Pinched Harmonics in Heavy Rock

The next technique we're going to discuss is the pinched harmonic. You'll see this crop up in any heavy rock context.

What is a Pinched Harmonic?

If you've ever listened to a recording and heard a guitar produce a real squealing sound, you might have thought, "How did he do that?" We're going to talk about that now.

• Symbolization:
  • Triangle shape around the note head or in the tab indicates a pinched harmonic.
  • Diamond shape represents a natural harmonic.

Technique Overview

Whereas the natural harmonic is predominantly a left hand technique, the pinched harmonic comes from the right hand. Here's how to do it:

1. Hold the pick close to the tip.
2. Instead of showing a lot of pick to the strings for normal picking, when you strike the string, ensure the side of your thumb catches the string to create the harmonic.

Gain and Practice Tips

You will need quite a lot of gain for this sound. I recommend starting with less gain to get the technique clean, then increasing it to catch those pinched harmonics.

If you're struggling to get a real squeal, experiment with where you hit the string with your right hand. There's often a sweet spot on your guitar where the pinched harmonics jump out, and once you find it, you'll want to strike that spot every time.

Practice Exercise

Let's try a practice exercise using an open G string:

• Use all downstrokes.
• Make sure to catch the string with the side of your thumb.

Example Sounds

• Normal picked note: Play a normal G.
• Pinched harmonic: Dig the side of your thumb into the string and listen for the tonal change as you move around the area.

For beginners, focus on that side of the thumb technique. If you don't engage it, the sound will simply grow warmer without the harmonic change.

Fretted Notes

Once you've mastered that, we can move on to fretted notes. For example, try the second fret on the G string and aim for a real squeal:

• Mute the strings below it and rake into the harmonic.
• Listen for the harmonic's tonal change as you attack the string.

Recommended Songs

Check out songs such as "Sounds Like Noise" (the grade six track), or tracks by Extreme or Van Halen. You'll hear those signature pinched squeals throughout.

Caution with Overuse

While pinched harmonics are great fun, they can easily be overdone. Use them sparingly to avoid overwhelming the listener.

• Notable Players: Zach Wild is an incredible guitarist known for his pinched harmonics. However, he sometimes oversaturates them in his playing.

For an excellent live example, check out the Live at Budokan album with Ozzy, where the pinched harmonic is utilized frequently and phenomenally.

Conclusion

Spending time mastering pinched harmonics is essential as it's a tricky technique. If you're struggling, discuss with your teacher about your grip on the pick and the thumb technique.

Remember, you might accidentally hit the right technique at some point and realize, "Ah, that's it!" With practice and a bit of finessing, you'll start to get it right.

Have fun practicing, and let's move on to the next topic!