Harmonics are produced on the guitar by lightly touching a string (as opposed to fretting it) at any of several points along its length.
The fundamental and overtones, when sounded together, are perceived by the listener as a single tone, though the relative prominence of the frequencies varies among instruments, and contribute to its timbre. The vibration along the entire length of the string is known as the fundamental, while vibrations occurring between points along the string (known as nodes) are referred to as overtones. When a guitar string is plucked, the string vibrates at several frequencies. One guitarist of the rock genre who is widely known for his use of pinch harmonics is Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top, who uses them numerous times in nearly every guitar solo he plays. The technique is also used commonly in other sub-genres of heavy metal, particularly by guitarists such as K. Combined with the rather low tunings most of these guitarists use, and the fact that they are usually played by both rhythm guitarists (if there are two), the pinch harmonic notes leap out, creating more complex and twisted melodic contours than otherwise possible. The technique's use in death metal is notable in that pinch harmonic notes are included in riffs, rather than being reserved for solos. Pinch harmonics are used extensively in death metal, especially in the sub-genre brutal death metal. Steve Vai actually composed a track named "Bad Horsie" which uses heavy pinch harmonic techniques. This ended up producing wild, screaming, horse-like wails from the instrument. An identifiable signature was pioneered by such artists as Eddie Van Halen and Steve Vai, utilizing the whammy bar, high gain amps, and the pinch harmonic. The technique is possible on any fretted stringed instrument, but is most widely employed by electric guitarists, especially in heavy metal and rock music where heavy distortion ensures that the otherwise subtle harmonic is greatly amplified. In addition to expanding the accessible range of pitch, pinch harmonics can be used as unaccompanied tones in a solo or as filler notes between deeper chords. Pinch harmonics also allow the guitarist's fretting hand to stay in position while higher notes than are normally possible at that position are sounded. Unlike natural harmonics, which may only be produced at certain string positions, pinch harmonics can be sounded at any fret position along the neck of the guitar.
Pinch harmonics are generally considered a type of artificial harmonic, although they are played completely differently. 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. This creates a high pitched sound in any position. A pinch harmonic, also known as a squealie or squealer is a guitar technique (typically electric guitar) pioneered by Roy Buchanan in which the player's thumb or index finger slightly catches the string after it is picked, cancelling the fundamental of the string, and letting one of its harmonics ring out.
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