When it comes to fingerstyle guitar playing, there are a variety of techniques that players can utilize to create unique and intricate sounds. Two advanced techniques that are commonly used by experienced fingerstyle guitarists are harmonics and tapping. These techniques can add a new dimension to your playing and allow you to create sounds that are not possible with standard strumming or picking.

Harmonics

Harmonics are a technique where the player lightly touches the string with their fretting hand at specific points along the string to produce a high-pitched, bell-like tone. There are two main types of harmonics that are commonly used in fingerstyle guitar playing: natural harmonics and artificial harmonics.

Natural Harmonics

Natural harmonics are produced by lightly touching the string directly above the fret wire with your fretting hand while picking the string with your other hand. This creates a chiming sound that is higher in pitch than the note you would normally produce by fretting the string. Natural harmonics can be found at various points along the string, including the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets.

Artificial Harmonics

Artificial harmonics are produced by fretting a note with your fretting hand and then lightly touching the string at specific points with your picking hand to produce the harmonic. This technique allows you to create harmonics at any fret on the guitar, giving you more control over the pitch and tone of the harmonic.

Tapping

Tapping is a technique where the player uses their picking hand to “tap” on the strings to produce notes. This technique is commonly used in rock and metal music, but can also be incorporated into fingerstyle playing to create complex and fast-moving melodies.

Basic Tapping

To perform basic tapping, simply use your picking hand to tap on the fretboard directly above the fret wire while holding down a note with your fretting hand. This produces a quick, staccato sound that can add a percussive element to your playing.

Two-Hand Tapping

Two-hand tapping is a more advanced technique where both hands are used to tap on the strings to produce notes. This technique allows for faster and more complex melodies to be played, as both hands are free to tap on the strings and produce different notes simultaneously.

By incorporating harmonics and tapping into your fingerstyle playing, you can add a new level of creativity and expression to your music. Experiment with these techniques and see how they can enhance your playing and help you to develop your own unique style.