PREMIERCLINICROCK
Jeff Scheetz’s Rock Tricks
Pinch Harmonics
Pinch harmonics are perhaps one of the more difficult techniques
to develop and require a fair amount of wood shedding to execute
consistently – but once mastered, they offer up an excellent way to
squeeze more notes out of each position without moving your left
hand. Simply move your right hand around a bit and voila You’ve
got multiple notes from the same position. Give a listen to the pinch
harmonic masters – Roy Buchanan, Billy Gibbons, Jeff Beck, Brian
May and Zakk Wylde – to get an idea of what’s possible using this
technique.
The technique involves usually choking up a bit on your pick (
depending on how you hold it in the first place) then digging in, just a skosh
deeper than usual, with your right hand when picking the note. Just
after the pick’s initial attack, the fleshy part of your right thumb should
brush the string, creating the squealing pinch harmonic. Part of the
trick to this technique is trying to get these two events – the initial
pick attack and the thumb brush – to occur as close to the same time
as possible.
Additionally, humbucking pickups’ fatter sound and higher output lend
themselves well to making the harmonics pop.
As you zero in on making the harmonic occur consistently, experiment
with right hand placement in relation to its position along the length of
the string. This will help you find the “sweet spots” where the pinch
harmonics tend to jump out more.
When you are able to make the pinch harmonics jump out consistently, begin listening more closely to the above players to hear the
musical contexts where this technique fits. Zakk Wylde pops them
out during quick single note parts within his rhythm riffs, while the
Reverend Billy G. tends to throw them down when he’s wrangling
with a blues riff down on the lower strings, a la “La Grange.” Roy
Buchanan was often able to make his really whistle and would ride
them to create tension within his solos. Brian May wins the “tastiest
use” award, often using them for a single note within a solo, often at
the beginning of a bend.
Initially, your results will tend to be hit or miss; the harmonics will
occur almost arbitrarily, mixed in with some decidedly non-harmonic
sounding notes. These few tips are in order to help make things
easier. First, dial in plenty of gain to help the pinch harmonics jump
out a bit more – some compression can help with this, too. Also, if
you are having trouble getting them to sound, try a lighter gauge pick
than usual; this can often help to initially get the technique dialed.
Of course, a few words of caution are in order, and come from the
collective voice of experience from everyone who has spent time
developing this technique: a little goes a very long way. Think of them
as a spice rather than the entrée.
Head to
premierguitar.com
to find video lesson segments, rhythm
tracks, notation and Power Tab - powered
by TrueFire!
