well it depends a lot on the kind of pickups ur using, but im sure thats not the case since u can pretty much do pinch harmonics off an acoustic. basically in simplest words u need to make the edge thumb touch the string while picking a string. i notice i bend my wrist a little bit to do this. u also need to experiment moving ur picking hand up and down the strings since u will get different harmonic notes by doing that. i pick right above the middle single coil that seems to be a good spot and thats where ull match most of vai's pinched harmonics lol.

 

Ok

1- Try producing those harmonics on the G string, it's easier.

2- Choose the right frets to do it, for example, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th. These are the easier, you can try in every fret, but these are the better frets for PHs.

3- Watch your right hand, your pick should be stcicking out from your thumb just a little bit, so that you it the string and touch it with your thumb, Personally, I it the string with the side of my thumb and not the tip of it.

4- It the string in the right place. I have a 22 fret guitar, my best spot to hit the string is were the 24th fret should be. Try in different spots and you'll find the best one.

5- Pinch Harmonics vibrations are picked up by your pups, so, its much better if you use distortion, so that the vibration is more sensitive and more suitable to be capted (I don't know the right words to explain this lol)

6- Practice, Practice, Practice...You'll be able to scream! Don't worry.

7- Watch Zakk Wylde's Pentatonic Hardcore, he gives some nice tips on that instructional video.

I know that I just gave you the tips that everybody already mentioned...But this is the technique to produce harmonics, now its up to you, practice it.

BLAKK:JAKK (My english is a chaos )

 

one way to make sure you have the technique right is to pinch at the 12 fret with open strings. If that works, try fretting. It's one of those techniques that's hard to explain, but once you get it, you won't lose it.

 

It's one of those techniques that's hard to explain, but once you get it, you won't lose it.

Btangel said what I wanted to say, but I had no words to describe it...That's exactly what he said.

When you feel confortable doing harmonics, that becomes so natural that you don't even think. It comes naturally when you ear it in your mind and you can use it on the next second, on the next phrase or solo.

It's another card in your pocket.

BLAKK:JAKK

 

I don't seem to have a problem pinching harmonics anywhere on the fretboard or with any string. It's not the same case with open harmoncs though.

Hold the plectrum (pick) low so just a very small portion of it is actually sticking out from your thumb and finger. You should be pretty much doing this regardless anyways. Your thumb has to hit the string right behind the pick in order for the pinch to work. You do also kind of bend your wrist out just a bit while you hit the string.

Hit it HARD!!

It would be MUCH easier to show you how than try to write about it

As Jakk said "PRACTICE"!!!!!

Also, as had been stated above, once you DO get this technique it becomes easy and second nature. If your doing it correctly and your guitar is properly set up it shouldn't matter what kind of pickup you are using. I piinch on my accoustic all the time

 

hmm i seem not quite get it.. i heard there are 3 harmonics..

pinch, natural and ???

and jemmer u can do pinch on acoustic? thats awesome..! i thought i'll need a heavy distorted sound to get it done easily

 

hmm i seem not quite get it.. i heard there are 3 harmonics..

pinch, natural and ???

and jemmer u can do pinch on acoustic? thats awesome..! i thought i'll need a heavy distorted sound to get it done easily

Distortion just makes it easier.

Just like distortion can make a sloppy player sound....well......not so sloppy.

If you practice the pinch w/o dist you'll get a better technique

 

Pinch in an acoustic guitar is the same as oding it on an electric guitar...

You have to hit the string harder though...

I can do it to, if you can do it on an electric, with some practice you will do it in an acoustic with no problem.


BLAKK:JAKK

 

make sure you're right hand isn't muting the strings a little bit because that sometimes happens to me. My right hand tends to drift left away from the bridge and I finally realize when my pinch harmonics don't work.

 

cooool!!! thanks thanks!

have you guys seen eric johnson did a "i dont know" harmonic, its like he tapped on the string and produced the harmonic sounds.. thats amazing!!

 

^Dimebag did that too

BLAKK:JAKK


And Mark Tremonti does that too....I guess

 

I thought I'd post this after it was mentioned in another thread. I have real difficulty doing pinch harmonics. I know it's my technique since the guitar is fine, on the rare occasion I can get one it rings out fine. So, what is the correct technique for doing PHs? How do you hold the pick etc.

Cheers

"Smithy" (Shredder87)

Here, I made a little video for you, and anyone else who has a hard time getting them. hopefully it helps.

 

Here, I made a little video for you, and anyone else who has a hard time getting them. hopefully it helps.

I agree, its mostly technique and ive never had a problem getting them..
my best guitar/pup combo for getting them is RG548 + brdge EVO... harmonics everywhere.. only problem is as you can read in another thread is that they dont sustain too well..

another cool way that I like to use harmonics is to pick (and bend) a note on any string and then VERY lightly touch that string within the pickup area.... (best results are around the middle pup area toward the bridge) this will produce a great harmonic and its tone will depend on where you touch the string...
a great little trick that I use occasionally, but I use pinch harmonics ALL the time...

 

Here, I made a little video for you, and anyone else who has a hard time getting them. hopefully it helps.

Its all good with the vid...

I just think that the pup isn't very important...Its important to select the bridge pup, yes...but you don't need high output pups or mid...neither evos or super distortions...I have an I banez stock humbucker on my ****ty SA and I can produce harmonics with no problem...And having a good tone or more treble or this or that won't help to...If you have distortion and an humbucker at the bridge that's fine! no need of great pups or expensive amps...

It's simple, if you have the technique you won't need evos and all that stuff...I can do it with an acoustic or wathever...techinque and practice counts a lot!

BLAKK:JAKK

 

Here, I made a little video for you, and anyone else who has a hard time getting them. hopefully it helps.

Good man Lefty

 

Its all good with the vid...

I just think that the pup isn't very important...Its important to select the bridge pup, yes...but you don't need high output pups or mid...neither evos or super distortions...I have an I banez stock humbucker on my ****ty SA and I can produce harmonics with no problem...And having a good tone or more treble or this or that won't help to...If you have distortion and an humbucker at the bridge that's fine! no need of great pups or expensive amps...

It's simple, if you have the technique you won't need evos and all that stuff...I can do it with an acoustic or wathever...techinque and practice counts a lot!

BLAKK:JAKK

I'm giving an example of how to get them easily for someone just starting out. Yes, you don't need all that, but it also makes a big difference in getting harmonics and getting good sounding harmonics that just jump right out of the guitar. and yes, amps don't really matter, i'm playing thru a POD 2.0, some rack stuff (EQ, BBE), and then right into my computer, using my computers speakers.

 

great i tried it on acoustic.. it works ahahaha cool cool


nice one robb!.. nice guitar btw... hey rob.. what you call that harmonic tappin? its cool..

how did u do it lol

 

great i tried it on acoustic.. it works ahahaha cool cool

nice one robb!.. nice guitar btw... hey rob.. what you call that harmonic tappin? its cool..

how did u do it lol

just tell me the time in the video that your talkin about, and i'll tell you.

 

4:20... thanks

 

oh, that. very very easy. Natural harmonics have an interval of 12 frets. So, if you hit an open string and touch the string directly above the 12th fret, you with get the harmonic. this will work all over the place and for every string. try freting on the first fret, and touch right above the 13th fret, same thing. I freted the 12th fret, and if you count up 12, thats 24, so touch right above the 24th fret, see? now fret the 13th fret, and touch just after the 24th fret (where a 25th fret would be), same if you freted the 14th fret, and touched a little more down. you can keep going, by either touching the string, or using the pinch method, especially after like the 16th fret.

theres also other intervals too, 5 and 7. which means on an open string, you can get harmonics by touching right above the 5th fret, and 7th fret. this is where things get kinda cool. fret a string anywhere before the 12th fret. now, while you hold down the string and its ringing out, count up 5 frets, and touch right above it, either with your picking hand, or if you want to get all cool and tricky, use your pinky on your fretting hand. now try counting up 7 and do it too. you can get them after the 12th fret, but they tend to not ring out as good.

 

great!! thanks man.. ive seen EJ did that.. wasnt rlly sure how that works..

thanks alot

 

Hey, thanks for all the helpful suggestions, everyone! I was trying some PHs at home last night on the RG and I think I'm sort of getting them... I need a lot of practice though. If I attempt say 5 PHs I may only get 1 or 2 sounding properly. I found that doing them roughly over the neck pickup (with the bridge p/u selected) is the easiest way to get them. Practice makes perfect, as they say! I'll let you all know how I'm getting on with them.

 

great!! thanks man.. ive seen EJ did that.. wasnt rlly sure how that works..

thanks alot

Alex Lifeson also does this on the opening of the solo on Rush's Limelight.

 

This isn't what you are looking for, but Dimebag does some of those natural harmonics on this vid.

BLAKK:JAKK