Understanding String Harmonics

In this video, I explain what instrumental string harmonics are, how to notate them, and how to use them in your orchestral and chamber music.

0:00 Introduction
0:32 The Harmonic Series
4:56 Notating Natural Harmonics
8:03 Examples from Tzigane (Ravel)
10:40 Example from The Companion Guide to Rome (Norman)
11:47 Artificial / False Harmonics
13:00 Example from Romanian Fold Dances for Violin (Bartok)
13:44 Summary
14:58 Extended Techniques
15:44 Example from Sept Papillons (Saariaho)

All audio examples used in this video are for education purposes and protected under the Fair Use Law.

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[DavidBennettThomas]

This is the best video on this topic that I've seen. I'll be using it in my classes in the years to come, so please don't remove it! You clarify some things that were missing from Adler's orchestration text.

[Emad_Attar]

Finally someone explaining the harmonics in the best effective way.
Thank you so much!

[Markrspooner]

Not sure I will ever write music for live players but still found it very interesting as I can now understand scores with harmonics on better. Thanks Alex!

[michellamontagne]

Thank you Alex I appreciated your clear explanations and the examples how composers are using harmonics I did not know how they were using it thank you again

[BrandonWalkerMusic]

Alex - you did a great job explaining harmonics. I appreciate some of the science and theory behind what harmonics resonate with vs those that do not. The one-page chart is useful, and I also really liked the examples, especially Ravel's Tzigane!

[MREmusique]

a minor correction (I know this video is a bit older), "sul D" (in reference to the Ravel example) is not the French terminology. It's Italian. 😉 In French we don't use letters to denote the strings, we use the Roman numerals.