Couple of Questions

These may be a couple of stupid questions but I just need to know.

First of all, I'm a little confused about bends. I kinda knows what it means to bend the string, I'm just don't know what it means to bend a full step or to bend a half step. If anyone can shed some light on this for me that would be greatly appreciated.

Second of all, I dont know what pinch harmonics or harmonics are. Like when i read a tab and it tells me to use pinch harmonics on a fret I dont know what they are talking about. Here is one example of what im talking about. Ths is from BYOB from System of a Down.
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0-0-0--0--0-5-7-8-7-5-3-5-3-2---3ph--|
-0-0-0--0--0-5-7-8-7-5-3-5-3-2--------|
-0-0-0--0--0-5-7-8-7-5-3-5-3-2--------|

The ph they have after the three is the thing I dont understand. I need to know how to do harmonics and pinch harmonics. Please help me!!! :eek:

No such thing as stupid questions, just stupid people :p (another member's saying) A half bend is bending the note so it sounds like the very next fret up. A full step is bending a note so it soulds like 2 frets up. So you would bend a 9halfstep, it should sound like a 10. Full bend the 9 and it should sound like the 11th. AS for pinch harmonics: http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13581&highlight=pinch+harmonics

Originally Posted by: elklandercc...So you would bend a 9halfstep, it should sound like a 10. Full bend the 9 and it should sound like the 10th...

I'm assuming that's a typo...full bend would equal the 11th fret if bent from the 9th.

Yea, my bad. My dad kicks me off the computer when he gets home (family comp.) He just pulled in so I was trying to play beat the clock. Geuss I didn't win.

Originally Posted by: PowerChordWiz

The ph they have after the three is the thing I dont understand. I need to know how to do harmonics and pinch harmonics. Please help me!!! :eek:

There's two main types of harmonics. Natural and Pinched. A natural harmonic is produced (normally) by resting a finger of your fretting hand (left if you're a right handed guitarist) on the string, in line with the piece of metal between frets - you don't actually press down on the string is the key thing here. As you play the note, take your finger away from the string and the note should "sing". Best place to learn this is at the 12th fret (so the peice of metal after the 12th fret). Once you've got the technic, start trying it on different frets. Some are easier than others.

A pinched harmonic is produced by your picking hand (the right hand if you play right-handed) The fretting hand pushes down on the string as normal, but as you play the note, you have to try and catch the string with your thumb just after you've picked it....Depending on where your picking hand is, you can produce different notes.

Don't think I've explained that too well...anyone care to expand on that, (and do a better job!) Let me know if you've got any questions. If you need more help I'll try and find the lesson I used to learn about harmonics for you.

Hope that's of some use!!!