Guitar Harmonics - Overtones

Overtones

When a guitar string is plucked normally, the ear tends to hear the fundamental frequency most prominently, colored by the presence of integer multiples of that frequency. The lowest frequency of vibration along the entire length of the string is known as the fundamental, while higher frequencies are referred to as overtones. The fundamental and overtones, when sounded together, are perceived by the listener as a single tone, though the relative prominence of the frequencies varies among instruments, contributing to timbre. A harmonic overtone has evenly spaced nodes along the string, where the string does not move from its resting position.


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