Dust in the Wind by rock band Kansas is an iconic track featuring harmonics and an intricate fingerpicking pattern, but with just a little practice should become easy to master.
Most chord progressions are straightforward and use the pinch pattern taught in the Add a Pinch lesson, with only minor exceptions such as changing G/B chords requiring shifting your index and ring fingers.
Harmonics
One characteristic that sets guitar strings apart from other instruments is their unique ability to produce harmonics. This enables them to produce additional pitches beyond E2, and you can hear these additional tones in many musical contexts ranging from AC/DC’s classic hard rock song Highway To Hell with its famous guitar riff, through to Dust In The Wind’s soothing and romantic melody.
In physics, harmonics are sinusoidal waves whose frequency is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency. Harmonics also have characteristic vibrational patterns unique to instruments or objects producing them – like standing wave patterns on guitar strings vibrating.
The number of nodes and antinodes in a pattern correspond to its frequency and wavelength; this relationship can be mathematically represented using Jean-Baptiste Joseph Fourier’s Fourier transform.
Fingerpicking
Picking techniques used by guitarists can have a tremendous effect on the sound of their songs, with different techniques having their own advantages and disadvantages. Selecting an ideal technique depends on factors like what style of music the guitarist wants to play as well as tuning of his or her guitar.
Most fingerpicking patterns follow a general rule whereby the thumb handles bass notes while index, middle, and ring fingers handle treble notes. This provides for many different chord shapes while remaining comfortable and user-friendly.
Sweep picking involves continuously sweeping with the pick across two or more strings using down strokes for lower strings and up strokes for higher strings, often used in arpeggios. A variation of sweep picking called “tremolo”, often performed using this pattern: p-a-m-i-p.
Lyrics
As part of your study of Dust in the Wind, it can be beneficial to listen to various versions of its songs in order to gain a better understanding of its dynamics and how vocals alter guitar sound.
Be mindful of how the chords are harmonized. While often harmony involves running an interval parallel with melody notes or making adjustments based on chord progression, some musicians use other intervals for creative effects.
This song provides an excellent opportunity for guitarists of any skill level to practice playing harmonics on the guitar. Remember that playing harmonics requires using pressure on each string with perfect timing; practice is necessary here but can greatly enhance the sound of any song! A metronome may help keep timing correct when learning new songs – this step should not be neglected when practicing harmonics!
Rhythm
Rhythm is more of an intuitive concept than calculated placement of sounds; when an excellent musician creates music that strikes an emotional chord with you, they have likely found their rhythm.
A rhythm is defined as any regular, repetitive recurrence of beats over an extended period. These beats are divided into measures known as meters; simple and compound time are examples.
Dust in the Wind requires keeping a steady rhythm in order to master its finger picking pattern, as this will enable chords to resonate more accurately and create an effortless sound.
Once you’ve mastered the basic pattern, it is time to add depth and nuance to your playing. A great way to do this is with harmonics: lightly touch one string just above the fifth fret before plucking with either your pick or finger for a beautiful bell-like sound that will add considerable charm.