How to Get Pinch Harmonics Like Billy Gibbons From ZZ Top

[@MartyMusic]

Thanks again for supporting MartyMusic! Free Courses when you sign my newsletter at www.MartyMusic.com

[@trojas4720]

Marty Music can you please do a tutorial on how to play Last First Kiss by Ron pope?

[@michaelakins7296]

Marty Music please do Mary had a little lamb by Stevie ray vaughn.

[@rayross997]

Please Marty your're the guitar Iron Man, give us War Pigs & the rest of Crazy Train.

[@bigjgoesgaming5894]

Marty your the man!! Love your channel!!!

[@tannersabia3217]

Marty Music Hey Marty, great lesson. I've been having trouble with my pinch harmonics and this really helped me understand them a lot more. So thank you for taking your time to share this amazing community of musicians your knowledge. And also I was wondering if you could possibly do a slide guitar lesson. I've recently bought one and I don't quite understand how to play. So if you could do a lesson on it that would be amazing. You are the best teacher on the entire internet and you've basically tought me everything I know through your vids. So thanks again Marty and jam on ✌✌✌

[@caesar8683]

I was struggling with this. Typed in how to do pinch harmonics. Saw your face and a sudden sigh of relief cane over me.

[@nitinkapoor8322]

This is so true

[@cdoke8242]

lol this is so true

[@mattyice535]

Seriously, I got that shit down in like 10 minutes just now because of marty

[@chris_michael_s]

Cane over me too. Been up all night because of the damn cane.

[@allkeysjamtracks9439]

If you pinch it, it will squeal.

[@redsharp2]

Just like little children

[@stricknine8623]

Just like all the pretty girls

[@jimmygubbins]

Strick nine mine just ran away

[@WorstScenarios]

"You don't want every note to be a pinch harmonic." *cough* Magma by Gojira

[@hooliganstreet]

The album? Cause I'm pretty sure Stranded doesnt have that many pinch harmonics, if any

[@crankylemur]

@@hooliganstreet Listen to the song "Magma". I think they were talking about that one.

[@JHelix]

That song is so bold, because Live, if they don't get it right, it will change the whole feeling.

[@rosisneupane]

@@hooliganstreet magma's main riff is all pinch harmonics in different positions

[@lmao7439]

Cough cough zakk wylde

[@Thvll]

I’m biting off way more than I can chew just trying to learn the intro to psychosocial lol

[@ethangreen1751]

Lmaooo same bro

[@distortion144]

Hahaha same that’s why I’m here

[@alexandero9936]

Haha same but here cuz I’m trying to learn moonchild

[@hereticjojo]

SAMEEEEEE

[@wolf-mf7hz]

Did you get it

[@mosneedly3751]

Just the tip. I promise you, you will squeal.

[@creampiegainz9792]

Just the tip of my pick uhh uhhhh ahhhhhhhhhh

[@jimmygubbins]

Dont get it

[@a_green_cat]

James Gubbins bless your innocence

[@jimmygubbins]

Entity_Neon is that it, i was waiting all this time for that answer. That was a waste 😂

[@tcg1_qc]

@@jimmygubbins you're kidding right

[@shatley123]

Pretty disappointed Marty didn't bleach his beard white, I must say.

[@idan7989]

Click bait

[@lt-yx1hx]

@@idan7989 how

[@trebortrahrebe2575]

Ya know...I paid this guitar teacher $25 bucks to teach me this one time. You gave a much better lesson sir.

[@joshnorko5586]

Sweet thumbnail

[@thetitansfan02]

To anyone struggling: I noticed this was way easier for me to do playing standing up instead of sitting down, hopefully that helps at least 1 person out here :)

[@RichardHernandez-mr7yp]

Yes it does for me being a tall person at Is 6' 3 when you're sitting down well for me it's down well for me I feel scrunched up and don't have the wrist action

[@JohnHWelch63]

I found it's easier to pee that way, too.

[@blardyhell3095]

THE KEY IS TO HIT IT FROM UNDERNEATH THE STRING!!

[@WheelBite97]

Siani Kumar yep, literally pinch it, took me a while to realize how simple it is xD

[@catalindan9902]

you saved my life

[@SomeJustice19k]

That's not the key.... The key is to make sure the string hits your thumb after the pick.

[@Beebeebombie]

BROOO, THANK YOU

[@redajahmi865]

i just came here to say Thank you marty A real sincere thank you I started learning guitar about 7 months ago and your videos are THE best :D Keep up the good work :)

[@sohamkale1982]

This is the best pinch harmonic video that I've seen! Thanks Marty!

[@bropob3994]

One of the most beatiful thumbnails ever.

[@cyaic8668]

I thought the beard was real Looks like Marty will never join ZZ Top

[@mwieczorek5188]

I actually asked for this lesson on your live stream, Thanks a lot Marty!!!!!

[@Sticknub]

3:22 and that pick was never to be seen again

[@-Kaeya9827]

1:56 loved the sound

[@scottnetter982]

Thumbnail: 10/10

[@JohnOhkumaThiel]

I’ve been able to do this accidentally until now, but figured it was whatever distortion effect I was using causing it until I saw a guy doing this in a guitar shop today. Couldn’t play guitar to save his life, but he could do this in front of his wife who looked like men do when we go shopping with our wives or girlfriends-payback! And I wondered how he was able to do it on demand. This is exactly the feeling I had when I used to be a competitive full contact Chinese martial arts fighter. I would learn how to do something that seemed like pure movie fiction, like they had to be using wires or special equipment, and all of the sudden I could do it either because I learned it from someone or I was just improvising and it happened. Thank you kung fu guitar master! I just realized this is why I thought Steve Vai plays with his thumbnail until I saw a closeup of his hand and saw the pick.

[@yourboialex1368]

It’s always the people who know nothing that will shit talk other guitarists

[@denniswong7137]

This sets Marty off from the rest of the crowd, Marty has the ability to show, teach, explain well!!!!!

[@captainireland1375]

Me: watches pinch harmonics videos for weeks with no success Also me: watches Marty Schwartz video & proceeds to nail it instantly

[@JoeyPaone]

The thumb nail is brilliant. Thanks for the years of amazing lessons Marty.

[@stevengriffin1676]

And Billy is ok with you divulging his (one of!) signature sounds..?? And with that echo at the end..wow! What a great technique!! Thanks Marty!!

[@learn123gunsandguitars4]

Dude, you are my hero, both as a musician, and as a vlogger. I hope one day people love my videos half as much as I love yours!

[@1724nine]

Marty your one of my favorite teachers. I love that you taught the billy gibbons harmonics technique. On the Michael Jackson beat it riff when you stopped and I think said "tippy toes" I lost it - 😂 lol

[@Shawn-rq4py]

I searched and researched some more and then more to get ZZ Top's sound. I finally installed some SD Pearly Gates pick ups in my Epiphone LP, gutted and rewired my entire guitar w new volume and tone pots with a new Switchcraft toggle switch and wired it in a 50s style scheme and got a Fuzz Face pedal and I couldn't believe how much like Billy Gibbons LP it sounded. Suddenly my pitch harmonics were right on and I've been satisfied. The best song for me is "Woke up with wood". The few beginning riffs squeal very nicely. My old Epiphone LP pickups just couldn't do it. They're so cheap and muddy sounding with no sustain. I only wished I could have seen this video as I was learning. It's not an easy thing to do. Thanks for the content Marty!

[@user-lj3tg4nk3e]

Another method of achieving pinch harmonics is to hit the string with the nail of your middle finger of your picking hand at the same time that you strike it with the pick. I find this method easier than using the fleshy part of my thumb because I don't have to re-postion my pick and the angle of my hand. I've always been puzzled as to why guitar teachers do not teach this as an alternate method, as it is just as effective.

[@rayross997]

Hell Ya! Marty that was sweet as molasses, but where's your cheap sunglasses?

[@MaskSwabe]

Ray Ross ha ha.. awesome comment ;) love ZZ... particularly the earlier stuff which was the best!!

[@BB2446]

Thanks Marty. This video lesson, like ALL of yours, ARE easy to follow, and helpful. Learning The Blues from you.!!!

[@chlduiowks]

Thank you Marty. A rare perfect match of the person one is with the work they do.

[@Creatic58]

2:34 You get the meat... *Pause* From your thumb!

[@Dorian2ification]

Good lesson there Marty. Choking up and down on a pick for different sounds could be a lesson in itself, not just for pinch harmonics. A good example that I like to use is choking up when playing acoustic to get that thumb just brushing the strings with the pick in the lead. Get a pretty warm sound that way with varying amounts of bite from the pick. But I digress. I tend to take pinch harmonics for granted after playing for so long haha.

[@JustinHaglerMusic]

Very good way for you to play pinch harmonics!

[@ivancat1891]

Thanks Marty. Once again you never disappoint. This is by far the best video for teaching pinch harmonics.

[@ludweeg_frfr]

00:01 that's how good Marty is he plays billy gibbons style harmonics while sleeping

[@bacontrees]

I love doing pinch harmonics! Nice video!

[@juanpabloduarte2001]

Marty your the best teacher ever seriously....I learned how to do a fucking pinch harmonic in like less than 5 minutes thanks to you...

[@ralph0808z]

Marty Music 3:16...For Marty so loved the pinch harmonic, that he "extended" his thumb farther

[@alabamahebrew]

I play my pinch harmonics a little differently, it's kind of hard to explain but I shall try lol. I choke up a little on the pick and then I sort of like more use the edge of my pick and kind of slide it back on the string, just a tiny distance nothing crazy. Then at the end of my pick I sort of flick the pick up kind of like making an upside down comma motion - does any of that make sense? LOL I started doing that years ago and originally it was just an accident. I had never even heard the term "pinch harmonics" but of course I heard them being performed on various songs, so the day I had my "happy accident" I recognized that sound and just thought I had stumbled on how to achieve it. I have watched several people trying to teach this technique but today it was the first time your video came up which is very weird because usually if I want to learn something and you have a video on it, your video is usually the first one recommended to me. The main drawback to the my method is it doesn't always work, such as when I play Rainbow in the dark by DIO and play that C (on the A string) , sometimes I get it but most times I cannot get that every time as you are supposed to get it in order to play the song correctly.It wasn't until recently that I realized how often Ace Frehley will hit pinch harmonics during his solos, and that guy can get them while doing bends and even throwing in some great vibrato action lol.

[@Steve-ry8ot]

I can't learn nearly as good from other guitar teachers, thanks Marty!

[@finnmanning9211]

Excellent thumbnail, you brought your A game, can we get Masters of War by Bob Dylan?

[@aleksandarpap1554]

Please play ZZ Top- I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide

[@haveguitar]

Nice sounds there... among all those pinches ;) Love the finish of your LP as well. And thanks for a good video!

[@Jazz_Daddy_]

I know I'm super late at this point, but, if you do see this, thank you so so much. Before this video I couldn't get a single pinch harmonic, but an hour later, I'm crankin' up the gain and making my guitar squeal.

[@imjustnico7346]

Love the beard in the thumbnail

[@juanpabloduarte2001]

Guys best explanation for pinch harmonics for me is 3:10-3:50

[@z4p0tek]

I have looked something like five tutorials and everybody forgets to say that you need gain. This is a great tutorial anyway!

[@aayushsharma532]

I have a project submission tomorrow but learning this late at night is important

[@wajahatjamil1284]

Am following your lesson from 2 years and get great improvement in my playing

[@EliseyRodriguez]

Love your guitar As always, thanks for the lesson :)

[@oatnoid]

Excellent! Love the echo/delay at the end.

[@jschultz900]

Beware....Swartz is in the house! Love ya Marty.Great lesson man.

[@Urankar3]

Bravo Marty*********

[@isaacfinneyoutdoors411]

Marty you have pretty much taught me how to play guitar I would never have learned to play so good without your videos, Thank you so much!!!!

[@joem527]

Marty talking about tips and skin Hot.

[@garytrent1]

Great lesson . I love all your lessons. You are the best instructor. You make learning guitar easy. Thanks

[@randyricks5478]

Marty really like how you present lessons keep them coming. It has really helped me big time

[@loganocchionero6621]

I find that a really good way to do it is to choke the pick like he said, and then rotate your wrist a little bit and let the side of your thumb very lightly slide across the string.

[@eknathsravanam3967]

I'mma go home, throw my bag away and grab my guitar.... It's been 2 days since I've actually practiced.... Damn....

[@sebzillax]

Can't say i'm not disappointed that you didn't wear the majestic beard like in the thumbnail

[@romendeep833]

I hit my first pinch harmonic because of this music man right here. Rock on marty

[@mrguitarguy284]

The thumbnail man, you just can't not click on it when you see it

[@curtmanners1182]

OK, I see now. You get the string bent, then run up and down it at the pickups to get that "La Grange" sound. Thanks, Pal, as always.

[@joebobjinglebutt4757]

Hey Marty, I'd like to make a request for 2 lessons that I never see on any guitar lesson websites or youtube channels. If you could do Highway Song and Left Turn on a Red Light by Blackfoot, that would be awesome! Southern fried ROCK!!!!!! Anything else by Blackfoot like Wishing Well, Fox Chase, or Hard to Handle would be awesome too! Those guys are so under appreciated!

[@lincolnjohnson6511]

Hey Marty, here's a video suggestion. How about a video on overall guitar maintenance. Key tips and tricks that you've learned over the years.

[@the_Z_man]

Pinch harmonics are tricky, they can either make or break your solo depending on how well you can pop that note

[@yacobbeefham793]

Please do a you shook all night long solo also great vid thanks For all the great lessons

[@ikea_meatballs_6952]

I’m only learning this so I can finish learning “pour some sugar on me” by def leppard bc rocksmith says that apparently that song uses them lol

[@Auteli]

i had been practicing these for several months with no real progress until the other day it kinda just happened and all of a sudden the only sound coming out of my guitar was a loud scream for several hours because i was so happy to have gotten it right lol

[@jollyboyspecial]

I always find pinch harmonics come a lot easier with lighter strings. Billy Gibbons plays with very light strings, eights and even sevens (!) which might explain a lot.

[@billshred7301]

waaAHH waaAHH WAh Wah woO WAH wAHHH

[@jamesortiz5388]

Great lesson Marty! Thank you.

[@ShanySimply]

So yeah I got my guit 2 days ago, tried to do brian may’s solo and got here

[@jokermaan1]

I recently put some Billy Gibbon's Mexican Lottery 7s on a hard-tail Strat and I was getting harmonics without even trying, so maybe the thinner gauge helps!

[@martinafan64]

Is there a pinch harmonics effects pedal yet?

[@gabedecina9535]

I tried so many times to get it down for like 2 years, then I tried yesterday again and I got them so I started pinpointing what I did to achieve them, now a day later I've got them down and pretty much play them on every note. Once you get them you get such a rush.

[@FilippaArendt]

Nice, this is what I practice at the moment. Pinch harmonics :D

[@barriesansom2070]

thanks Marty! enjoy all your vids

[@shawnjbray]

Great lesson. Thanks man

[@jeffgordon8346]

Gary Richrath of REO, and Zack Wylde of Ozzy get some great harmonics. I remember reading an interview where Gary said two of his bigger influences were Jeff Beck and Billy Gibons.

[@carlhatfield7415]

Hey there Marty....great stuff...I love your tutorials....I would so love to see one on Inbetween Days by the Cure! whenever you are ready ;) Cheers...thanks again :)

[@pizzaman1973]

thank you so much..perfect explanation in relation to picking with my thumb.

[@chairmankaga101]

I’ve watched five videos on how to play pinch harmonics and have seen five different techniques. This is the only one that works consistently for me, though! Maybe I just have fat thumbs from playing bass too long.

[@shaneneilstocker892]

That's some good tips Marty, big ups!

[@bigjgoesgaming5894]

Great video! Thanks for the upload!

[@RockHardRiffs]

Really diggin' that beard!!

[@rajmadhab]

where were you??? I didn't see you in a while.. new look is really good..

[@bobbyg3269]

Is this what Clapton is doing in Bell bottom blues?

[@Patschannelspicychannel]

Well I'm really glad 5 minutes of this 5:57 minute video was you showing off that you can do it...really great teaching

[@lemonateyy2974]

1:56 DUDE STOP THE GUITAR IS CRYING

[@JohnHWelch63]

I have a request. Would you do a lesson on how to skip all the lessons and just play as good as you do immediately?

[@dillonspears8104]

Marty ...love your vids they have really helped to improve my playing ..just wondering if and when you will be doing another guitar giveaway

[@Kamsworg]

Anytime a video has Billy Gibbons involved in the title, I HAVE TO WATCH IT!!!!

[@rayross997]

The beard brings 'em here!

[@jorgecastillo8982]

Now i gotta learn the c minor pentatonic scale

[@mistrp3492]

Marty, great video as always. Could you do a lesson on Rough Boy, ZZ Top? Thx, MWP

[@lindarice230]

Always great stuff

[@eddiemaiden2698]

There's really no true way of doing it. Just practice and try over and over again and one day you'll just "get" it and be able to do it as you like on every string.

[@lord_beethoven1169]

It feels much easier to do without a pick. Luckily I have a more natural picking feel without picks anyway. 😄

[@hyronvalkinson1749]

How do you even accomplish that? I prefer thumb too

[@lord_beethoven1169]

Hyron Valkinson I just do it with my thumb and index finger pinched together. It even makes it easier to do those classical guitar plucks with the other fingers. Edit: the guitar was not meant to be played with a pick; but everybody has their preference and I’ll leave it there.

[@ivanmartinez815]

Thanks Marty