Vibrato - How???

[Two hands31]

Hi,

I've been playing guitar for about three years now and have always had trouble with vibrato. *I can do it, but I'm not sure if it's right. *It doesn't sound quite as wide as I'd like and I'd like it to sound more emotional, and be able to control the sound I get. *Anyone have any tips?

[carlos seo]

Well, practicing bends helps a lot. Also, the most efficient way to build your vibrato skills is to practice it for several hours, in different neck positions (I used to practice vibratos about 3 hours a day when I was in high school). Short and slow, wide and fast, any kind of vibratos ("rock" vibrato, classical vibrato and the killer circular vibrato).

One funny thing... I had a hard time with circular vibratos. I only get the technique right when I learned "For The Love Of God", watching Steve playing it on G3 DVD.

[gitarguy]

Carlos is right, the only way to get good vibrato is to practice it. I used to sit in my room for hours and try and nail Yngwies vibrato (one of the best IMHO) talk about make all the difference, now I can vibrate with the best of them :biggrin:


(Edited by gitarguy at 12:38 am on May 9, 2001)

[carlos seo]

Some guys that worth look at their vibrato technique:

- Steve Vai (circular vibrato)
- Stevie Ray Vaughan (rock vibrato -- wide, fast and muscular)
- John Williams (classical vibrato)
- Yngwie Malmsteen (one of the best)
- Eric Clapton
- Ritchie Blackmore
- BB King (the most emotional vibrato in my opinion)

(Edited by carlos seo at 12:46 am on May 9, 2001)

[yuza]

You want to see the best classical vibrato in this earth? Check out David Russell! Nothing is like its...

[Two hands31]

Does anyone have pictures of what these vibratos look like? *Cuz it's not really the amount of practice (I do lot's of that) it's just the technique of how to do the different types. *I sort of do a violin-y thing, if anyones ever seen a violinist doing vibrato. *And it works, but sounds not quite right. *It's cool, and I'd still use it, but I want more variety. *

[jemsite]

if you do a web search, you could probably find some detailed articles on vibrato. Video footage would be most helpful. Just remember the 'classical' vibrato is side-side (fret to fret) horizonally across the fretboard which allows the string to pull sharp and push flat. Easy to do with nylon strings, but IMHO that's not really happening on a floating tremolo.

Few tips when practicing vibrato:
* keep the width constant. pull it equally as sharp in both directions
* account for tremolo flattening when you bend the string
* have the vibrato flow from the last note and into the next note... seamlessly
* practice all over the fretboard.
* practice with different fingerings.

I know when i began working on vibrato these were the trouble spots, along with gripping the string itself cleanly. The only thing worse than no vibrato is a bad vibrato. *Good luck... glen

[Josh Blagg]

Buy some videos if you are interesting in "seeing the technique." *I have Eric Johnson's instructional vids and he talks about how he has patterned his vibrato after Clapton, who, in my opinion, has the best electric guitar vibrato. *Find the ones you like, and watch them play. *Practicing it for a long time is the only way to get better.

[Jeroenn]

I've tried very hard to get that circular vibrato under my belt, but it just won't work.

It's so difficult.

[carlos seo]

The circular vibrato is real tricky in the beginning. Start practcing it really slow and short and then, go increasing it to a wider and faster vibrato.

[Two hands31]

Can anyone post step by step pictures of how to do a few different vibratos? *Especially the circular?

[carlos seo]

It won't be easy to learn these by viewing pictures. Better ask if someone has a webcam and record a mini-avi or mpg showing the techniques.

[Christopher Chen]

I'm not so sure about the circular vibrato, in essence it's suppose to create a balance between the rock vibrato (up and down) and the classical vibrato (side to side), but the sound to me still sounds the same when I do it with the rock vibrato.

But I have to agree the circular vibrato works well when playing eastern sounding stuff where changes in pitches are very nice.

Chris.

[Two hands31]

Well, I've established that I can do the classical vibrato, and I'm working on the other two. *Thank for the help everyone!

[yuza]

IMO classical vibrato works very well on electric guitar too...