Artificial and Secondary Harmonics

August 31, 2014 at 05:49 AM · I don't believe that he does it that way. THose harmonics you mention is only (at least for me) possible in fast tempo, just like scales where the open string works as a unfingered harmonic (Flesch fingering of Paganini's Caprice 5)

September 12, 2014 at 07:53 AM · with the right finger pressure and bow pressure/placement/angle you can turn any note into a forced harmonic

September 12, 2014 at 03:23 PM · Deliberately or otherwise :)

September 12, 2014 at 04:17 PM · My take is that the harmonics before about 6:15 are all regular harmonics. There are a lot of them (1,3,5,7, and sometimes 9) on the G,D and A strings of a very good violin. E strings are harder to get the higher intervals.

From 6:15 to 7:00 and from 7:30 to 8:00, he uses fingered harmonics. Also, in the 7:30 to 8:00 passage, he may be mixing in some regular harmonics along with the fingered harmonics.

He has clearly spent some time on harmonics and he has a marvelous instrument. Some instruments just won't be as clear as his.

If you want to start down this path, the Flesch Scale System book has fingered harmonic exercises in all keys - scales (#11) and double stops (#12).

September 13, 2014 at 04:01 AM · Roman Kim is out of his mind! I have pictures of a roomful of us (all major orchestra members) watching a tiny phone that was playing a video of his.

These harmonics are formed with conventional (non-harmonic) fingerings but with a specific combination of left-hand finger pressure (light) and bow pressure and placement. It's easy to stumble onto a note here or there if you experiment, but to consistently get them, and in double-stops? There are a few techniques (such as the teeth) that only he seems to possess!