how do u play pinch harmonics on an electric guitar?

Answer 1

this is a real hard one to explain without giving a visual example, but i'll do my best. i'm a guitar instructor, and a lot of kids today want to learn to do those squeals you hear modern heavy music, a la Black Label Society.

ok, first up, choke up on the pick a lot. you dont want much of the pick sticking out, only about the same depth as the low E string. line the pick's tip up with the corner of your thumbnail (the edge of the nail, not the base where it grows from).

now we're gonna experiment a little. hit a note at the 3rd fret on the thickest string. let that note ring, and really lightly, just tap the string right over the pole on your neck pickupn with one of your fingers, and as soon as you've touched it get your pick-hand the hell out of there (the pole is the metal circle right below the string).

hopefully, this will have caused the low note to become much higher. you need to move around a little to find different spots that create different tones. these are called "node points". play around a little, you'll find different spots that will make different sounds, some will be much higher than others, and they pop up in what seems like a random order. (there is a method to finding them, but thats a long discussion, and this answer is gonna be plenty long enough. lol.)

ok, so the idea here is this: going really really slowly here (you're not playing yet, you're still experimenting) you want to dig the pick into the string enough to push the string a few millimeters, but not enough that you've actually picked it yet, just rest the pick on the string and push, but dont push past the string. what you want to do is push your pick past the string so that when the string bounces back it grazes the edge of your thumb ever so slightly, in one of those spots that you found would make the high note, and makes that squeal we did earlier. remember to get your pick-hand outta there, if it stays on the string, its going to kill the note all together.

this is gonna take a few tries for most ppl. be patient, this trick takes most ppl a long time to figure out, but when you finally get it, its gonna be second nature.

now, shake the life outta the string with your fret-hand. that gives it that real wide vibrato sound like Zakk Wylde.

hopefully this is making sense for you. if you have any questions, dont be afraid to ask.

good luck bro!

Answer 2

A pinch harmonic is produced by rubbing the picking thumb against the string as it is picked. This rubbing of the thumb against the string is sufficient to deaden all or most of the underlying tones and leave only the harmonic tone. The trick, however is to pick the string at the right distance from the bridge so that the thumb is rubbing the string at one of the harmonic "sweet spots." These spots can all be found by experimentation, or by physically measuring the length of the entire string and then measuring from the bridge to find the points 1/5, 1/6, 1/7, etc. the distance away. As for the picking technique itself, the pick should be held so that only a tiny point is sticking out and the pick should be angled so that when the string is picked, the thumb is also brushing across the string at the same time.

Answer 3

available, yet confusing and for all useful purposes, pointless. In physics type, I found out that harmonics are positioned on a string at finished huge sort ratios. positioned extra basically, there are harmonics at each and every fraction of how, as long as they are finished huge sort fractions... there is one on the a million/2 way factor, yet no longer one on the a million/2.a million way factor. as quickly as you have got here upon the nodes that create harmonics, as long as that node is touched, while the string is plucked or picked, the harmonic will sound. Say you're taking part in a particular pinch harmonic, does not truly matter which one. you come across that candy spot on the string, %. it, and brush your thumb against the string on your way down. That spot is the harmonic node i'm conversing approximately. To play it and not making use of a %., you may relax your thumb gently against that spot and pluck it which contain your finger. it truly is extra advantageous than available. i've got executed it many situations. yet to be honest, the technique isn't that clever, with the aid of fact in case you're taking part in electric powered guitar and taking part in some thing with pinch harmonics, you may besides be making use of a %.. alternatives are affordable. Get your self some.

Answer 4

Play the note like you normally would, however when you pick it, place your thumb on the string directly after. Not enough to completely dampen the sound, but just to alter it. Try in certain areas when picking. In between the pick ups is best. That should work.

Answer 5

Barely/lightly touch the string low on the neck and simultaneously pluck as you remove the finger. Trial and error at that point until you achieve "the touch."