I have trouble nailing that Satch harmonic thing...

Drew · #1 10-08-2002, 07:00 PM

...You know, where he hits a natural harmonic with his picking hand, then wrings the note's neck with the whammy bar. I just have a hard time doing that consistantly, especially starting with the bar slack. This is an issue both doing it satch style (pinch harmonic on open string, bar with fretting hand) and conventionally (natural harmonic with fretting hand, bar with picking hand).

Anyone else have trouble getting this clean consistantly? Anything you've noticed that helps? or do i just need more gain and treble? thanks,

-Drew

pri0531 · #2 10-09-2002, 05:24 PM

R u using a 22 or 24 fret guitar? I am able to do it on my jem, but it is easier to get it on my 22 fret guitar.
Out,
GP

EKG · #3 10-09-2002, 05:37 PM

What guitar, pups, amp are you using?

Technique and practice. And the right place on the string every time. For me, the g string ( :P ) and a very light touch with the side of my thumb

Drew · #4 10-14-2002, 04:50 PM

Two different guitars- RG-7620 (air norton/tone zone) and RG-2027 (paf/tz, although being converted to an/evo, and the 7620 to paf/tz). Both running into a mesa/boogie rocket-44. Both are 24 fret guitars, and i guess satch does this over the pickups on 22's, so i can see where that would screw things up a bit...

As for other things in the signal chain, on occasion i'll bust out a metal zone i had back before the mesa, set it with the level just over 1/2 up, and the gain all the way down, with a slight upper mid boost, to thicken up the signal a bit- not suprisingly, this helps. Also, when i'm in the mood i'll hook up a crybaby, which seems to boost the amp's gain a bit, and once again, not suprisingly with the pedal down, it's easier.

Where do you guys do the pinch harmonic? Usually, i go about midway between the two pickups on the G string...

I'm hoping the extra high end from the evo will help out here. maybe it's just the fact it's such a dark amp, but the mesa just doesn't seem to lend itself to screaming harmonics terribly well... oh well, the thing sounds pretty darned good anyway.

Anyway, thanks for your responses.

-Drew

Mr Orange · #5 10-15-2002, 02:33 AM

A compressor might help as well.

Dave Goodland · #6 10-20-2002, 02:10 PM

To the problem about doing the satriani harmonics with the picking hand whilst raising the bar with the fret hand is good you can get the same thing but using a slightly different technique.

Firstly place your fret hand over the strings somewhere over the pick-ups say on the G string and pick the string until you hear a harmonic.

Then depress the bar using your picking hand whilst USING YOUR THUMB to cover the exact spot on the string (that you found before)

Once you have done this simply strum the string/s with you picking hand normally and raise the bar with you fret hand.

This way can give you 100% results instead of just relying on right hand technique.