How To Play Pick Squeals On Guitar (Lesson) 

So I tried to do a lesson video (not going to be a regular thing). Just thought it might be useful for some people and I might be able to offer a better view of this particular technique with thick picks. More normal videos will resume in the next few days :)

Holy shit, man. I've been playing guitar for over 25 years and never been able to do this; after watching your vid I picked up a guitar and got the hang of it in 5 minutes. Finally someone explained pinch harmonics in an easily-understandable way. THANK YOU.

Not gonna lie i play guitar since about 2 years now and this was one of the early things I wanted to learn since I really wanted to play pull the plug by Death and it was so hard to find a good tutorial for this. Ended up teaching it to me myself. This is by far the best tutorial on it!!!

Thick pick? Must be a regional thing, where I’m from that’s called a door stop.

I was actually just thinking about looking up a tutorial on how to do this when this video popped up on my feed lol! Great video!

I remember well the frustration involved in finding this, good luck to anyone giving it a first go, persevere, you will get there. 😎🎙🎸✅

1:43 that angle is the only angle I've seen that puts across how it actually feels to do a pinch harmonic. Pick then thumb in less than a second. Well done man 👏

I’m 61 now, played about 30-40 years ago. I was never much of a guitarist but I had fun with my ‘83 Les Paul Custom. Strangely enough, with all my lack of talent, I stumbled across the technique for squealies and was able to do them easily. It was the one thing that I was good at on guitar. 😅 I taught some of my friends, all of whom were much more talented than I, how to play squealies.

I don't think kdh can make a bad video.

This was the best video on squeals. I've seen. I have had issues with them

2:06 When you stub your toe

Still can't do it, I call bullshit

I've been playing guitar on and off for about 20 years now. And while I was aware of the general principal I always struggled to do artificial harmonics consistently. What I was missing was was the concept of digging into the string so it bounces back up your thumb basically produces a fretted natural harmonic. Thanks!

#Question Cool info, thanks. I'm a beginner with an electric bass. I have a question: how do you do a "galloping" series? I move the tip of the pick downwards and then upwards again, but I often get caught on the string with the pick and it interrupts the "galloping" rhythm (example: iron maiden - the trooper). Do you understand what I mean and if so, what am I doing wrong? I can get the sound right with finger tapping (slapping), but I fail completely with a pick.

I swear as often as i try this i do exactly whats shown and it just doesnt work, or if it does i can never replicate it. This is one of the better tutorials on this ive seen so no knock against you just frustrating

I keep getting tons of extra resonant noise from the other strings when I do pinch harmonics and to bends/vibrato and it always drowns out my pinch harmonics. Any tips?

bro that slow motion closeup footage was ace. thank you

I don't think this works on a bass guitar.

I have been able to get pinch harmonics here and there but never really knew precisely how it works. This is the best video I have seen on this that shows the string hitting the thumb after its plucked. Excellent bit of help. Very well done.

I've always wanted the keys to KDH's Lamborghini.

best description of this ive seen. comment for the algorithm gods

Off for the umpteenth time to attempt the mystical art of squeels.... Thanks for the insight.

Oh geebus, I think RU-vid already has enough squeely vids

this isnt working for me 😭

I absolutely love the queals amd harmonics. Keep practicing until you get it, you're playing will never be the same. I have a set of Bare Knuckle WarPigs, hell yeah.

Love the Cobra Kai Hoodie!

Thank you sir! 😎👍

I'm glad you mentioned that where you his the string horizontally makes a difference. As this takes advantage of harmonics, you can get a much better effect by moving forward or backwards by an inch or two. Practice makes perfect. 🇦🇺

Really wish this lesson has existed years ago, this was a really hard thing for me to get used to.

There are a lot of videos out there on how to play pinch harmonics, but I think this is the best one I have seen. The camera work is the key - you actually see how the picking of the string with the touch of the base of your thumb happens and the slo-mo is a nice touch. Thanks!

I stumbled onto this technique on pedal steel a few years ago and I love it on blues and rock stuff You basically mute the string instantaneously, well not quite.

I'm not a guitar player but I always wondered how that's done. Thanks for explaining!

Holy SHIIIIIIT!!!!!!¡¡¡ THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!! This video is going on my saved playlist. 💪💪💪💪💪

Trying to learn some gojira riffs that I've always avoided due to them squeels, so hard for me to learn apparently. Now I might be able to finally learn this tecnique. Thanks dude!!!! Great vid!!!!

now that I watched your lesson video, you looks like art-of-guitar but long haired and with glasses

Not easy 😭

Hi fella… I really appreciate such advices!! Are so useful!! Thank you!!! Vidal from Venezuela!!

Gonna send this to my friend who want to learn this

Ok, clean those frets! Also, stop trying to steal Zakk Wilde’s thunder!! Hahahahahaha! Great video!

Master class!!! This is how you teach!! Thank you so much for great information!!!

Fun fact: Pinch Harmonics can be heard in Nu Metal, Heavy Metal and etc. for Example: Duality by Slipknot during the intro. I find Pinch Harmonics on the same note but these two guitarists uses the same string but in different angles to recreate the harmony panning.

Watched every vid out there about pinch harmonics and out of all those of them this was the one that taught me it thanks bro 🤟🎸

This has helped me to turn a corner in my playing!! Thank you so much!

This is the best tutorial I've found on this topic, great work on capturing the video and also the explanation! Thanks a lot :)

I've been doing this by accident I think through poor technique. Will mess with this but I grew up in the 80s so I think I've reached a threshold where I never want to ever hear it again. Also, did you throw a Hokey Pokey reference in there? haha

This is short simple and right to the point and you're doing something MOST guitarists don't do which is the close-up slo-mo. Most tutorials say you have to hit the string with your thumb at the same time this one says bounces and that makes MUCH more sense then trying to straight hit it.

Thanks dude from Albuquerque New Mexico

MAN WHY COULD I PLAY IT AFTER 10 SECS AFTER PICKING UP THE GUITAR 😭 WAS IT THAT EASY ALL ALONG???

I've always known this as an Artificial Harmonic. Just saying.

Awesome tutorial! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks, I believe I have managed this! Previously, I was using a (knowingly) different technique, where I pinched the string between the pick and thumb. My old technique is basically like yours, but with an upstroke.

first lesson most important 101 YOU NEED TO NOT HAVE THOSE CERAMIC SHITTY PICKUPS THAT COMES IN CHINESE CHEAP GUITARS

Thank you so much. I finally understand the technique. Even made some successful attempts. Time to practice.

Thank you very much for this very good (amazing) tutorial. Thanks for the work you put in to it. The slow motion really helped!

Ha it's true, it's like riding a bike. You can't NOT do it right once you have figured it out. I have sausage fingers like you wouldn't believe and it took me an afternoon to get it right. Not too bad.

Hey, I’ve been trying to do squeals for a little while now but I keep getting these squeals that are like half way there, is this due to wrong equipment or is it something I’m doing wrong?

Literally never heard anyone call it a 'pick squeal' it's a pinch harmonic

Pinches are a bitch. Honestly you really want the same size you play with. Way too many pmimp piches way too much. Randy Rhoads was perfect at pinch harmonics. Billy Gibbons too. After a while it becomes annoying. Angus Young and Tony Iommi are good examples of adding but not overloading. But forego the thicker picks on guitar. Leave those for bassist with thicker strings that use them to kill the notes. There is no fast track or eay way. It takes practice to achieve muscle memory to achieve it.

YOU FANTASTIC F,,,,,K.I HAVE BEEN HIT AND MISS TRYING TO BE CONSISTANT DOING THIS SOUND.NOBODY EXPLAINED THE ANGLE,OR THE THUMB POSITION.THANKS FROM AN OLDIE 72!

Am I supposed to move my thumb away asap? I'm finding my thumb either mutes the string or the string misses my thumb completely.

This chick's really cute. Doe she have an Instagram?

Somewhere in that afterlife, Dimebag is throwing up the devil horns. Thank you for this video.

Thanks so much! Even with the slo-mo it didn't click with me... until you said "... _taps_ against your thumb"... Well, that's what I was missing. I had been trying to see how the thumb was _pressing_ or _holding down_ the string, and I could never see it. But in fact, you just put your thumb very close, so it's "available" to the string, and the _string_ is actually more the "aggressor" (more than the thumb), striking the thumb and then _releasing_ from it. And that split second little "touch" or "bump" is all it takes to set the squeal into motion. Wow. Now I can go all "Billy Gibbons" any time I want! Cheers!

I had heard someone call them Sworlys, LOL. I actually like the Ping harmonics better, Eric Johnson used to do them on occasion. Squilly's, Screamers. LOL. I think Billy Gibbons might have been the 1st Guy I heard do them.

Awesome work man! You made every other instructional video on this matter straight rubbish!

Dude thank you, i just started 2 months ago and ive been scratching my head trying to do this the whole time lol, perfect video and camera work that actually shows it in action

BEST VIDEO FOR THIS! Had it after 2 minutes! ♥

Huh. Those close-ups and slow-mo were effective. Thanks for making!

Bro, u rock, this video really tought me!!! Now I just need practice =)

I never have before but thanks to you I have and will be! Thanks!

This is just the video I've been looking for, for ages... "Just gotta try some more, and *harder."*

Thank you! Have been wanting to learn this, excellent video really explains and shows how it’s done. A bit of work to do on the technique to pull it out when I want it to work, but got the basic method down pat. Just like riding a bike 👍🍻🇦🇺

Hi ! Very nice video ! Very helpful !! Can you ( or anybody reading) help me for the settings of the Amp or pedal (Distorsion with a lot of gain I guess), and the best position of microphone of the guitar (neck, medium..) to get the best screaming sound? Thanks!!

I'm sure somebody else in the comments has said this but it also helps if you make a guitar player face when you're squeezing out a pinch harmonic. 😁

Man,I assume that's a schecter by the head stock.But,what model is it by chance?looks awesome KDH!!!🤘👍

Thanks, you're right. Using the big ass pick let me see what you're doing. (Anybody out there that says "just take actuaI lessons", you're right. But, my life isn't set up like that at the moment.) Thanks for finding a way to explain this on a video.

i accidentally played one of these and wasnt able to play it ever again thanks

That's brilliant.. So well described. I always thought it was a light brushing of the thumb as you stroke, but it seems a more deliberate rebound onto the thumb.. Will certainly try this !

i'm a hobby bass player, so not directly something for me. But I have always wondered how this was played and this is a very clear explanation!

huh. i guess you arent just a drama channel. you're a good teacher too. thanks!

I've had issues with these for a while, and I always thought that it was with your palm (that's probably why I had issues with them lol). Thank you so much for this!

power to the people! Finally, pedagógic picks The last slow mo partes sound like Mick Thopmson is going tô get you XD Thanie you for your knowledge Sorry, im bad at engolis h and the autocorreção doesńt Yelp

Ofc I find this video after setting my guitar down 😭 I was getting such bad hand cramps and gave up. This video is legit so helpful tho. The close up + the slow-mo, is exactly what I was looking for but I couldn’t find it in any other video. I liked that you really explained in detail and I liked seeing what was happening to the string. It makes so much sense now. Thank you so much!

String should not be only picked, but rather slide on mediator, I assume here the high harmonics are appearing. The next soft touch by finger suppresses main mode.

I learned to do this in the 70s, but I’ve forgotten how, which is why I’m watching. 🤭

So you basically create a string harmonic flageolet with the thumb?

WOW. KDH, I loved you enough already, your audio audit's etc are fantastic, your subject choices interesting, your honesty refreshing etc etc, BUT THIS, I have been struggling with these for over a decade, and you just solved it in five minutes. I LOVE YOU (platonicly)

Me who learned how to do them accidentally. "Oh so THAT'S what I've been doing"

I play drums, it doesn’t work on drums I had to edit just to say how amazing that guitar looks

My question is what equipment are you using and will this work on any guitar and amp

"Once you know how to do it, you'll never not be able to" Zakk Wylde has entered the chat

I must be pinch deficient...can't do it so it may be beyond help for me

I’ve been doing that by accident and couldn’t figure out why it’s happening and how to stop it lol. Thanks for the info.

This was the best video tutorial on pinch harmonics ever. THANK YOU.

Me, 35, trying this on a Squier Mustang. I just wanna live out my mid life crisis.

Thank you for explaining this and taking the time to show it, how it happens and how to learn it. I am predominantly a blues fan and student thereof so the times I will use this are probably few and far between but as just stated I am a new student I started only 6 months ago, who knows where it will lead

I just recently learned how to do them by accident after trying on purpose for about a year and then I understood what was going on. Just hold your thumb really close to the bottom of the pick and hit the string at an angle. As you pick the string you let your thumb graze the string muting it just enough to make a harmonic sound and then bend the hell out of the string. Last part optional.

Thanks. I’m almost riding the bike

Helped a lot. thanks. I could do it with a certain amount of successfull attempts, but not consistant. Thats probably the video i needed to get it there.

just learned within 1 day good tutorial..!