Catching the light by Antonie Dufour

[414CE Koa]

Hi all,

I've been working on this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAfCcyWUIwI&feature=user

for a little while now and I can't seem to get the "slap" harmonics he does on the 12th fret. Any suggestions? Any gernal technique tips for the hammer-ons for this song also appreciated.

Thanks

[EucalyptusMint]

Experiment with which finger you use. Most people use their index, I find it easier with my middle finger. It's just a matter of practice anyway
The most common thing people seem to do when learning slap harmonics is putting too much energy into pulling away from the fret. You want to think about having all of the force going downwards into the fret, and having the finger bounce off of the fret.

Here's a video of Kotaro Oshio explaining it (harmonics at 2:47). It's in Japanese, but if you don't speak then hopefully seeing it close-up will help :(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aljW0ymGxCE&feature=related

The piece he's teaching in the video is his arrangement of the theme for Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQAs5r1EZEs&feature=related

[Fingerstylist]

I love Dufour's stuff. Wish I was at the level where I could even attempt it. You should post up a vid of you playing it.

[rlouie]

this guy is unreal...............................

[Will Kirk]

I teach my students to use their middle finger, it's the most balanced and heavy of the fingers and can "bounce" off the string in the needed way to achieve that kind of sound.

[414CE Koa]

Thanks for the responses guys. I find honestly the hardest part of this song is the coordination required for the I guess "refrain." Slaping the guitar, doing harmonics and pulling off with the left hand isn't easy.

[TBman]

That's a cool tune. Thanks for posting it. I like his technique, he's not as "in your face" with the percussion as Don Ross and Andy McGee are, at least in this tune.

[414CE Koa]

Another "I'm dumb" question but I've been having a hard time working with the string with this advanced style. What gauge string do you think they (Dufour/McKee, etc) use? I'm using elixer bronze now. I doubt their heavy gauge is the best for this style of play. :D

[EucalyptusMint]

Dufour uses lights (12), but replaces the sixth string with a thicker 56 I think. McKee uses mediums (13)

Between the lights and mediums, it should not significantly affect the difficulty of these techniques, especially when it comes to the slap harmonics.