Messed up harmonics/solos

Ronan101

I always wondered how to produce some strange and frantic harmonics (honestly don't even know if what I'm talking about are actually harmonics, or if they're effects, or excessive feedback or what) within a solo.

The best example I can think of, of the style I'm talking about is in alot of Billy Corgan's solos, especially live (Earphoria), or on songs like Zero or Cherub Rock. The Velvet Underground used to do this kinda stuff too.


Just wondering if the ever knowledgeable folks on Boards can help....

Rustar

Do you mean pinch harmonics? Pinch harmonics with judicious use of a whammy bar, perhaps?

The best thing to do would be find a video on You Tube that contains an example, and link it and say, "at 2:30" or something similar.

Sinfonia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJOGq5XTojo

From about 2:17 (or 00:54 if it's counting down)

BossArky

Sounds like James Iha (sp?) is going through an octave pedal there.

Ronan101

yeah, I think he is using an octave pedal there, but I think there's something else to it too.

Check out from 4:55 onwards for another example of what I'm talkin about.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=6xcwt9mSbYE

-=al=-

yeah octave pedal some delay and pinch harmonics with some whammy bar stuffs, watch it live if u can to see

definitly a lot of pitch shifting there too, something like what you'd hear from a whammy pedal/whammy bar or both

probably messed around with when reording it too, + a few overdubs

cornbb

Both pinch harmonics and natural harmonics can be used to create great effects. Pinch harmonics involve allowing the fleshy part of your thumb/finger to pluck the string directly after you hit it with your pick. Its kind of hard to explain but if you mess around long enough you'll get it.

Natural harmonics (such as those used in the main riff in the Zero video above) involve touching the string at certain points along its length but not actually pressing it against the fretboard. This node created by your finger effictively causes two vibrating strings (one at either side of your fretting finger) instead of one. The resulting tone is an octave/5th/7th/whatever above the expected pitch. The easiest places to produce natural harmonics are directly above the 5th, 7th and 12th frets.

The acoustics behind these harmonics are pretty cool but you don't necessarily have to learn them. Check up a few of the thousands of videos on Youtube to learn the techniques.

As for effects, play around with your distortion settings. Distortion/overdrive/fuzz adds tons of harmonic overtones to your signal, this is how it makes it easier to make those cool squealing noises. Whammy pedals/octaver pedals etc obviously help too but I would consider that to be cheating (although having said that the Pumpkins used lashings of these effects plus loads of overdubbing/post-production to great effect. Getting your pinch harmonics/natural harmonics right would be the correct first step though.)