Harmonics

[Stone]

Hey all, so I'm wondering if any of my fine TGF'ers notice that certain pickups are better for harmonics than others?
or is it more from the amp and gain aspect ?

Thanks all for your valued input

 

[Warmart]

Hey Stone! It's like many things, it's a little of this and a little of that. Pickups, amp (and settings), string size, pick and of course - technique. In my somewhat limited experience (playing some Dimebag and Vivian Campbell type stuff) - I've definitely found some guitars are better than others. Of course 22 vs 24 fret can move the hot spot significantly but liberal gain and smaller gauge strings helped me, well, after I learned how to spin the pick just right to get the squeallies.

 

[DrewJD82]

For me, it’s more the overall tone than a high output pickup and more than that, the technique. I can nail pinch harmonics on my Strat with vintage voiced single coils into a Bassman just as much as I can with an EMG 81 into a Mesa. Maybe this is the inspiration I needed to make a video on how I get them, as I do it two different ways; with the edge of my thumb that’s the standard way of doing it and with my ring finger knuckle by cupping my fingers in, the ring finger knuckle lines up perfectly with the pick and is in the exact spot it needs to be to hit a harmonic. I split it up pretty evenly which way I’m going to go.

I’m 100% effective using my knuckle and about 85% effective using my thumb.

Finding the spots on the strings where they really jump out goes a long way, but that’s going to take individual experimentation as we all put our hands in different spots and move them differently, so what’s comfortable for you might be awkward for me and vice versa.

 

[TubeStack]

For me, it’s more the overall tone than a high output pickup and more than that, the technique. I can nail pinch harmonics on my Strat with vintage voiced single coils into a Bassman just as much as I can with an EMG 81 into a Mesa. Maybe this is the inspiration I needed to make a video on how I get them, as I do it two different ways; with the edge of my thumb that’s the standard way of doing it and with my ring finger knuckle by cupping my fingers in, the ring finger knuckle lines up perfectly with the pick and is in the exact spot it needs to be to hit a harmonic. I split it up pretty evenly which way I’m going to go.

I’m 100% effective using my knuckle and about 85% effective using my thumb.

Finding the spots on the strings where they really jump out goes a long way, but that’s going to take individual experimentation as we all put our hands in different spots and move them differently, so what’s comfortable for you might be awkward for me and vice versa.

So you're saying tone is in the hands?

 

[Warmart]

For me, it’s more the overall tone than a high output pickup and more than that, the technique. I can nail pinch harmonics on my Strat with vintage voiced single coils into a Bassman just as much as I can with an EMG 81 into a Mesa. Maybe this is the inspiration I needed to make a video on how I get them, as I do it two different ways; with the edge of my thumb that’s the standard way of doing it and with my ring finger knuckle by cupping my fingers in, the ring finger knuckle lines up perfectly with the pick and is in the exact spot it needs to be to hit a harmonic. I split it up pretty evenly which way I’m going to go.

I’m 100% effective using my knuckle and about 85% effective using my thumb.

Finding the spots on the strings where they really jump out goes a long way, but that’s going to take individual experimentation as we all put our hands in different spots and move them differently, so what’s comfortable for you might be awkward for me and vice versa.

My ring finger is begging for shit to do (it's jealous of my fretting hand's wedding band), so please, by all means show us how to do that. Can't say I've ever heard of anyone doing this.

 

[DrewJD82]

My ring finger is begging for s**t to do (it's jealous of my fretting hand's wedding band), so please, by all means show us how to do that. Can't say I've ever heard of anyone doing this.

As of now, I’m not dead from getting my ass handed to me today and I only have two hours left. Which means I might have a productive night ahead of me! Just so happens I’m currently working on a cover of a song that uses quite a bit of pinch harmonics, so I can most certainly post something up tonight.

 

[Stone]

Thanks all for the Input guys, and yes It is technique , but i was referring to this Dean Deleo's scrape harmonic thing
Indexed below The scrape harmonic happens on the 2nd fret I believe but it seems hard to coax it

 

[la szum]

Just have to get the touch right, Stone. That technique is different than generating them from
the picking hand. Those are fretting hand harmonics. Just a light mute with your fretting hand
oover the strings as you rake/strum with your picking hand. Sounds like you are on the right path.

 

[la szum]

And compression (from a gained up amp, or hotter pickups) can make a difference. Those
will pop a bit more with a more compressed/saturated tone, in my experience.

 

[Stone]

Just have to get the touch right, Stone. That technique is different than generating them from
the picking hand. Those are fretting hand harmonics. Just a light mute with your fretting hand
oover the strings as you rake/strum with your picking hand. Sounds like you are on the right path.

Thanks, and yeah i kinda a figured its my lack of skill/Technique ... but ill soldier on

 

[la szum]

You got it! :)

Just a super light touch..... barely touching the string with no pressure.... and there are
a bunch of those "harmonics" up and down the neck. Just move around in the 2nd and 3rd
fret area until you nail it.

It sounds like it was random and accidental for Dean. He is not getting that harmonic every time.

 

[DrewJD82]

Thanks all for the Input guys, and yes It is technique , but i was referring to this Dean Deleo's scrape harmonic thing
Indexed below The scrape harmonic happens on the 2nd fret I believe but it seems hard to coax it

Yep, LA covered it already, but whenever I played this I’d just keep my fretting hand in position to play the chord, but back off on the amount of pressure I was pushing down with, it’d be enough to mute the other strings but allow the harmonic to ring through a bit. This is a cool spot where imperfection makes the part; he’s not really going for harmonics sounding out at specific times, just whenever he happens to hit one and mixed with the muting it sounds pretty damn cool. You can probably listen to 20 different live versions and hear Dean play 20 different harmonics there, I wouldn’t get too hung up on the specific harmonic note, more just the feel of it what he’s doing there.

That’s the exact stuff that makes me love guys like him, Cantrell or Gilmour so much; it’s the little things that create so much character and identity in players. Anytime I hear a cover band doing “Plush” and they don’t include those, it’s like something is missing.

 

[DrewJD82]

You got it! :)

Just a super light touch..... barely touching the string with no pressure.... and there are
a bunch of those "harmonics" up and down the neck. Just move around in the 2nd and 3rd
fret area until you nail it.

It sounds like it was random and accidental for Dean. He is not getting that harmonic every time.

Beat me to it.

 

[la szum]

I just have to say, Stone, that it is absolutely amazing to me that you started playing at 54.
I am in awe!

You deserve a lot of kudos and props! I have drunken friends who still tell me all the things
they are going to do at 55 that they said when they were 18. You did something about it.
Few ever really do. Pat yourself on the back.

 

[la szum]

Yep, LA covered it already, but whenever I played this I’d just keep my fretting hand in position to play the chord, but back off on the amount of pressure I was pushing down with, it’d be enough to mute the other strings but allow the harmonic to ring through a bit. This is a cool spot where imperfection makes the part; he’s not really going for harmonics sounding out at specific times, just whenever he happens to hit one and mixed with the muting it sounds pretty damn cool. You can probably listen to 20 different live versions and hear Dean play 20 different harmonics there, I wouldn’t get too hung up on the specific harmonic note, more just the feel of it what he’s doing there.

That’s the exact stuff that makes me love guys like him, Cantrell or Gilmour so much; it’s the little things that create so much character and identity in players. Anytime I hear a cover band doing “Plush” and they don’t include those, it’s like something is missing.

Totally!

He does the same thing all over the verses of Sex Type Thing, too. Have to be aggressive and really
attack it. Heavy on the picking/strumming and light with the fretting/hovering. No bitch picking.

 

[Warmart]

I just have to say, Stone, that it is absolutely amazing to me that you started playing at 54.
I am in awe!

You deserve a lot of kudos and props! I have drunken friends who still tell me all the things
they are going to do at 55 that they said when they were 18. You did something about it.
Few ever really do. Pat yourself on the back.

Stone and I are in practically the same boat - in June when I'm 56 will be 4 years of finally being serious. All you pro's have to put up with us two

 

[Stone]

I just have to say, Stone, that it is absolutely amazing to me that you started playing at 54.
I am in awe!

You deserve a lot of kudos and props! I have drunken friends who still tell me all the things
they are going to do at 55 that they said when they were 18. You did something about it.
Few ever really do. Pat yourself on the back.

Thanks LA, well i always loved music and especially guitar and life always got in the way somehow but a few months befor my 54th i said Im going to learn to play guitar and dedicate myself to it i made a plan and i stuck to and still am
and Im loving and enjoying it

 

[DrewJD82]

Thanks LA, well i always loved music and especially guitar and life always got in the way somehow but a few months befor my 54th i said Im going to learn to play guitar and dedicate myself to it i made a plan and i stuck to and still am
and Im loving and enjoying it

Yeah man, that’s badfuckingass!! We’re glad you did!

This might help out a bit-



He’s also got that Intelliflex adding a bunch of chorus, that top end from the chorus will help those harmonics stick out a bit more, as well.

 

[DrewJD82]

Stone and I are in practically the same boat - in June when I'm 56 will be 4 years of finally being serious. All you pro's have to put up with us two

That’s killer, man!! Hell, if anything it gives us some inspiration to keep going! Most of the time you hear people past the age of 35 saying “I’m too old, I can’t retain info like I used to”, which I’m guilty of as well at 40. Definitely no “putting up with” you guys, you’re both great assets to the forum! Feel free to ask any questions that might arise, even if they seem stupid to you! We’ve all been there and jumping in at the time you guys, the gear alone can be overwhelming.

Hahahah when most of us started you got a beater/hand-me-down guitar that barely held it’s tuning more than 2 minutes and the practice amp would be some random no-name “that was even a company?” thing, starting out now you have SO MUCH awesome gear available and tools to help ya with. Hell, you guys weren’t late starters, you were just waiting for the rest of the world to start making more interesting sh*t!

 

[Stone]

Yeah man, that’s badfuckingass!! We’re glad you did!

This might help out a bit-



He’s also got that Intelliflex adding a bunch of chorus, that top end from the chorus will help those harmonics stick out a bit more, as well.

Awesome Drew thanks a Bunch yeah thats it dead on so yes need to wok on that technique
thank you so much for taking the time
shows why this is the best forum of all so much help, so much talented and Knowledgeable players and Most of all so many laughs