Harmonics Violin

lightly touching string fingertip @ harmonic node, without pressing string, , plucking or bowing string, creates harmonics. instead of normal tone, higher pitched note sounds. each node @ integer division of string, example half-way or one-third along length of string. responsive instrument sound numerous possible harmonic nodes along length of string. harmonics marked in music either little circle above note determines pitch of harmonic, or diamond-shaped note heads. there 2 types of harmonics: natural harmonics , artificial harmonics (also known false harmonics).

natural harmonics played on open string. pitch of open string when plucked or bowed called fundamental frequency. harmonics called overtones or partials. occur @ whole-number multiples of fundamental, called first harmonic. second harmonic first overtone (the octave above open string), third harmonic second overtone, , on. second harmonic in middle of string , sounds octave higher string s pitch. third harmonic breaks string thirds , sounds octave , fifth above fundamental, , fourth harmonic breaks string quarters sounding 2 octaves above first. sound of second harmonic clearest of them all, because common node succeeding even-numbered harmonics (4th, 6th, etc.). third , succeeding odd-numbered harmonics harder play because break string odd number of vibrating parts , not share many nodes other harmonics.

artificial harmonics more difficult produce natural harmonics, involve both stopping string , playing harmonic on stopped note. using octave frame (the normal distance between first , fourth fingers in given position) fourth finger touching string fourth higher stopped note produces fourth harmonic, 2 octaves above stopped note. finger placement , pressure, bow speed, pressure, , sounding point essential in getting desired harmonic sound. , add challenge, in passages different notes played false harmonics, distance between stopping finger , harmonic finger must change, since spacing between notes changes along length of string.

the harmonic finger can touch @ major third above pressed note (the fifth harmonic), or fifth higher (a third harmonic). these harmonics less commonly used; in case of major third, both stopped note , touched note must played sharp otherwise harmonic not speak readily. in case of fifth, stretch greater comfortable many violinists. in general repertoire fractions smaller sixth not used. however, divisions eighth used and, given instrument , skilled player, divisions small twelfth possible. there few books dedicated solely study of violin harmonics. 2 comprehensive works henryk heller s seven-volume theory of harmonics, published simrock in 1928, , michelangelo abbado s five-volume tecnica dei suoni armonici published ricordi in 1934.

elaborate passages in artificial harmonics can found in virtuoso violin literature, of 19th , 20th centuries. 2 notable examples of entire section of vittorio monti s csárdás , passage towards middle of third movement of pyotr ilyich tchaikovsky s violin concerto. section of third movement of violin concerto no. 1 (paganini) consists of double-stopped thirds in harmonics.

when strings worn, dirty , old, harmonics may no longer accurate in pitch. reason, violinists change strings regularly.