pinched harmonics

IdtheGreat · #1 07-09-2007, 02:08 PM

what are they and lol how do i do them?

i'm learning Stuart Hamms bass solo from his live in san francisco tour and i can do it fairly well including the part thats supposed to be pinched harmonics...but i can tell its slightly off and i ahve no idea how to go about achieving that particular sections sound

rockwarnick · #2 07-09-2007, 02:11 PM

they're in the search function....

but really the way i do it:
i usually hold a note, place my plucking-hand thumb over the string and pluck with my right index finger. finding the sweet spots are up to you. but it shouldn't be that hard, it follows the same principals/ratios as any harmonic.

pinch harmonics are basically artificial harmonics.

Scot · #3 07-09-2007, 06:05 PM

There's the way rockwarnick described, which was Jaco's way of doing it. There's also Steve Bailey's way which is where you use the RH (or plucking hand) index finger (instead of the thumb) to lightly touch the string at the location producing the desired artificial harmonic and use the middle finger to pluck the note. My take is this:

Jaco's method allows you to get a little more distance between the digit touching the spot where the artificial harmonic is and the plucking digit, which can result in a more edgy-type sound that cuts through (much like plucking the bass closer to the bridge). The down-side might be that you have to move your RH from your more regular finger-style playing position in to the correct position to perform the technique.

Bailey's method allows you to perform the technique while remaining in a more regular RH playing position so it might be easier to mix the artificial harmonics with regularly plucked notes. The sound is a little more mellow to my ears.

They both work and sound great.

Erick Lam · #4 07-09-2007, 06:33 PM

I do it Bailey style and pluck with pinky, sometimes ring for multiple notes. Gives a big distance between node and pluck and it's plucked closer to the bridge. Best of both world.

AmazingGracePlayer · #5 07-13-2007, 10:02 AM

They're called artificial harmonics also false harmonics. Go to www.bassplayer.tv, and watch Steve Bailey's lesson on artificial harmonics.

Dave Muscato · #6 07-15-2007, 01:24 AM

Artificial and pinch harmonics aren't necessary the same thing. There was a good thread about this about a month ago; to the OP, try the search function.

- Dave

Jazz Ad · #7 07-15-2007, 01:29 AM

+1.
Artificial harmonics are made from a fretted note, as opposed to natural harmonics you produce from an open string.
Pinched harmonics are produced by snapping the string between your fingers. They can be artificial or natural.

All_¥our_Bass · #8 07-16-2007, 11:28 AM

I do it the jaco way. Sounds great with distortion (and a lil' vibrato) too!!

jaaboy · #9 07-18-2007, 12:04 PM

you mean like the beginning of birdland? those are artificial. im pretty sure pinch harmonics are a strictly guitar move, on the account of that even they have a hard time getting it right on their bigger strings. My guitarists refer to it as a squeal however. Or mabey im just completely wrong, its very possible.

Scot · #10 07-18-2007, 04:32 PM

Yep, that intro on Birdland was played using "artificial" (aka "false") harmonics - he didn't use open strings to play it as the notes where all "fretted" (or stopped) on the D and G strings. "Pinched harmonics" is a new term for me too but it makes sense that they would be named as such. Yes, guitar players (Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top!) use a technique where they use the pick and part of their thumb to get a similar result (or the same result, actually). I think it might be easier to do on guitar on the unwound strings, like you alluded to, and having a lot of distortion to help them sustain doesn't hurt. Some guitar players even do it unintentionally.

Dave Muscato · #11 07-19-2007, 02:43 AM

Pinch & squeal are the same thing.

They can be either artificial or natural.

All natural means is that you're using one of the natural nodes of the string - in other words, a natural harmonic *always* means an open string.

Artificial (also known as "false") just means you are shortening the string with your hands - aka fretting.

- Dave

afinalfantasy · #12 07-19-2007, 07:30 AM

I put my thumb so that it is just leaning on the string, like right by the top of the thumb and do a hard pluck at the same time

Also, make sure it's closer to the bridge so you can get a brighter sound

toaster2k3 · #13 07-28-2007, 12:46 AM

I position my right thumb and index finger as if I'm holding a guitar pick, then I strum the string and graze it with the meat of my thumb. With my fret hand, I usually linger between the tenth and the 15th frets. Every bass is a little different as far as getting a good squeal.