Squealing...

Alright well i just took a likeingness to Black Label Society and especially Zakk in particular...i can squeal a little but not everytime and also it does not soudn a little bit like Zakk's squealling. Does he use effects or anything? And how do you guys get it everytime? Thx FVS :D

Yea, one one reason Zakk can do harmonics so distinctivly is because of his pickups. The pickups are the main factor in his sound, and not so much the guitar. He also has a tendency of ramming his flesh into the strings with his picking hand while doing harmonics. (extreme harmonics, it wouldnt squeal on your or mine guitar, because the pickups arent disigned to. It would just make the note dampen).

Also, its not only how he does harmonics that makes him sqeal, its how he bends.
Most people, when bending do this:
E------15b17~~~~ and they vibrato on the bent note

Zakk does:
E------15b17r15b17r15b17~~~~ which takes alot of finger strenght because he does those bends in a very fast rotary way of using his wrist to bend instead of his fingers.

Also, this kind of bend would sound just AWEFULL if done alone, it has to be harmonized properly to give it that head ripping feel.

Originally Posted by: FlyingVShredderAlright well i just took a likeingness to Black Label Society and especially Zakk in particular...i can squeal a little but not everytime and also it does not soudn a little bit like Zakk's squealling. Does he use effects or anything? And how do you guys get it everytime? Thx FVS :D

My friend...Zakk does use a couple of effects (MXR Stereo pedal with overdrive, etc)...but, it's mostly in the pinch harmonic and the vibrato that he achieves that get the big "squeal"...try choking up on your pick and getting that nice pinch harminoc and try to get your vibrato wide enough to cross the Grand Canyon...that should do it...this is 20years experience talking...you'll get it... :cool:

Also, listen to any Randy Rhoads, ZZ-Top or Leslie West (from "Mountain")...they do a lot of the same type of thing...let me know how you make out...

Zakk also tunes his guitar down. That will help loosen the strings and make pinch harmonics easier.

yea and he also plays on 13 guage strings which increases the tone and even the diameter of the strings for easier harmonization.

Basically, hes a cheep'skate...

yo dude i love Zakk he's amazing... along with many other peeps... dude alright guys thanks if you come up with anymore ideas that would be sweet but im gonna try those htings too. THANKS :cool:

haha, I like you you revised this thread into a poll.

hes not a cheap-skate! hes a....use-your-recources-skate.

Oh he also plays with the wah wah pedal, but doesnt wah. He just leaves the pedal all the way down for that extra thin tone.

...and yes, that also helps his harmonics.

He mainly playes in drop D a half a step down, and then on some songs he drops the low E down to Ab (half a step down). He also uses heavy strings, and EMG active pickups. All of this in conjunction with his overdrive pedal infront of an overdriven tube amp (moded Marshalls and similar custom amps), and his vibrato, and his pick attack, make for his "big" pinch harmonics.

Zakk uses emg 81-85 configuration and I was just wondering what pickups would be good for Dimarzio with A.H. Check out joe Satriani, his famous "satch scream" is one of my favorite techniques but you need a tremelo system.

Originally Posted by: FlyingVShredderAlright well i just took a likeingness to Black Label Society and especially Zakk in particular...i can squeal a little but not everytime and also it does not soudn a little bit like Zakk's squealling. Does he use effects or anything? And how do you guys get it everytime? Thx FVS :D

also if you want to get a good pinch harmonic.
find a natural harmonic on the string. find a place with a strong natural harmonic.

what do you play
and whats your pickup config

An esp mh-400 with 81-85

dont forget the compressor :D

by the way, what's the 'satch scream'?

:confused:

Originally Posted by: Akira"Ooooouuuueeeeeeeeeooo."

LMAO!

I used to be obsessed last year, but now I only listen to hangover music.

To get those squeals, or pinch harmonics, you need a thick pick. Choke up on the pick. Hit the string first with the pick, then skim the same string with your pick hand thumb. With practise it will produce song weird noises.

i built (or hotrodded up) a guitar. It has a dimarzzio FRED and i put in an EMG active with separate volume and tone pots with a 5 way switch. IT SQUEALLLLLLLLLSSZZZZZ. I know people that said it wouldnt work right, they couldnt have been more wrong. I think everyone should try it at least once. Recipe- take one old TRACER and put a hole in the body for the pickup at a slant under the neck position and move the passive pickup to there. Then spend about $100.00 on a nice Active EMG and put it in the old cavity.WATCH OUT!

what's the 'satch scream'?

Listen to satch boogie, it has a good Satch Scream. You'll know it when you hear it, it's kind of like

"Ooooouuuueeeeeeeeeooo."

Satriani pinch harmonics and then takes it up with the bar.