Basic String Writing - Harmonics

Scores for further study:
Clarke Viola Sonata - Mvt. 2 • Rebecca Clarke - Viola...
Borodin String Quartet No. 1 - Mvt. 3 Trio • Alexander Borodin - St...
Saint-Saëns Violin Concerto No. 3 - end of Mvt. 2 • Saint-Saëns, Camille v...
Ravel Concerto for the Left Hand - Reh. 30 (really cool harmonic gliss technique in the top violas and cellos) • Maurice Ravel - Piano...
Holloway String Sextet No. 2 - Mvt. 3 • Jordan M. Holloway - S...
If you're interested in taking a lesson with me, I'm currently offering them over Zoom for $40/hr. Email me at [e-mail] if you're interested!

[@tobirocha]

Thank you so much for this. I was just messing around, trying to find a solid base and concepts for me to write and notate harmonics for a passage of my string quartet. The technique used behind really helps to know what you're doing. Thanks again!

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

I'm so glad it was helpful!!

[@audreyrouge417]

Thank you for this! As a non-string player it has always been difficult for me to fully comprehend string techniques and know how to compose for the instruments but this makes it so much easier understand! Thank you thank you! (also, digging the Star Wars posters haha)

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Thanks so much for your comment Audrey, I’m so glad it was helpful! Let me know if there are any other string techniques that you’d find helpful to be explained in a future video!

[@isaiahsays]

Super helpful and well-spoken

[@laurajhball]

Explained very well! Thank you!

[@Ramberta]

01:19 thank you for this chart, I always get mixed up on reading fingered harmonic notation and this was very helpful

[@teacake_94]

Thanks so much for this Jordan! Been trying to figure out harmonics for this viola duet I'm working on and this just saved my life. It's so clear! Just subscribed, thank you thank you.

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

I'm so glad it helped, thank you so much for watching and for the sub!!

[@jeremygeragotelis7580]

you are an angel. thank you so much.

[@gabriel_kyne]

what a great resource, thank you !

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

You’re welcome! Glad you found it useful

[@juliaclaverpater1920]

thank you so much ! I've just started my composition studies and I found your videos truly helpful !! :D

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

I'm so glad you've gotten something out of them; thanks for checking out the channel!!

[@martinusvanderuitenbeek6098]

Thank you, very clear!

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you very much for watching!

[@garymartin3310]

Very Excellent. The notation really helps clear up a lot of ambiguity.

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Glad to hear it helped, thanks so much for watching!

[@markhunter3065]

This is such a helpful video! I’m currently writing a string quartet piece and being a brass player I was a little confused on how to properly notate the difference between the natural and artificial harmonics. Thanks man, keep up the awesome work! :)

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Hey Mark, I’m so glad I could be of service! Good luck with your quartet! :)

[@JoeyKastelic777]

thanks

[@MREmusique]

Love that you have the Clarke playing underneath at the beginning of your video 🙂
I was surprised at how beautiful the tone of harmonics were on the A string.
Might that be because of the nature of the material of that string?

[@alvaroantonioocampogrey2823]

Great, thanks I understood this for the very first time :') jajaj

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

I'm so glad it helped, thanks for watching!!

[@nadinevillacreces3773]

This was really helpful! I have a question though, let's say you are writing a harmonic that lasts two whole notes tied, should the diamond shapes be on top of both whole notes and tied as well? Or should you put the diamond just on the first note, and it is understood that the harmonic lasts till the end of the tie?

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Thank you for watching!! The diamond notehead should be tied for as long as you want the harmonic; if the diamond notehead disappears and the lower pitch continues, players will most likely assume that you just want the fundamental pitch there.

[@nadinevillacreces3773]

Hi! Thank you for your help, this was a really good video :)@@JordanMHollowayComposer

[@OfficialAaronL]

The music makes it hard for me to pay attention to what you’re saying. It’s a bit chaotic at times. Thank you for this tutorial nonetheless! Really helpful

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

Noted! Thanks for the feedback, I think I’ve gotten a bit better about that more recently. I’m glad the vid was helpful!

[@esahm373]

Why are harmonics so popular? Because they sound "different"? I prefer the full tone of a regularly played note by miles!

[@JordanMHollowayComposer]

I mean I think it’s just that they provide additional colors to the pallets of string instruments. There are a lot of cool orchestration things you can explore with harmonics!

[@lloydbotway5930]

Now, please re-record this video with NO background music.