such tunings in this lesson.

C, G, D, G, A, D Tuning

Note: Most commonly, the open strings in an open tuning outline a basic major triad. Common examples of this are open G (Taropatch), open E, and open D. Tunings that do not outline a major or minor triad are simply referred to as "alternate tunings." The notes C, G, D, G, A, and D do not spell a specific triad. These notes spell a CMA6/9 chord. Another common tuning used by tap harmonic masters is D, A, D, G, A, D. This tuning is frequently referred to as "dad-gad" tuning.

Do not attempt to play in this tuning on an electric guitar unless you perform a whole new setup. Most likely, your guitar is setup for standard tuning. If you tune your electric guitar to the tuning discussed in this lesson, the guitar will not stay intonated properly. Due to the increased tension that steel acoustic strings apply to the neck of the guitar, it is not necessary to perform a setup in order to play in this alternate tuning. Chapter 2: (04:50) More on CGDGAD Tuning Follow these steps to tune each of your strings to the notes listed above:

1. First, you must tune your low bass string down to the note C. Fret the note C at the third fret of the A string.

2.Then, match the pitch of your lowest string to this note.
Next, David matches the pitch of the fifth string to the 7th fret of the low string. This note is G. However, it is much easier to tune the fifth string to G by matching its pitch with the open G string. This will typically yield a more accurate result. Visit Mark Nelson's lessons for a clear example of how this is accomplished.

3. The fourth and third strings remain tuned to the same pitch. Respectively, these notes are D and G.

4. Tune the 2nd string to the note A. Match the pitch of this string to the 2nd fret of the third string.

5. David matches the pitch of the first string to the 5th fret of the second string. This note is D. It is much easier to match the pitch of the high string to the open D string (4th string).

Whenever you tune to an alternate or open tuning, it is always best to use the pitch of an open string that remains unchanged as a reference when adjusting the tuning of the other strings.

David demonstrates a brief piece to give you a clear example of the chordal possibilities available in this tuning. Chapter 3: (06:38) Slap Harmonics in CGDGAD Tuning David demonstrates a few slapped harmonic licks in this tuning.

Guitar Notation when Using a Capo

Essentially, the capo moves the location of the nut to a new fret marker. David is playing with the capo at the 2nd fret. As a result, 2nd fret notes are now labeled as open strings. By the same principle, harmonics slapped at the 14th fret are labeled in tablature at the 12th fret. All tablature indications are relative to the capo. Essentially, you need add 2 to every number indicated in tablature. Pay very close attention to this when playing through the exercise that David demonstrates. All pieces that involve a capo are notated this way in tablature.

Playing the Exercise

Note: Open the "Supplemental Content" tab for tablature to this exercise.

Slap the harmonics in this exercise with the fleshy pad of the middle finger. Use the middle finger of the left hand to fret the chromatic, descending bass line.

This exercise provides an example of a compositional technique known as contrapuntal elaboration on a static harmony, or "CESH." Dr. Michael Cox, a jazz and saxophone instructor at Capital University, named this technique. This lengthy title essentially means that the bass line is changing while the prevailing harmony remains constant.

David demonstrates how to play this exercise with a few variations. For example, you can apply some pull-offs to the bass line to give the rhythm more forward.

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