Hi David, just wanted to say that I recently found your channel and I am blown away by the content. The way you teach guitar is helping me understand some tricky concepts so well. I especially enjoy your videos on modes as I find them confusing. I have subscribed and can't thank you enough. 🎸
I think it has more to do with the thickness of the strings, as you go up the neck playing the same note you go to the thicker strings. Also where you pick affect the brightness. Closer to the bridge is brighter, closer to the neck is darker.
I thought so too at first but I think it's more to do with the length of the string . Playing closer to the bridge shortens the resonating string making it darker!
@@Wallimann that makes sence. Any way it's all good advice, it a great way to change things up a bit when my playing starts to get a little stale. Thank You!
as a bassist I have seen this to be very true if I want to have a good solid sustained note for instance I can play an octave to the low E string on the seventh fret of the A string or I can play it on the second fret of the D string. I always choose, whenever possible, notes that are in the lower positions so that the string will resonate and project with more strength but if the fingering doesn't allow for that then as a bass player I may want to change my right hand position, whether I play closer to the neck or closer to the bridge to get those higher notes to articulate and sustain since they are vibrating on a much shorter string length
Damn David…🤯🤯🤯 I would have bet a days pay against bright being down there below the 5th fret in cowboy chord country. I plugged in and it totally checks out!
Nobody ever covered this issue, me thinks! Very cool, David! And this also is an important point in recording. Some may have considered this subconsciously but using it on purpose is a whole other story. Really great!
One of the main factors influencing timbre via harmonic content is where you pick, specifically, where in terms of the fraction of the length of the fretted string you pick. Because of where you had your picking hand for most of this lesson, the pick was near the halfway point when you fretted high up on the neck, but was at a much smaller fraction of the vibrating string length when you fretted lower. Those who know a bit of Fourier analysis will grok this immediately (and probably already knew it): a main factor in determining the harmonic content of a note is how close or far the initial shape of the string is from the shape of a (half) sine wave, when you release the string. When you pick halfway along a string, the shape is closest to a half sine wave, and so the fundamental is the dominant vibrating mode. As you pick at a smaller fraction of the string length (smaller than 1/2), higher harmonics become more prevalent. As a consequence, if you happen to be high on the neck but want your tone brighter, you need only move your hand closer to the bridge. Similarly, if you are picking low on the neck but want a darker tone, move your pick position closer to the halfway zone. There are other factors influencing timbre (including the location of the pickups, which pickup you are using, and the string thickness), so you can't completely duplicate the low-fret brightness by moving your hand closer to the bridge for a high-fretted note. But if you watch good players with dynamic "voices" play, you'll see them constantly adjusting the location of their right hand to influence timbre/tone. In fact, David is one of those players, and though I can kind of see that he was trying not to move his right hand much through this lesson, when he really got going, he was making such adjustments. It becomes subconscious after a while. -Tom
Super interesting, thank you! Are you saying that this happens even without forcing the harmonic with a pinch harmonic type of thing where the flesh of your finger also touches the string? Where can I learn more about this?
@@Wallimann Right, this is separate from pinch harmonics or other ways you change your picking style to affect tone/timbre. It's purely just the location of where you pick. Near the halfway point emphasizes the fundamental, and the closer you pick to one end or the other emphasizes higher harmonics. As far as learning more about this, you don't have to-you are already doing this, all the time (perhaps subconsciously?). But to explore it explicitly, just fret a note, and pick it repeatedly, and as you are picking, move your hand between the bridge and the neck (you can even pick above the fretboard), and you'll hear the timbre change very noticeably. In classical guitar, there is terminology for this. "Normale" is playing between the neck and bridge (typically near the bridge side of the soundhole), "sul ponticello" ("at the small bridge") is playing near the bridge, to get a brighter tone, and "sul tasto" refers to playing close to the end of the fingerboard, for a mellower tone. -Tom
3:23 Dark vs light: it's more to do with playing on thinner strings. Nothing to do with frets. It's only because of the way the strings are arranged, from thin to thick. Thinner strings will always be brighter. Also, I'm not sure how much this (choice of light/dark) is based on science, or that it matters as much as you say.... I do agree that you would want to vary the timbre of your notes, but I don't agree that it's dependant on the "backing track." I think it has more to do with expression of the guitarist. Anyway, somewhat interesting video. I don't think it'll make me such a better player, but then...I already knew this stuff. How I vary timbre, besides the thickness of the string I play on: I tend to mute or snap strings based on a particular passage of notes, and how I feel it should sound, usually to distinguish that passage from other ones before or after. I also vary timbre in other ways, like how I fret the notes (pressure) and sometimes by touching my pick slightly against the string after plucking it. I can create harmonics and stacatto and even "bell-like" sounds that way. I guess it's all just a part of my style. BTW, you had WAY TOO MUCH reverb on for your demo. Would've been much clearer with less...or batter, none.
Thickness of string does have an effect you’re right, but also has a lot to do on the length of the string that is resonating. Playing on higher frets means that you are shortening g that length.
@@lovescarguitar David is one of the most selfless and humble guitar teachers/shredders/composers on YT for over a decade. You could not be more wrong.
@@Wallimann exactly the higher frets don't let the length of the string propagate the vibrations as well and even though those notes are enharmonically equal they project differently because of the string length
David, can you do a video showing your workstation from the computer to software and you set it all up to record your guitar and as aplus also the videos. Thanks
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
📌 Thanks for watching my video!
Click here to try it over the backing track I used: guitarplayback.com/jam?id=246
What a great lesson, I really appreciate you sharing this! When people say tone is in the fingers, is stuff like this that matters!
Hi David, just wanted to say that I recently found your channel and I am blown away by the content. The way you teach guitar is helping me understand some tricky concepts so well. I especially enjoy your videos on modes as I find them confusing. I have subscribed and can't thank you enough. 🎸
Thank you so much!!
Thank you very much. You have put into words what feeling I get from my guitar. Brilliant. Now I know what Jeff Beck is up to.
Cool, never looked at this, even though I've applied it for 40 plus years. God bless the teachers.
I think it has more to do with the thickness of the strings, as you go up the neck playing the same note you go to the thicker strings. Also where you pick affect the brightness. Closer to the bridge is brighter, closer to the neck is darker.
I thought so too at first but I think it's more to do with the length of the string . Playing closer to the bridge shortens the resonating string making it darker!
@@Wallimann that makes sence. Any way it's all good advice, it a great way to change things up a bit when my playing starts to get a little stale. Thank You!
as a bassist I have seen this to be very true if I want to have a good solid sustained note for instance I can play an octave to the low E string on the seventh fret of the A string or I can play it on the second fret of the D string. I always choose, whenever possible, notes that are in the lower positions so that the string will resonate and project with more strength but if the fingering doesn't allow for that then as a bass player I may want to change my right hand position, whether I play closer to the neck or closer to the bridge to get those higher notes to articulate and sustain since they are vibrating on a much shorter string length
Such a great video and lesson!! Thank you so much.
As a beginner this helps so much!!
Damn David…🤯🤯🤯
I would have bet a days pay against bright being down there below the 5th fret in cowboy chord country. I plugged in and it totally checks out!
Thanks man!
Nobody ever covered this issue, me thinks! Very cool, David! And this also is an important point in recording. Some may have considered this subconsciously but using it on purpose is a whole other story. Really great!
Awesome lesson David
This is a good lesson to remember.
One of the main factors influencing timbre via harmonic content is where you pick, specifically, where in terms of the fraction of the length of the fretted string you pick. Because of where you had your picking hand for most of this lesson, the pick was near the halfway point when you fretted high up on the neck, but was at a much smaller fraction of the vibrating string length when you fretted lower. Those who know a bit of Fourier analysis will grok this immediately (and probably already knew it): a main factor in determining the harmonic content of a note is how close or far the initial shape of the string is from the shape of a (half) sine wave, when you release the string. When you pick halfway along a string, the shape is closest to a half sine wave, and so the fundamental is the dominant vibrating mode. As you pick at a smaller fraction of the string length (smaller than 1/2), higher harmonics become more prevalent.
As a consequence, if you happen to be high on the neck but want your tone brighter, you need only move your hand closer to the bridge. Similarly, if you are picking low on the neck but want a darker tone, move your pick position closer to the halfway zone.
There are other factors influencing timbre (including the location of the pickups, which pickup you are using, and the string thickness), so you can't completely duplicate the low-fret brightness by moving your hand closer to the bridge for a high-fretted note. But if you watch good players with dynamic "voices" play, you'll see them constantly adjusting the location of their right hand to influence timbre/tone. In fact, David is one of those players, and though I can kind of see that he was trying not to move his right hand much through this lesson, when he really got going, he was making such adjustments. It becomes subconscious after a while. -Tom
Super interesting, thank you! Are you saying that this happens even without forcing the harmonic with a pinch harmonic type of thing where the flesh of your finger also touches the string? Where can I learn more about this?
@@Wallimann Right, this is separate from pinch harmonics or other ways you change your picking style to affect tone/timbre. It's purely just the location of where you pick. Near the halfway point emphasizes the fundamental, and the closer you pick to one end or the other emphasizes higher harmonics.
As far as learning more about this, you don't have to-you are already doing this, all the time (perhaps subconsciously?). But to explore it explicitly, just fret a note, and pick it repeatedly, and as you are picking, move your hand between the bridge and the neck (you can even pick above the fretboard), and you'll hear the timbre change very noticeably.
In classical guitar, there is terminology for this. "Normale" is playing between the neck and bridge (typically near the bridge side of the soundhole), "sul ponticello" ("at the small bridge") is playing near the bridge, to get a brighter tone, and "sul tasto" refers to playing close to the end of the fingerboard, for a mellower tone. -Tom
Perfect, thank you so much!
David's a Cool Genius. !
3:23 Dark vs light: it's more to do with playing on thinner strings. Nothing to do with frets. It's only because of the way the strings are arranged, from thin to thick.
Thinner strings will always be brighter.
Also, I'm not sure how much this (choice of light/dark) is based on science, or that it matters as much as you say....
I do agree that you would want to vary the timbre of your notes, but I don't agree that it's dependant on the "backing track."
I think it has more to do with expression of the guitarist.
Anyway, somewhat interesting video.
I don't think it'll make me such a better player, but then...I already knew this stuff.
How I vary timbre, besides the thickness of the string I play on:
I tend to mute or snap strings based on a particular passage of notes, and how I feel it should sound, usually to distinguish that passage from other ones before or after.
I also vary timbre in other ways, like how I fret the notes (pressure) and sometimes by touching my pick slightly against the string after plucking it. I can create harmonics and stacatto and even "bell-like" sounds that way. I guess it's all just a part of my style.
BTW, you had WAY TOO MUCH reverb on for your demo. Would've been much clearer with less...or batter, none.
Thickness of string does have an effect you’re right, but also has a lot to do on the length of the string that is resonating. Playing on higher frets means that you are shortening g that length.
Seems you like to spend a lot of time talking about yourself.
@@lovescarguitar David is one of the most selfless and humble guitar teachers/shredders/composers on YT for over a decade. You could not be more wrong.
@@drocknyHe was responding to the original post.
@@Wallimann exactly the higher frets don't let the length of the string propagate the vibrations as well and even though those notes are enharmonically equal they project differently because of the string length
David, can you do a video showing your workstation from the computer to software and you set it all up to record your guitar and as aplus also the videos. Thanks
I did one a few years back. It hasn't changed that much!
ruclips.net/video/glMVKwXWfXA/видео.html
Great video.
Merci
cool
cool