Natural harmonics
Natural harmonics are the easiest to produce. A good place to begin is the 12th fret of the first string.
With your fretting hand, lightly touch the finger against the string directly above the 12th fret. Do not hold it
down, just touch it. Then strike it with your picking hand, and immediately release the string with your fretting
hand. If executed properly, the result should he a high-pitched, ringing E (on a standard tuned guitar). It will
be the same note as pressing against the fret will produce. Try it again at the 7th, 5th, and 4th frets, as in the
list of natural harmonics: each will produce even higher sounds, much higher than can be produced on the
guitar without using harmonics! However, each will also be quieter, so the higher harmonics may be nearly
inaudible without overdrive.
A good example of natural harmonics is in the song Imperium by Machine Head, clear 5th fret harmonics
can be heard enforcing the low drop B tuning.
Pinch harmonics
A.K.A. Artificial Harmonics (though there is really nothing artificial about them). This is an advanced
technique and was popularized by Billy Gibbons and many others as early as the 1970s including many
Heavy Metal artists. These harmonics follow the same principles of physics as a natural harmonic, the
difference being how the harmonic is produced. In this case a note is struck in a downwards motion with
the pick and in the same motion the string is touched(one might really say brushed) with the edge of the
thumb that is holding the pick. Or one can do it with the edge of the index fingernail, followed by the pick.
Pinch harmonics are most effective and audible using an electric guitar with overdrive or distortion and in
some cases these harmonics are virtually inaudible using a clean(not distorted or overdriven) electric guitar
or an acoustic. It can sound good when used properly even without much overdrive(Billy Gibbons is the
master of low overdrive Pinch Harmonics) but it's not always clear or detectible. Use overdrive or distortion
for best results especially while learning and practicing this technique.
With regards to difficulty: this technique, although rewarding, is mostly rewarding only in advanced
situations (soloing and intense expressive riffing). It is difficult enough to easily frustrate a beginner and
some intermediate players and since there are so many more rewarding and useful techniques worth
spending time on as a beginner(scales, soloing, blues, riffing, strumming patterns), this technique is
only recommended for intermediate or advanced players.
As mentioned above these harmonics are produced by striking a note with the pick and touching the
string with the picking thumb. Grip the pick so that the tip barely peeks out between your fingertips(this is
why they are called "pinch" harmonics). It's easier when you are fretting a note with the left hand so try
fretting a note (perhaps the 5th fret on the 4th(D) string), and plucking the string just below the neck pickup
pole pieces (maybe 1/8" toward the bridge from the pole pieces). With luck the artificial harmonic will ring,
but if not don't despair.
The position of the plucking along the length of the string is one of the most important parts of this
technique. While with regular picking the position of the picking along the string can make slight variations
in the sound of the note, when executing pinch harmonics the right position is vital and tiny positional
differences can make entirely different harmonics. So try adjusting the picking hand just millimeters up and
down the string around the area of the pickups.
Try imagining the pick and your picking thumb plucking the string at the same time although the thumb is
really just brushing past it. Consider it to be really one motion. Try thinking of your thumb and the pick as
one entity and instead of picking straight down, pick down and a little bit(millimeters) out away from the face
of the guitar so your picking motion is a sort of 'letter J' out from the face of the guitar and so the thumb
brushes past the string and remember that the thumb should only touch the string for an instant just like the
pick does.
This technique requires practice. Try executing pinch harmonics while fretting different notes and by
striking the string in slightly different places all around the pickup area of the guitar. Many kinds of harmonic
ringing sounds may be produced.
Without a pick, this technique may be simulated by plucking the string with the fingertip and lightly
touching it with the fingernail, but this is even trickier and not very useful in practice.
These harmonics, as opposed to natural harmonics, end up being much more practical to use while
playing and when mastered can be used boldly like Zakk Wylde making the harmonic part of the riff, or
subtly and possibly unintentionally to add color and character to the notes or chords while playing almost
anything.
Pinch harmonics can easily and effectively be combined with other techniques, such as bending or
vibrato. |
