That pinch harmonic on the Panama intro…

  • Thread starter Thread starter RedPlated
  • Start date Start date
I’d be curious if live videos would show it. If he’s on his whammy I guess we can tell. If it’s not then it’s gotta be some magic hands
 
I'm not a van halen buff by any stretch but whenever I play it, I tend to grab the f# on the d string and try to sort of miss it while doing the vibrato. No clue if thats the right way to do it but it sounds right because it almost mixes some of the natural harmonic in there with the pinch harmonic
 
Ah the mystery squeal. Kinda like the one in the middle of Sober ( Tool ).
 
cobrahead1030 said:
I can never get it either. I can make most of the intro sound alright, but that harmonic is never even close.
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I knew someone else felt this way!
Twilt said:
Correct or not, E string 5th fret is where I've always played it. Gotta bend it up a step or so, then relax back, and add some wrist vibrato. Almost exactly like you'd play a Zakk Wylde pinch.

No clue if this is how Ed played it. But it sounds right as long you have the proper technique.

I've seen and heard MANY players butcher this one (simple?) phrase, and it really sticks out if you dont get it right.
YMMV.
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Another good suggestion. I’ll try it.
 
PiggySmallz said:
I'm not a van halen buff by any stretch but whenever I play it, I tend to grab the f# on the d string and try to sort of miss it while doing the vibrato. No clue if thats the right way to do it but it sounds right because it almost mixes some of the natural harmonic in there with the pinch harmonic
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I have to figure out how to do both at once.
 
RedPlated said:
I knew someone else felt this way!


Another good suggestion. I’ll try it.
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I do need to try the thinner pick thing more.

I have some around & I do find they sound better for that type of tone, I just don’t focus on it as much as I could.
 
cobrahead1030 said:
I do need to try the thinner pick thing more.

I have some around & I do find they sound better for that type of tone, I just don’t focus on it as much as I could.
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Yeah, the thin picks make sense when you consider that he was also playing .009" -.040" strings tuned down a half step.
 
RedPlated said:
I have to figure out how to do both at once.
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Me too lol. I don't get it right that often. More of an accident where I miss the harmonic due to my death grip on the neck and the natural harmonic rings slightly as i'm letting go for the next chord
 
Guess I’ve never watched him do it live, did he nail it live as well or was it always off?
 
glpg80 said:
Sounds like dead string missed pinch harmonic with a Floyd to make it musical to me. I never gave it much attention when I covered it live lol
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Yeah, listening to it in that isolated track vid and it sounds like he definitely "flubbed" the harmonic a lil bit
 
I am going to go out on a limb and say that he taps it. Holds the note at the second fret on the A string and taps on the 14th fret. Just doesn't hit it cleanly. Or whatever the actual note is based on the tuning. Fret the note and slap the string 12 frets higher to get the harmonic.
 
I agree that he half misses the pinch harmonic, 2nd fret on the A string. Quick bend up and release the bend into vibrato.
Here’s my take on a Les Paul:



Harmonizer, reverb with pre-delay also help on the studio version.
 
JiMB said:
I agree that he half misses the pinch harmonic, 2nd fret on the A string. Quick bend up and release the bend into vibrato.
Here’s my take on a Les Paul:



Harmonizer, reverb with pre-delay also help on the studio version.
Click to expand...

Nice job. I think you’re right. It’s not a full on harmonic hit. Just a half way executed one.

So you are saying pre-bend the string, hit it, then vibrato?
 
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