pitch harmonics?


oib111
Registered User
Joined: 11/08/07
Posts: 105
oib111
Registered User
Joined: 11/08/07
Posts: 105
01/08/2008 10:50 pm
I'm confused as to what that is. Isn't it where like you hit a note with a pick or your thumb very quickly after its played so it gets a high pitched tone to it, or no?
# 1


Joined: 10/10/24
Posts: 0


Joined: 10/10/24
Posts: 0
01/09/2008 2:21 am
You pick the note and slighty rub the side of your thumb right after.

This is tricky but once you get it, you'll be able to use it anytime. You also get different harmonics depending on where you pick the note between the bridge and the fretboard.
# 2
hunter1801
Registered User
Joined: 01/27/05
Posts: 1,331
hunter1801
Registered User
Joined: 01/27/05
Posts: 1,331
01/09/2008 3:00 am
It's "Pinch" harmonics, not pitch. Because you are almost pinching the string when you do it I guess. You touch the string immediately after you pick it like Benoit said. It's really hard to get down because it's one of those things that just has to "feel" right.
# 3
polansky
Registered User
Joined: 06/20/06
Posts: 327
polansky
Registered User
Joined: 06/20/06
Posts: 327
01/09/2008 3:55 am
As the guys said... yes is when you rub the side of your thumb rigth after picking the string it's almost like rolling the pick away from the string rotating your fingers and in the proces you hit the string again with your thumb, and to achive better result wiggle the string wih your fretting hand.

I read a funny story bout Trivium I think... this guys played a Black Label Society CD and drink a beer every time Zack did a pintch harmonic... you don't need to be a rocket scientist to know what happened.

Keep trying... pintch harmonics are a lot of fun and add intresting stuff to your playing.

Rock on bro.
Power corrupts. Absolute power is kinda neat.
# 4
Kevin Taylor
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 03/05/00
Posts: 4,722
Kevin Taylor
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 03/05/00
Posts: 4,722
01/09/2008 5:10 am
You'll also get different octaves of harmonics depending on where you pick the string.
You have to move up and down over the pickups to find the sweet spots and then remember where they are depending on what notes you're playing.

If ya have full access, I'm posting a video right now about this that should be up in a few minutes:

http://guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=1618
# 5
michaelferris
Registered User
Joined: 12/19/07
Posts: 14
michaelferris
Registered User
Joined: 12/19/07
Posts: 14
01/14/2008 11:09 am
When you play a harmonic at the twelveth fret, what are you doing? You are cutting the string in half. It is vibrating on both sides, thereby getting the cool effect. If you put your finger on the seventh fret for example, the string vibrates again on both sides, but this time it produces the note of the string on that fret an octave higher. The reason being that the string has been shortened by half and vibrates on both sides of your finger to the same extent. It is interesting, because it has to do with phyics. Pythogoreas discovered that if you cut a string in half on any instrument, it produces an octave. Therefore, at the twelfth fret of a guitar it is an octave. The harmonic is produced by cutting the string in half using a 'node' and it vibrates on both sides causing a stereophonic effect. If you understand this, it is also easier to understand how harmonics are produced on the guitar in general.
# 6

Please register with a free account to post on the forum.