# Pinched harmonics



## Zeetwig (May 1, 2012)

Hello everyone! 

I have a quick question about string gauges and pinched harmonics. Is it generally assumed that it's harder to play pinched harmonics on thick and very thin strings than it is playing them on thinner/medium strings? Or is it just me who need more practice?

I have no problems playing them on the E, A, D and G string on my E standard guitar (with .10-.46), and on the A#,D# and G string on my C standard guitar (with .13-.56). It is the top strings on both guitars and the bottom ones on the C standard that I have a problem with. What's strange is that the F string on the C standard guitar is .46, the same as the E string on the E standard... :S Yet it's harder to get a harmonic from the F string than the E string.

Or is it more a matter of string tension? Is it easier to play harmonics on guitars with heavier string tension and more tight strings? My C standard guitar has more sloppy strings than the E standard guitar...

Thanks in advance!


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## Konfyouzd (May 1, 2012)

Thick/thin strings don't seem to matter much for me. When I was learning these it was all about getting the technique right. Funny thing is... Now that I can do em it often seems more difficult to keep them from coming out than anything.


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## Solodini (May 1, 2012)

The angle of your hand may be inhibiting you on higher strings. How high do you wear your guitar?


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## Zeetwig (May 1, 2012)

Solodini said:


> The angle of your hand may be inhibiting you on higher strings. How high do you wear your guitar?



On my leg  Both of them (not at the same time of course  )


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## BringerOfBlood (May 1, 2012)

Yeah for me its also harder to do it on thin strings, because you are more likely to deaden the string completely when hitting it with your thumb.

On the very thick strings it is a little bit tougher to get the pinch harmonic, too, but I am not really sure why. Maybe it's harder on lower notes?

And I am pretty sure that it becomes harder the lower your string tension is, because I have my guitar in Standard D and somtetimes go for Drop C, what makes it harder to do the pinch harmonic.


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## SirMyghin (May 1, 2012)

There are 2 parts to pinch harmonics. The first most people know about and maybe understand. You need to create a node between the fretted note, and the bridge to get a harmonic. This is often done by adjusting the picking motion to damp. 

The second, many guitarists overlook is that the node needs to be in the correct position. It must be on a harmonic node. This is what lets you isolate the node. For example 1/2 way between the bridge and the fretted note will give you a harmonic 1 octave over, 3/4 2 octaves over (but weaker) and so on. 

It seems likely, to me, that on the lower strings you are picking close enough to the harmonic node to get by, but when you move to the higher strings, you are not picking in the same relative position, and therefore not getting the harmonic. 

Keep in mind that every fretted note has different locations for the nodes. They are relative, they do not stay in one place. Pair that with the less distance between the bridge and fretted note, the more precise you need to be. I am going to make 1 more assumption, the harmonics you are trying to pinch on the higher strings, are also at higher frets, and the lower strings at lower frets. There is some give to 'being on the node', but as I said, that gets small are the vibrating distance gets smaller. 

Good luck.


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## Zeetwig (May 1, 2012)

First: thanks for the answer 

Well I know about both parts and I do try to move the pick and see where I can get the harmonic more easily. There are some places that are easier to get semi-harmonics on, and some places that are just dead when trying to do them. However even though I find and play on the part of the string where I will get the harmonic it still doesn't pop out :S

Though it is true that I find it is easier to play the harmonics on the higher frets of the lower string and the lower frets of the higher strings. The really high and low squeals are the most tough ones.

The thing is I have no problem doing harmonics on any of the frets on the first 4 strings on a guitar tuned to E standard, and I can do it on both of the top 2 strings too, it's just that it's not a 100% "success rate" on those strings.
On a guitar tuned to C however... with sloppier strings.

I will try to beef up the strings soon due to some other things, but I was just wondering if loose and thick strings are harder to squeal on


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## SirMyghin (May 1, 2012)

Good stuff then, I've never had that issue so cannot help you there. I have never had string gauge play an issue, so it might be tension. I say might be as I do them with greatest ease on a bass (but that has more forgiveness too, given the longer scale, and more tension possibly) with thumb and forefinger.


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## Konfyouzd (May 1, 2012)

+1 to what SirMyghin said. "Where" you pick matters a lot. Requires some searching at first but becomes second nature after some time.

Also, I have to give it a bit more oomph and be a bit more mindful of where I'm picking when trying to pull it off on the bass strings as well.


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## Zeetwig (May 2, 2012)

Wow I haven't tried on bass but it sounds... difficult 

Well, then I guess it's back to practicing more  Thanks for the help anyways!


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## FrancescoFiligoi (May 2, 2012)

On my experience, it depends on the guitar itself. If the frets are taller/bigger, the action is a bit higher, your fretboard wood has a tighter grain, and you have a decent amount of gain, you shouldn't have any issue.


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## SirMyghin (May 2, 2012)

Zeetwig said:


> Wow I haven't tried on bass but it sounds... difficult
> 
> Well, then I guess it's back to practicing more  Thanks for the help anyways!



It isn't difficult, but it can allow you to play beyond the fretboard, get a good extra octave out of your bass. Works on guitar too, obviously EJ does this same thing pretty much.


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## Mitochondria (May 2, 2012)

From the master of the Squeal
zakk wylde (Lesson pinch harmonics) - YouTube

To bad someone recorded it with a potato....


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## Ryan-ZenGtr- (May 2, 2012)

The thing to add to Myghin's explanation is this excercise;

Play a chromatic series anywhere on the neck, 4 notes on each string.

Move the right picking hand in parrellel with the left hand. As the notes ascend, so do the pinch harmonic / node points, so your right hand has to move, too.

If you don't move your right hand the harmonics will either not work or will not be in tune, which can work well too. You can get really accurate with the octave of harmonic you get if you pay attention, usually up to 4 octaves of harmonic are available between the end of the fretboard and the bridge.

Patience and hardwork! There's No such thing as a shortcut!


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## Zeetwig (May 6, 2012)

Thanks guys  I think I need to use the thumb more heavily, and really dig in. That way it gets easier (for me at least). Thanks for pointing me in the right direction and answering my question! ^^


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## Stealthdjentstic (May 6, 2012)

Pretend you're Zakk Wylde, pinch harmonics everywhere


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## morrowcosom (May 6, 2012)

Try using a heavy pick, hold it close to the point, and put your index finger straight down behind it so that it touches the string before the pick. Then pick hard as hell. 

I can get squeals on every fret like this. I guess the string gets pinched between my finger and the pick. 

It sounds like a cross between a pinched harmonic and a pop on a bass. 


Just something I found by accident.


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## JStraitiff (May 6, 2012)

Zeetwig said:


> Wow I haven't tried on bass but it sounds... difficult
> 
> Well, then I guess it's back to practicing more  Thanks for the help anyways!



I think he means the low strings on the guitar but it's still the same concept.


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## makeitreign (May 6, 2012)

I don't think tension is an issue. I once had a set of 10-46 on a 25" in drop C.
That thing would fucking wail. And I could bend the living shit out of them. Almost makes me want to play with a ridiculous tension profile. 

I think it's mainly an issue with precision. Your aim has to be dead on when hitting higher strings/frets. Also pay attention to what angle you're hand is at when picking higher vs lower strings. That changes the distance from your pick to your pinch.


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## Zeetwig (May 8, 2012)

Stealthdjentstic said:


> Pretend you're Zakk Wylde, pinch harmonics everywhere







JStraitiff said:


> I think he means the low strings on the guitar but it's still the same concept.



Yeah that was why I though it sounded difficult!  But yeah I guess it's doable, but tricky



makeitreign said:


> I don't think tension is an issue. I once had a set of 10-46 on a 25" in drop C.
> That thing would fucking wail. And I could bend the living shit out of them. Almost makes me want to play with a ridiculous tension profile.
> 
> I think it's mainly an issue with precision. Your aim has to be dead on when hitting higher strings/frets. Also pay attention to what angle you're hand is at when picking higher vs lower strings. That changes the distance from your pick to your pinch.



I have been playing around and I think that I might have been a bit to sissy with the picking. If I dig into the string more it gets a LOT easier to get the harmonic  And I haven't changed the strings ^^ Also it helps if I alter the way I hold the pick (from "precision" to "speed" in my own self-made terms  )


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## Najka (May 10, 2012)

Getting harmonics difficulty kind of depends on where you are striking the strings too. They are very easy to get right at the 3rd, 2nd fret and I a good place to start practicing them. Going up as down the pentetonic scale pinching each note for a harmonis is a good way to practice


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## Gothic Headhunter (May 11, 2012)

For the longest time, i could not play pinch harmonics at all, but recently I've been using ernie ball power slinky strings (0.09-0.48?) and that seems to help alot. Although, I'm sure this varies depending on your guitar.


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## K3V1N SHR3DZ (May 11, 2012)

I noticed a HUGE leap in my ability to do pinch harmonics when I switched to Jazz IIIs.


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## CTID (May 11, 2012)

Yeah, pointier picks definitely help me a lot too. I love my Tortex T3s.


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## Zeetwig (May 12, 2012)

That actually makes some sense since the placement of the thumb is crucial to whether you get harmonics or not, IMO. With the pointier picks you can move the thumb down the pick easier without dampening the string completely, and thus they make it easier to play harmonics. I personally never liked the Jazz IIIs due to their size, but the dunlops are awesome ^^ I use Tortex standard, Ultex sharp and Gator grip, all with different sizes depending on guitar, string gauges, and the nature of the song


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## CTID (May 13, 2012)

Zeetwig said:


> I personally never liked the Jazz IIIs due to their size, but the dunlops are awesome ^^ I use Tortex standard, Ultex sharp and Gator grip,



Get Tortex T3s. They're Jazz IIIs that are the size of normal Dunlop Tortexes.


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## Zeetwig (May 13, 2012)

CTID said:


> Get Tortex T3s. They're Jazz IIIs that are the size of normal Dunlop Tortexes.



I can always try them next time I'm at the store


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