what is a pitch harmonic and who do you do it? im confused like hell and need help.

A pinch harmonic or pick harmonic is a guitar technique pioneered by Roy Buchanan on the 1962 recording of "Potato Peeler" in which the player's thumb or index finger on the picking hand, slightly catches the string after it is picked, canceling the fundamental of the string, and letting one of the overtones to dominate in a similar way to how altissimo notes are produced on woodwind instruments. This results in a high pitched sound. By using string bending, a whammy bar, a wah-wah pedal, or other effects, electric guitarists are able to modulate the pitch, frequency, and timbre of pinch harmonics, resulting in a variety of sounds, the most common being a very high-pitched squeal.

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

To me the pinch harmonic is a mythical beast. I've tried at various times over my short time of playing to do it and I can't for the life of me do it. I've watched numerous YouTube videos and while it looks extremely simple I have yet to pull one off. I will post when that amazing day finally comes

Billy Gibbons of ZZTop fame, and arguably the one of the best at this suggests to rotate your pick and use one of the rounder corners, when learning how to do it. I did that to start, now I am used to the technique i just use the pick normally

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I'm not an expert, but I play one on the internet.

Your finger has to hit just right after its picked. I can do it, but its really exciting and cool if you accidently do it when your not expecting it. At least i think it is! lol

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American Vintage '57 Strat
Super Champ XD

That makes sense. That would get your thumb closer to the pick edge and make it easier to pull it off in theory. The problem is now I want to leave work to try this

The technique is hard to describe. I usually hold the pick really close to the end and for me anyway it depends on where my picking hand is in relation to the fretted note. If you get it once you'll understand it and get it whenever you want. I have to do it that way because I have pretty lousy fingernails.

If you use a lot of gain and actually pinch the string, it works too.

...add some whammy and :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZbrXcv4 ... re=related

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

You can do it on an acoustic and an unplugged electric too.

It also depends on the location you are picking and the pick up you have selected. it helps to try doing it at various locations along the string and different pickup selections. i find it easier to pull it off in certain locations than others.

Listen to some Ozzy with Zakk Wylde, he often over uses the pinch harmonic.

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1994 Standard Strat, Blue
2000 Standard Strat, Black, with GFS block, and GFS Lil Killer pickup.
2004 Standard Telecaster, Black
1971 Gibson SG
1985 Kramer Baretta
1986 Kramer Vangard
Carvin X60B
Marshall 50 watt 2x12 combo

Do it! I'm stuck at work too, but wish to be elsewhere.

I get pinch harmonics by simultaniously gently touching my right middle finger against the string I'm picking, on the fret exactly one octave above the note I'm fretting,I discovered it accidently and worked on it over the years.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

I do it by sliding my thumb that holds the pick down to that the end of my pick and the start of my thumb are just about equal. Then when the pick hits the string the thumb then hits it and you get the pinch harmonic.

My experience is that my Les Paul Custom is better at these then my Strat. On my Les Paul they really ring out whereas on the Strat they don't.