Need help to pinch harmonic on bass...

[flearules12]

Hey I was wondering if someone could give me a brief explanation on how to pinch harmonic on bass using finger picking. I can do it but not very well... I can never get the note to "squeal". THANKS

[FrizzleFry]

Hey, I'm not sure if you're using a pick or not, but with fingers what you want to do is put your thumb parallel on the string as if you were to slap, rest it there and then pluck up with your index finger and pull the thumb off as soon as you pluck.. hard to explain in words .. so here's a vid, not me http://youtube.com/watch?v=XdCWbNWVCeI

[mikebass188]

I asked this kind of question a while back and these answers really helped so check it out:

Pinch Harmonics?

[Grinky]

oh! Aren't those called false harmonics? Its those harmonics that you play right above the pick-ups right? Yup it's as FizzleFry has said. Instead of using your fretting fingers to sound the harmonics, you use your thumb of your plucking hand. You should get this bi-tonal sounding note(s). haha... Ok I know that's confusing but give it a try! Its great fun to play around with but I've never found a use for it. :\ Tell me if you do!

[timalan]

ok, i hope you're wanting to underastand how to play false harmonics like these other guys are saying... because why they Heck would you feel that PINCH HARMONICS are a good trick to have in your bag of techniques. Just saying. Keep the groove deep. Don't worry about some high frequency pinch harmonic that will get instantly buried by any other sound.

[DayoftheGreek]

Originally Posted by timalan

ok, i hope you're wanting to underastand how to play false harmonics like these other guys are saying... because why they Heck would you feel that PINCH HARMONICS are a good trick to have in your bag of techniques. Just saying. Keep the groove deep. Don't worry about some high frequency pinch harmonic that will get instantly buried by any other sound.

Pinch harmonics are an amazing tool to have... especially if you want to play a cover of Birdland!

[anomalybass]

one thing you might try it to rest your palm from your plucking hand over the p ups where the hamonics are and pluck the string while muting the same string with your palm, well the side of your palm(knife edge). you can get those harmonics to ring loud when you pluck the higher strings in a slap groove. try moving your muting palm back and forth to find the sweet spot.-joe p

[luknfur]

I do them sometimes cause they're fun, sound cool (especially doing a walkdown from front of the bridge pup to the fingerboard), and something different. Much easier on guitar and someone who's really talented can combine them with volume swells to create some pretty stellar tones. Somebody like Sheehan on bass could probably do similar - but not me.

I do them at least a couple different ways: muting with the index finger while pushing down with the thumbnail or placing the thumb and index finger in a scissor look config, putting the "v" of it on the string and simply twisting. The key is to lift off immediately upon striking a muted string so it rings. If you throw a fretted bend into it or actually bend down with the thumb/index on the attack it will enhance the squeal. Higher frequencies are easier more pronounced so upper strings.

Also you don't need any distortion at all. You can do this with any perfectly clean tone.

Have fun.

Oops, was dinking on bass and realized that I use the thumb to mute and the index nail to pull for the attack - backwards of what I said. I don't pay attention to how I just listen.

[SLaPiNFuNK]

Originally Posted by FrizzleFry

Hey, I'm not sure if you're using a pick or not, but with fingers what you want to do is put your thumb parallel on the string as if you were to slap, rest it there and then pluck up with your index finger and pull the thumb off as soon as you pluck.. hard to explain in words .. so here's a vid, not me http://youtube.com/watch?v=XdCWbNWVCeI

hey that looks like my vid


You have to picture the fingerboard frett lines extending down to the bridge...

best thing to do, is start easy...

with left hand, finger the 1st fret, the octive harmonic will be on the 13th fret, put your thumb just over the 13th fret with as much pressure as you would put your finger to play an open 12th fret harmonic, and pluck with one of your fingers....

you can then play a harmonic on the "25th" fret, or subdivide, 20th Frett, or 18th frett....

I hope that kinda makes sense...

[S.O.L.]

I just figured out how to create pinch harmonics with a pick yesterday, and today I figured out how to do it with my fingers.

Pick's easy enough to figure, plus there's plenty of youtube tutorials.

With my fingers, I found the easiest way was to play the note right above the pickup with my index finger, and then immediately "breathe" on the string with my thumb. By breathe I mean slap the string as light as you humanly can while still making contact.