pinch harmonics

[AFairJudgement0]

okay, I have been trying to figure out how to do these well for a while. I have looked at a ton of instructional websites, and listened to a lot of bands pull these off and sound great, but I was wondering if there is an easy way to do these or am I just missing something. If anyone has any tips please let me know!

 

[Godhead's Lament]

Pick Squeal: Also known as "Artificial Harmonics" or "Pick Harmonics" is quite hard at first, but with time and practice, you will be able to play it. It is done as follows: Hold your pick as you usually would, and hit the string as you would if you were just playing. But right after your pick hits the string, slide your thumb down just a tiny bit and touch the string with it for a moment. Remember, the effect is created in less than a second. So start off slow, step-by-step and increase the speed as you get better. To add the wah wah effect to the harmonic, simply vibrate the string with your finger. Listen to a pick squeal in real time

That is from a tutorial I typed up for a friend.

 

[Ermz]

As far as I'm aware Artificial Harmonics and Pinch Harmonics are different animals.

Artificial/Tap Harmonics: Think to that part of the Lamentations DVD when Mike is tracking that solo in Wreath. That part at the end which him and Peter kept fucking up and laughing about. That was an artificial harmonic. When you essentially tap a section of the string that naturally produces a harmonic.

Pinch harmonics: Are when you essentially pick a string but then briefly brush it with your thumb straight after (some people even do it with their forefinger... I don't know how the fuck, but they do). What happens is a similar thing to the artificial harmonics. Your thumb, briefly brushing over the string after it's been set to vibrate by the pick triggers the harmonic that corresponds to that section of the string, and as such you get a very pronounced harmonic sound that you can vibrato, whammy dive, whatever the living hell out of.


If I'm wrong about my definitions, please feel free to correct me. It's been a while since I've looked up the terminology... I just learned the techniques and that was it.

In regards to tips. The only one I can give is to practice. It took me weeks to be able to even get the sound happening on an off-chance. Over time I've built it up to be able to play one at command, and progressively faster over the years too. All you can really do is keep trying. Just keep pinching that damn string.

 

[Valerie]

As far as I'm aware Artificial Harmonics and Pinch Harmonics are different animals.

Artificial/Tap Harmonics: Think to that part of the Lamentations DVD when Mike is tracking that solo in Wreath. That part at the end which him and Peter kept fucking up and laughing about. That was an artificial harmonic. When you essentially tap a section of the string that naturally produces a harmonic.

Pinch harmonics: Are when you essentially pick a string but then briefly brush it with your thumb straight after (some people even do it with their forefinger... I don't know how the fuck, but they do). What happens is a similar thing to the artificial harmonics. Your thumb, briefly brushing over the string after it's been set to vibrate by the pick triggers the harmonic that corresponds to that section of the string, and as such you get a very pronounced harmonic sound that you can vibrato, whammy dive, whatever the living hell out of.


If I'm wrong about my definitions, please feel free to correct me. It's been a while since I've looked up the terminology... I just learned the techniques and that was it.

In regards to tips. The only one I can give is to practice. It took me weeks to be able to even get the sound happening on an off-chance. Over time I've built it up to be able to play one at command, and progressively faster over the years too. All you can really do is keep trying. Just keep pinching that damn string.

I prefer to do artificial harmonics by holding the pick with my thumb and middle finger and picking the string right at the harmonic with my forefinger sticking out to touch the string at the same time.

As for pinch harmonics I use my thumb, but you can use your forefinger or middle finger to do it when upstroking.

 

[Ermz]

Yeah totally, that's the way I first got taught to do Artificial Harmonics. Never practiced it though. Never really practiced the tap harmonics that Mike does on the DVD either. Always found natural harmonics and pinch harmonics to be adequate.

 

[Necromantic-Hiko]

As far as I'm aware Artificial Harmonics and Pinch Harmonics are different animals.

Artificial/Tap Harmonics: Think to that part of the Lamentations DVD when Mike is tracking that solo in Wreath. That part at the end which him and Peter kept fucking up and laughing about. That was an artificial harmonic. When you essentially tap a section of the string that naturally produces a harmonic.

some people say pinch harmonics are artificcial and tap are just tap harmonics...but besides that...


you dont have to tap at parts on the string that naturally produces harmonics (if im not mistaken 5, 7, 12 are the most commonly used) unless youre tapping teh string open. If youre fretting, it just has to be a 'harmonic interval' (i dont think thats the actual term...but idc) away from the where your fretting the string. for instance...fretting it at 3, tapping at 8, 10, or 15 would produce teh desired effect.


I just added that so that they knew (not to say you didnt)

 

[Lietuvis]

Ya, all the different types of harmonics are quite tricky to do when you first attempt them... all you can do is practice!

 

[JoeVice]

when i learned, i had to crank the gain and trebble. that made it easier. i also think that its a good way to practice....its like learning a part by first playing it slower. once you can achieve it consistently, you can tone things down a bit and polish your skill. but, with pinch harmonics, its an on or off thing...like whistling, or perfectly timing a counter move on a video game. you just have to find the feel that equals what you are going for...once you get that down....bam.

 

[Khayman666]

I've always done it with my middle finger when doing it on a lower fret. Just seems easier than with my thumb. I pick as usual, but hold my middle finger about 1mm under the string (and about half way between the pickups, or just over the middle pickup) so the vibration will cause the string to touch it almost immediately after being picked.

 

[JoeVice]

I've always done it with my middle finger when doing it on a lower fret. Just seems easier than with my thumb. I pick as usual, but hold my middle finger about 1mm under the string (and about half way between the pickups, or just over the middle pickup) so the vibration will cause the string to touch it almost immediately after being picked.

holy shit, thats crazy.

 

[Khayman666]

It works for me, plus if you get used to it you can make different tones by doing it closer to the neck ... though the best (and closest to the "classic") sound comes form doing it a teeny bit right of the middle pickup.

 

[JoeVice]

It works for me, plus if you get used to it you can make different tones by doing it closer to the neck ... though the best (and closest to the "classic") sound comes form doing it a teeny bit right of the middle pickup.

sweet, i'm gonna try that.

 

[Risquit]

Gojira's latest has tons of them where they are loud and pronounced elements of songs (versus solo touches, ala Zakk Wylde). Pretty cool.

 

[Necromantic-Hiko]

I've always done it with my middle finger when doing it on a lower fret. Just seems easier than with my thumb. I pick as usual, but hold my middle finger about 1mm under the string (and about half way between the pickups, or just over the middle pickup) so the vibration will cause the string to touch it almost immediately after being picked.

I'm trying thsi on my acoustic now (i dont have an electric...) and it's definitely interesting...and harder to get down properly in relation to regular pinch harmonics. Like you said though, the different tones depending on where you position your middle finger are cool...

But i can do nomal pinch's louder than i can this way...

 

[AFairJudgement0]

thanks for all the input guys!! Alot of the stuff mentioned ive already tried, but had difficulty with, but it seems like there are a few ways i haven't tried yet so thanks for teh help! I'll let you know my progress =)