Pinch harmonics How to Video

http://www.livescience.com/php/video/player.php?video_id=pinchharmonics&plugin=f

Still as confused as I was before with harmonics lol. I can pull em off on the higher strings, but the fatter they get, the less of a chance Im going to have of getting it right. Thats the type of thing you need to learn by being physically shown/taught, not by video. For me anyways....

Originally Posted by: hunter1801Still as confused as I was before with harmonics lol. I can pull em off on the higher strings, but the fatter they get, the less of a chance Im going to have of getting it right. Thats the type of thing you need to learn by being physically shown/taught, not by video. For me anyways....

Yeah it's kinda tough to just tell.

start with natural harmonics - hit a normal fretted note, and touch the string over the pickups gently with a finger on your picking hand to get the harmonic. Once you get that, try getting the same effect with the side of your thumb as you pick (well, just after, but y'know).

It is easier to have someone show you, or to just figure it out yourself in my opinion... On the heavier strings the best points to get a ringing harmonic may be slightly different, and you need to dig in harder... :cool:

Originally Posted by: hunter1801Still as confused as I was before with harmonics lol. I can pull em off on the higher strings, but the fatter they get, the less of a chance Im going to have of getting it right. Thats the type of thing you need to learn by being physically shown/taught, not by video. For me anyways....

Kinda the opposite for me, I can do em real good on the low strings, some Zakk Wylde style stuff, but it takes me an extra try or more to get one high on the neck (15th or above.)

Well Im talking about the top and bottom strings, not length-wise. The low E string is the hardest to get harmonics on, and the High E is the easiest. Doesn't make too much of a difference what fret it is for me since Im still pinching the same string no matter what fret.

Originally Posted by: hunter1801Well Im talking about the top and bottom strings, not length-wise. The low E string is the hardest to get harmonics on, and the High E is the easiest. Doesn't make too much of a difference what fret it is for me since Im still pinching the same string no matter what fret.

And within this response is the reason for your difficulty. The best points to hit on the strings for harmonics change with the note you're fretting, and the heavier strings I find I get better results from hitting harmonics over the neck pickup, where the higher strings it's closer to the bridge. Experiment...

It also depends which harmonic you're aiming for...