Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

[Zamiale]

I hope you guys know what I am talking about because it's hard to explain. I'm not really up to snuff with Zakk but from the songs that I've heard him play (Ozzy and Rock Star the movie) in he always seems to throw in this "squeal" sound.
In fact, at the first of Rock Star Mark Wahlberg refers to the sound as "the squeal". I have hit it several times back accident, but cannot do it on command. Can anyone explain how this technique is accomplished. Thanks in advance.

[lerxstcat]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

It's called a "pinch harmonic". You strike the string and immediately pinch
ther string between your thumb and the pick. Then you wiggle the string and the
sring vibrato adds to the effect of the "squeal". A doubling delay emphasizes the effect too, and high gain is easiest, but if you practice it with a clean tone
or even acoustically, the squeal will really pop out when you are using a high gain amp.

Hope this helps!

Rich

[Riffmeister]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

Yea, what Rich said, but also , you can get different pitches of Squeal if you will, by moving the point at which you hit the string with your thumb. Either moving your hand towards the neck or towards the bridge. There are different sweet spots on the string and I find the easiest are on the G string, although, you can ge them from any string.

[horns666]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

A heavy gauge E string and a boss DS 1 helps alot.

I used to find most of the cool pinch harmonics while playing unplugged first.

[ February 24, 2003, 08:20 AM: Message edited by: horns666 ]

[LinaV]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

there's lotsa ways to do it. The easiest way to do it is to not use a pick. hold your thumb lightly against any string. Then pick the string with your index finger, and quickly let go of the string. takes some practice but you'll get it ^.^ Try it on the G string. i find that to be the easiest one.

Zakk wrote a column on how to do it as well. I can't see how he does it lol. What i do is i hold my pick so there's only a lil nib of it sticking out, but my thumb nail is kinda sticking perpendicular to the pick's flat face. After i pick, my thumb nail just bearly grazes the string. Then this lil squeel comes out, and i use my floyd to do the thing, cuz i can't do vibrato lol.

It all depends on the angle you have your thumb at, and where you're picking on the string.

[PowerTube]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

I've always had the ability to "squeal" notes. What works for me is very simple; I just "choke up," my grip on the pick and get my hand closer to the strings. What's happening is what everybody says, where the thumb strikes the string immediately after you pick it, but that seems a bit too textbook. Just tighten up your grip on the pick and see if that works.

[Zamiale]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

Thanks guys. I'm snowed in today and I have been practicing with it. I've hit it a couple of times! [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] Thanks for the tips.

[Disco Dave]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

I do it a REALLY wierd way on the E string. I have a wierd picking style as well. When I do it I have my ring finger of my picking hand just under the string and when I pick the string i pull off the with my ring finger. So it is a pinching motion just not what a lot of people tend to do. And the vibrato thing helps and what not of course. No only if I could actually play lol.

[Suck my kiss]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

I do it the same way as disco dave, Putting it on the higher output (usually bridge) pickup helps a lot

[PowerTube]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

This page has a short demo film demonstrating the technique:

From CyberFret.com

[777SteveVai777]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

Where your right hand is position actually does affect what the pinch harmonic would sound like.

I don't pinch the string with my fingers or anything special like that.. I do what PT does.. just tighten up the grip on your pick and let em' rip!

[Lev]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

where your right hand is makes a huge difference... a lot of the harmonics past the 12th fret won't even work if you're not picking in the right place. And even below that, if you want the right pitch, its better to know where to pick then to just try randomly..

[PowerTube]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

I've also noticed that certain note/string combinations will do it better than others. For practice, I would recommend the 3rd (G) string at the 10th fret (F note). I've never picked up a guitar that wouldn't squeal this note well!

[toejam]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

Yeah, I find that picking dead center of the pickups (two humbuckers, or right above the middle single coil of H/S/S) can give you a better squeal. Though, for different strings and notes, you need to see where it works best.

[ February 26, 2003, 01:09 PM: Message edited by: toejam ]

[LinaV]

Re: Mastering the Zakk Wylde "squeal"

I watched that Zakk Wylde thingy lol. He mumbles a lot, and i couldn't understand what he was sayig >.< It's from www.guitar.com

It's pretty coolies watching him [img]graemlins/images/icons/wink.gif[/img]