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Posted by: Rain Oct 10 2008, 06:38 PM

Hey Ivan, it's been awhile

I was just wondering if I can do pinched / natural harmonics on a guitar if my amp is an SP10

it looks like this: http://www.elderly.com/images/fmic/30N/SQSESP-AW_amp-accesories.jpg

I don't have any of the special knobs and what-not yet so I don't know if my amp can put out the sound. I seem to be able to get a kind of squeal but its VERY faint.

Any idea?

Posted by: fatb0t Oct 10 2008, 07:29 PM

whoops didn't see it was directed at Ivan. Sorry dude

Posted by: Rain Oct 10 2008, 08:40 PM

Anyone can reply for sure - but I just know that Ivan has helped me a lot in the past That is why I posted here.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Oct 11 2008, 04:55 PM

Pinched harmonics is something you can do even on acoustic guitar, so the amp is not really necessary. What is important that the amp amplifies that harmonic, so when you crank it, it will ring louder, that's all. The proper playing of the harmonics is more important. Try to turn the colume up on your amp, and slowly start picking with your right hand on one string, changing positions from bridge to neck, and picking pinched harmonics with the left side of your thumb. When you find the sweet spot where you hear the harmonic ring, this is the place on the string where you have to pick in order to get a PH.
Also if you want your PH to have a more of that distorted ear-piercing tone, then it is good to use some kind of overdrive/distortion pedal.

Posted by: Gus Oct 11 2008, 09:28 PM

As for gear settings, I discovered recently that I can do nice pinch harmonics more easily if I use a wah-wah pedal (on top of distortion of course).

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Oct 13 2008, 03:31 PM

Spot on Gus, wah wah pedal can really make the pinched scream sometimes

Posted by: OrganisedConfusion Oct 13 2008, 04:47 PM

Good advice here. It's like anything you need to get the technique right before amplifying it and you can do pinch harmonics and hear them without an amp.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Oct 14 2008, 11:02 AM

You're right mate. It should sound good on clean first, so it may sound good on overdrive as well.