pinch harmonics

[jangoux]

guys,

Can anyone teach me on how to do those properly? I know you need to pick the string half with the pick , half with the finger, but for some odd reason I never manage to do it properly/cleanly/punchy. I pick with the pick sideways, so that may be a reason I never get it right, but even 'picking right', I never manage to make it sound great. ANyone?

Ivan

 

[P-E]

I twist my wrist a little bit when I do pinch harmonics, and pick with the thumb hitting the strings just a bit after the pick, but I don't really know how else I could tell you how I do them. However, how I got to do 'em well is by practicing them on my electric guitar without any sound and doing it until it gets loud and clear. Then when you plug it in, it should sound pretty good.

 

[professorlamp]

the lower strings are easier, practice on those. my favourites are the low E and G strings for pinches

 

[ratsapprentice]

Once you half-understand the technique, just play songs that have loads, it'll come.

 

[phatfil]

and use EMG81's for best results! seriously, these things do pinch harmonics better than any pickup i've tried.

 

[Jackal_Strain]

It's also very important imo to add som sutle vibrato with your left hand. the added energy will help the note ring out clear and strong.

 

[DaveBlack]

yeah it's almost like a flick movement. The string should just graze the side of your thumb. Hard to convey in text but i've taught many of people. If its one thing I can do on guitar, its this lol.

 

[FIXXXER]

the lower strings are easier, practice on those. my favourites are the low E and G strings for pinches

the exact opposite here, i can do it on
every string just not on the lowest

 

[Notuern]

the exact opposite here, i can do it on
every string just not on the lowest

Which means your thumb/finger isnt hitting the string hard enough on the lower strings.

When i do harmonics on the higher strings i just tend to angle my wrist a little, when i do it on the lower strings i kind of lift the string with the pick and let it drop down on my thumb.

 

[Plankis]

You need to do it on the strings sweetspot too. Make sure to toy around where you do the pinches on the string.

 

[Jevil]

It is difficult to explain in a text how to do it. But the day you learn to do it, then it is the easiest thing, and the more you practice, then you will be able to do it in any string at any fret.
I sometimes even overuse them.

 

[professorlamp]

the exact opposite here, i can do it on
every string just not on the lowest

 

[Notuern]

You need to do it on the strings sweetspot too. Make sure to toy around where you do the pinches on the string.

Pinch harmonics work just like any other type of harmonics.. thus there are no "sweetspots".
Generally people want to play the octave though, which would be at the spot where the fret you are playing is at +24(2 octaves up.).
So on a guitar with two humbuckers a 3rd fret pinch harmonic would preferably be done on the lower coil of the neck pickup(Where the 27th fret would be.).

(Personally i tend to play closer to the bridge though.)

 

[ratsapprentice]

I think what he's reffering to is the place where it's easiest to get strong harmonics, the tension sweet spot rather than the actual note.

 

[Notuern]

Erh.. k.. i get just as strong harmonics no matter how far up or down the string i go, so i never noticed it(Its near impossible closest to the bridge and fretting finger though.).

 

[cyril_v]

I think what he's reffering to is the place where it's easiest to get strong harmonics, the tension sweet spot rather than the actual note.

well, like he said. the easiest place to get to get strong harmonics are going to fall onto the harmonic nodes for each note.

 

[kev]

Yes there are the sweet spots in the divisions of the string as with all harmonics. I recommend learning the opening to "juice" by steve vai. Listen closely and make sure you get all the harmonics precisely. The small run on 8 seconds cycles between just 2 frets, but as you can hear its going down constantly due to the pinches being caught from the right to the left on the low E.

 

[azistenostora]

Whatch some zakk wylde vids on youtube. He even has a lesson on the subject.