String harmonic

Playing a harmonic on a string. Here, "+7" indicates that the string is held down at the position for raising the pitch by 7 semitones.

Playing a string harmonic (a flageolet) is a string instrument technique that uses the nodes of natural harmonics of a musical string to isolate overtones. Playing string harmonics produces high pitched tones, often compared in timbre to a whistle or flute.[1][2] Overtones can be isolated "by lightly touching the string with the finger instead of pressing it down" against the fingerboard (without stopping).[2] For some instruments this is a fundamental technique, such as the Chinese guqin, where it is known as fan yin (泛音, lit. "floating sound"), and the Vietnamese đàn bầu.

  1. ^ Kamien, Roger (2008). Music: An Appreciation, p.13. Sixth "brief" edition. McGraw Hill. ISBN 978-0-07-340134-8.
  2. ^ a b Palisca, Claude V.; ed. (1996). Norton Anthology of Western Music, Volume 1: Ancient to Baroque, glossary, p.601. Third edition. W. W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-96906-1.