Squeaking of guitar strings

Question

I've noticed squeaking of guitar strings in the songs of some of the artists I listened to, and had thought it was a mistake (and very odd that it made its way into the studio recordings) but recently listening to one track (only 15 seconds are needed to be listened to) it seems like it has to be intentional for the amount it's used, also the performer seems to vary between periods of squeaking and not squeaking.

Why do performers squeak the strings/what is supposed to be accomplished by this? Is this a widely held practice? Where did it originate?

Answer 1

No - it's not intentional as such, it just happens - but keeping it in the recording is a deliberate decision.

Guitar strings will squeak to a greater or lesser degree. Nylon ones can be very squeaky, and round-wound strings also squeak. Whether or not it comes through in a recording depends on type and placement of pickups or microphones, how the player presses the strings when moving frets and so on.

In the sample clip you link to, the microphone picks up all noises from the wound strings, so every time a barre chord is played and then slid to another position, the barre squeaks.

It's normal. Even on electric guitar, although typically the pickups will get less squeak than a close mic'ed acoustic guitar will.