pinch harmonics :(

hey ppl..help me out..i cant do pich harmonic widout trying for few times..nd it doesnt squeals on every fret of every string or it specifically squeals on g string 9th fret nd high e string...dat to very few times..plz gimme some tips so dat i can improve....i cant wait to play psycosocial....so help meh!!

heyy man...every guitar has some 'nodes' on it.....at the strumming end.......which are actually points at which the harmonics work........try finding out the nodes of your guitar first on the e string........u'll probably find 2-3 nodes......they'll produce different pitches of sound when a pinch harmonic will be played there.....
Secondly......do remember....your pick shoud be held in such a way....that your fingers should reveal only a small part of the tip of the pick......and when you strike the string...the pick...nd then your thumb should strike the string.........try it........it becomes easy with practice........
cheers.....
Anchit....\m/

If your technique is good, you can get pinch harmonics on an acoustic guitar too. But till you get there, here are some things that will help it initially so that you can build up that technique...

1. Drive/distortion: The more the better... If you have a overdrive pedal, put that before the distortion to give a top boost so that harmonics are easy to pull off.

2. Equaliser: Set all eqs to boost high mids and treble. This may sound terrible to play rhythm with so once you get good with the technique, you can eq it back as you like.

3. Pickup: Pinches should be easiest at the bridge pickup. Also, it is easier with brighter and hotter pickups. Also, adjust your pickup height to be as close to the string as possible (without it touching the string when you fret the highest note on the neck).

4. Strings: Newer strings are generally brighter because there is no rust/grime that muffles the higher frequencies. Another option is cleaning up the strings, though this is not as effective as fresh ones.

Originally Posted by CARLOS SANTANA

hey ppl..help me out..i cant do pich harmonic widout trying for few times..nd it doesnt squeals on every fret of every string or it specifically squeals on g string 9th fret nd high e string...dat to very few times..plz gimme some tips so dat i can improve....i cant wait to play psycosocial....so help meh!!

For pinch harmonics:
1. You need to master the "pinching" technique. I remember holding the plectrum real close to the thumb - and using the side of thumb to "pinch" and make the string squeal.
2. PH happens when you pick the string, string vibrates, but you stop the vibration at particular places - called nodes. This node may not coincide with the natural node. If it does - the PH will sound louder, if it doesn't it wont.
3. Where you pinch the string is also very important. You've got to experiment with this.
4. You can get PH on acoustic guitars - so its not the amplification. However amplification - especially overdrive helps to bring the lower amplitude squeals to level.
5. You need to use the bridge pickup if going through the amplification route.

Most importantly on the technique front, as stated by Anchit7 you need to hold the pick in such a way that when you squeeze the pick, a bit of the flesh of your thumb should touch the string. I personally find it easy to do this with smaller picks, like the dunlop Jazz III.

I feel it is easiest to get harmonics on the G string (not wound). Fret a note (say at the 9th fret) and move your right hand in spacings of about 3 mm from the middle of your bridge pick up upto the neck pickup. If you are doing it right, you should get quite a few harmonics. Pick the spot that you think sound the best and practice it over and over. Now play the next fret on the neck and try getting the harmonic which is similar to the previous one. It should be at almost the same spot, maybe 1 or 2mm closer to the bridge. Try practicing that on four continuous frets hitting the same harmonic each time. Now try it on a lower string.

Zakk Wylde explains the above exercise in one of his early guitar lesson videos, I guess 'Pentatonic Hardcore'. It really helped me when I was starting out with pinching.