Acoustic Tricks
q Lightly touch the L.H. over frets 5, 7 or 12, or natural harmonics.
q Pick notes of a chord or melody with thumb, while index lightly touches string 12 frets higher than where ever the L.H. frets. This produces artificial harmonics.
q Strike chords by quickly slapping R.H. index finger on strings, especially over sound whole and frets 12 and 7. This produces harmonics.
q Strum down with thumb, while index lightly glides along strings. This produces artificial harmonics
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q Execute hammer-ons and pull-offs with left hand and with right hand fingers (R.H. tapping). Begin on string 6 with the E7 arpeggio (frets: 0,4, 7 and 10, 12). Try this with both hands reaching over the top of the fretboard.
q Play hammers and pulls with L.H., while R.H. drums or uses a shaker.
q Drum on the guitar body: upper bout side (L.H.) and top (R.H.); behind the bridge, alternating taps between wrist and fingers; alternate between side of thumb and fingers…
q Cause strings to buzz against frets by slapping or pulling, with R.H.
q Strum strings 1-3 of a chord with pinky, while the R.H. fingerpicks lower strings.
q Incorporate open stings into chords that are fretted beyond position I.
q Tremolo: p a m i on one string, then keep a m i on string 1 while p strikes other strings. Tremolo with p on bass strings and i on treble strings.
q Strum a chord and move the guitar body back and forth against belly and chest, for a Hammond organ effect.
q Strum a chord and, with the R.H., bend the neck against your body. This produces vibrato.
q Don’t forget more common techniques, like vibrato, palm-muting, playing by the neck or by the bridge, dead hits, using a capo, open tuning…
I recommend watching Muriel Anderson’s “All Star Guitar Night” (Hal Leonard Co.) videos, to see these techniques in action.
Dan Anderson