Harp Harmonics

Juampy Juarez explores the harp harmonics extended technique — and how to adapt it to regular playing: improvising, comping, and composing. This is Juampy's second MMC clinic on harp harmonics, and here he extends the device beyond set pieces into everyday licks, phrases, and jazz comping, opening up a bigger range and a change of tone on the guitar.

What's covered

• Juampy's hybrid technique — keeping the pick between thumb and index while using middle, ring, and pinky fingers, so you never have to put the pick down
• The core harp-harmonic loop: alternating open or fretted notes with octave harmonics across the strings
• Playing harmonics 12, 7, and 5 frets above the chord shape, and moving the loop with barre chords
• Applying the loops to minor 7(11), major 7, Lydian, dominant/altered, and half-diminished shapes
• Combining regular notes with harmonics — including harmonics lower or higher than the regular note
• Chords with bass and natural harmonics à la Ralph Towner, and harps à la Lenny Breau or Ted Greene
• A demonstration over the standard Blue in Green

Use these ideas to create original intros, endings, chord melodies, chord sequences, phrases, and licks — all with harp harmonics.