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Bass Harmonics
< illustrations coming soon > Until relatively recently, electric bass harmonics were mostly considered experimental, and used primarily by the most esoteric players. While Jaco Pastorius is responsible for introducing electric bass harmonics to a wide audience, their full versatility has yet to move into the mainstream. The inherent system of harmonics, when integrated with fretted notes, allows the bass to take on entirely new dimensions. What are harmonics? Let’s examine the most basic ones, called “natural” harmonics. (“Artificial harmonics, which aren’t covered here, occur when you actually fret a note and create a harmonic between the fretted point and the bridge.) When you lightly touch a string at one of the node points shown in Ex. 1, and then pluck, you hear the high, distinct bell tone of the harmonics at indicated pitches. These locations are determined by the ratio of the touch point (or node point) relative to the overall string length. For example, an octave harmonic produced by lightly touching above the 12th fret is at the string length’s halfway point—thus a ration of 2 to 1 (expressed 2:1). Notice how multiples of these rations work, too: 2:1 = one octave above the open string, 4:1 = two octaves higher, 8:1 = three octaves higher. Ex. 1 also shows the relationship of each harmonic to the open-string tonic. Because the system of harmonics is limited, it is simple. This simplicity, in turn, makes it accessible for taking a diatonic approach. On the bass, the most complete diatonic scale using available natural harmonics is D. The scale of A is next, followed by G, C, and so on. I say “and so on” because we are on our way around the circle of fifths, and as we get closer to the flat side of the circle, there are fewer available harmonic notes available for a scale. The approach just described is basically diatonic, but because there are notes available beyond the diatonic system, the reality is that the harmonic system is semi-chromatic. This means that a complete chromatic approach is wishful thinking. Still mastering the naturally occurring system of harmonics is relatively simple. Knowing how to produce harmonics I only part of the challenge. Now you must learn to apply them, and for the most part this means working with other players. A common difficulty when using the technique with other musicians comes from their natural desire to play in keys suited to their instruments. For example, in a traditional bass tuning of perfect fourths, working with a horn section full of trumpet players (who prefer keys that employ flats) provides few alternatives for bass harmonics. In the flat keys, you might not be able to find enough natural harmonics to establish a tonal center or to state a chord; therefore, you need to find an alternative. One such alternative is to combine fretted notes and harmonics. To do this, you need to determine the most important voices. For instance, if you wanted to play Bb7 moving to Ebmaj7, the Bb7 needs at least the 3rd and lowered 7th to produce the necessary tension for the chord to function as a dominant moving to a tonic major 7th (refer to Ex. 2; in the diagrams, the open circles are harmonics, while the solid black circles indicate fretted notes; in standard notation 8va and 15ma indicate that the pitches sound one octave or two octaves higher that written, respectively). You can eke out voices this way, or borrow a technique from the trumpeter, whose instrument is tuned to Bb. If you retune each string up one half-step, then instead of having your bass centered on sharps, you can center in on flats. Thus, you could be reading in D and playing in Eb. This makes for peaceful coexistence with a wide range of instruments. Take this a step further by altering intervals between strings. If done attentively, it’s not as bad as a sleigh ride as you might expect. Besides returning to another diatonic key, you can retune to obtain different scale and chord opportunities. One of my favorite tunings is D, A, E, G. It has an angular blues quality and features an interesting pentatonic-type scale that offers fascinating possibilities for chords and melodies. All this, yet you aren’t in completely unfamiliar territory, because the A and G strings remain the standard tuning. The strength of the natural system of bass harmonics lies within its “user-friendliness.” Even in standard tuning, a combination of stopped notes and harmonics can provide great variety. For example, look at the common I-VI-II-V chord progression in Ex. 3. A single fingering, or chord formation, covers the entire progression. If these weren’t harmonics, then moving a chord form up and down the neck would result in a parallel movement of the chord voices. As long as you choose generally accepted root movements, chords played with harmonics flow with the most natural of voice-leading from one to the next. Since there aren’t any famous examples of this phenomenon, let’s look at Ex. 4, which illustrates two progressions you might see on the bandstand (a circle in parenthesis reflects a moving voice in the standard notation). Use these examples as groundwork for creating your own progressions and tunes. So, now you have an idea of where harmonics are, which notes are possible, and what scales and chords you can create. What’s left to work on is a whole new set techniques. Most of what it takes to put harmonics to use involves putting your hands to the instrument, and artistically integrating them into your approach requires interweaving your established skills with these new ones. At first, playing stopped notes and playing harmonics are separate sensations, but they blend as you become accustomed to the feel. Through practice, your fingers go from a light, uncertain touch to one where you decisively gram a harmonic chord or scale. You become familiar with a new tighter margin for error, and the harmonics start feeling as solid as the stopped notes. What can bring even the strongest bass player to his knees is a combination of the new touch, trying to make chords come out in a balanced fashion, playing solo in a completely new musical role, working out when and when not to use harmonics in an ensemble, and working within the margin for error. This takes time, and trying to absorb the whole of any subject in one shot can make even the simplest things appear overwhelming. Being able to use harmonics entails a series of simple things done well—like any other aspect of strong bass playing. It can become as complex as you’re willing to make it. You may now be asking, “What kind of music can I make from such a seemingly limited system?” Harmonics add to the collection of sounds that the bass can produce: from pleasant bell-like tones to the most piercing and biting sounds. With style comes the challenge to use harmonics in an artistic way, to get beyond the realm of common training and technical practice. Try altering the harmonic structure by retuning, by using artificial harmonics, by blending harmonics, by accessing dual node points, and by producing sounds that can be applied in just about any style: jazz (such as walking a bass line under harmonic chords), funk (slapping and pu8lling harmonics), rock, etc. Harmonics as a music system can be considered complete. The applications of harmonics are still unfolding. They’re simple, beautiful, captivating, and most of all useful. |
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