Chimes.. closed

Don Christy · Posted 19 Apr 2012 8:24 pm

Thanks for sharing!

Don

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

I have not used any "boutique" strings ever on my own guitars, only D'Addario, Ernie Ball and the like, as available from local retailers. I have occasionally played others' guitars with Jagwires and other spendy strings, though, and my experience is consistent: The best notes in general and the best harmonic "chimes" specifically are the ones I hit cleanly with accuracy, verve and abandon, regardless of the brand of the strings used. Like so many other facets of this wonderful instrument, get yer hands right and the rest don't matter much....

Striking harmonics at the 7th and 12th frets will certainly tell you if a string is going bad when the two harmonics are no longer in tune with each other.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I've never heard of a "brand" of string giving better harmonics/chimes but I have heard of dead strings being "dead"...

One of the things that resonates around many forums is how much life a player is trying to squeeze out of a set of strings..My take on this is if you have fresh strings, you know it, you can hear it and feel it,your instruments sweet spot is apparent and within it's full window.......and that includes the tonality of chimes...

I would be more concerned with age of strings rather than brand...

t
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Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

I agree with Dave and Tony.
Fresh strings and hit 'em like you mean it.
I've never noticed an appreciable difference between brands.
I think my Zum currently has nickel on one neck and stainless on the other.
I'll try to A/B some harmonics Sunday.

EDIT: I won't bother. I rarely hit harmonics on the wound strings.
I agree with the guy below me. Hercos strike easy and sound good. If only they didn't loosen as they warm up. The only answer is having three of them.
_________________
2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Marco Schouten · From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands

I notice a huge difference between thumb picks. For example I have a Johnson thumb pick, it sounds great but getting chimes with it is hard. With a Dunlop or John Pearse it is very easy. With a National it's between those. I think it has to do with the shape of the pick and the material it's made of.
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JCH SD-10 with BL XR-16 pickup, Sho-Bud Volume Pedal, Evidence Audio Lyric HG cables, Quilter Steelaire combo

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

I thought long and hard before posting this. Neutral

Playing harmonics has far more to do with technique than it does with strings. This clip was made at a very laid-back gig that I do a couple of times a year. Quality isn't that great because it's not a "pro" video, being done just with the mike in the camera. My strings are at least a year old, as I only do about a dozen gigs (or less) a year, and have very little time or interest to practice, anymore. It does, however, feature some harmonics in 4 or 5 places, so that's why I'm posting it. Admittedly, I'm no great player, and the gigs I do these days are more for fun than anything else. A couple decades ago, I took this stuff more seriously, but nowadays, it's more a lark than a passion.

I guess I should also mention that this is done with one of those "dreaded pot pedals that steal all your highs and make everything sound like you're playing through a blanket.". Laughing

Enjoy...or criticize, as you see fit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8psmkuBb14

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

You go Donny Smile

Don Christy · Posted 21 Apr 2012 5:16 am

Chimes closed.

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

You are putting a lot of energy into this, Don, but perhaps you are over-thinking it, it's not that big of a deal. If the guitar is out of tune that will not interfere with the striking of harmonic "chimes" at all, but they will be out of tune.

New strings or old, the striking of such harmonic "chimes" an octave above the original note - on ANY stringed instrument - involves lightly touching the string at the precise halfway point between the bar and the bridge, muting the fundamental frequency and all odd harmnonics thereof, while allowing the octave above (one half of the string) and all other even order harmonics to sound. Classical bass players - and many other stringed instrument players - always use this technique to tune their instrument, as the notes can ring perfectly clear regardless of how well in tune the instrument is, provided they are struck cleanly. If the string is out of tune so will be the harmnonic, and the note will change as the tuning peg is adjusted, just as the fundamental would.

The string can also be touched at the one-third (7th and 19th frets), one-fourth (5th fret) one-fifth (4th fret), one-sixth (halfway between the 3rd and 4th frets) and so on, producing "chimes" that are nothing more than certain overtones of the ringing string while the others are muted. I imagine that by now there must be some impressive display of this technique posted somewhere on youtube, but I have not gone looking for it....

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Sorry...but I seem to have offended Don with my suggestions and ideas.

I do apologize for my posting on this subject. Embarassed

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Don't go away mad, Don, it's not easy to play harmonics cleanly on any instrument and with nearly fifty years playing stringed instruments I still muff as many as I ring, and there are some days the magic is simply not there. Maybe it's the sun-spots, I don't know, they say Michael Jordan missed thousands of free throws in his career... Neutral

The question you asked in the first place was entirely valid, the articulate and informative responses you received were offered with careful consideration and the very best intentions, it would be most unfortunate if the fact that this information did not support your thesis got confused with social or personal hostility. Very unfortunate....

In in the midst of a growing number of enthusiasts and players of every level and nationality, there are many highly-esteemed and well-informed participants on this forum (possibly even a demigod or two). The combiined brainpower available to every one of us is as a result nothing short of astromical. In this abundant setting, however, most of us have at one time or another had our mistaken notions rightly corrected, and too many of us have had our innocent personages wrongly abused. Some great players have left because of such petty hostility, as have many budding newbies. You seem like an inquisative and insighful person, it would be a shame if you ditched when folks are trying to be nice to you Crying or Very sad

Don Christy · Posted 23 Apr 2012 6:49 am

Hey Guy's...no one offended me or I was not mad or whatever. Yes, you guy's have over 50 years experience over me and then I realized this chime thing was no big deal because it's up to the steel player to make chimes work.

Dave and Donny, you don't have to apologize to me because I was not using my head when I posted this.All of you guy's have been great to me and I appreciate each and everyone of you. Where else can I go to get good advice and be a little inquisitive.

I closed the chime area because I didn't want anymore forum members to leave a comment because it would be useless at this point. Dave made a very good point that I was putting to much energy into it and I agreed with him and closed the post.

I hope I did not offend anyone in this post and if I did please forgive me if you were offended.You guy's only were only trying to help me and be nice and I appreciate you for your kindness.

After watching William Litaker do his quick chimes on the song that he just put up for us on video, I realized that it's not the strings or the brand of strings or sound waves or whatever, William made me realize in his video it's each individual's experiences that makes it happen.

Take care guy's!

Thank you!
Don

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