[carol m]

I've been trying to do vibratos, and watching how other guitarists do it. In Kirk's vibrato link he says its a wrist thing and I find that's getting better with practice, but often you see people use their fingers pushing and pulling across the fretboard. Is this the best/only way to do vibrato if its a chord involved?

Mostly I've seen it done when the fingers are above fret 8 or so, is this the reason why they do it in that way? I like the idea I read somewhere that the hand/wrist action is like opening a jar and that helps, but how can you do that if you are fretting more than one note - you can't really pivot then - well at least I can't. Any helpful tips would be appreciated. Thanks.

[allthumbs]

I am not sure what you are describing Carol. I have never played a whole chord to get vibrato except a simple one finger across 3 or 4 strings. I use a whammy bar for chord shimmers. Considering you have to lock down the index finger in a barre chord, it makes vibrato with all the other fingers difficult because of the restricted movement.

[solidwalnut]

Hi Carol--

I think there's more than one way to approach vibrato. Maybe you could give a couple of examples of where you want it in your playing?

I guess the only other tips I can give is that there is two basic types of vibrato, and then variations there of. The first one is where you actually move the hand and not the wrist. Move the hand back and forth, left and right while you keep a stiff wrist.

The physics are that while your finger is on the string in the fret, by moving the hand you are really slightly moving the finger/string contact point while raising and lowering the pitch of the note.

The other basic type is the wrist shaking kind, where you're actually raising the pitch of the string(s) by bending them past the normal pitch of the fret and then back again.

As far as if there's a chord involved, I can do it via method 1, but it's pretty tough. I usually do method 1 with two or three strings max.

[solidwalnut]

Carol--

I forgot to mention a third basic type. This might help out. It's the type I use on the acoustic, mostly (I typed the first response at work this morning and it didn't come to mind!).

The type is a cousin to the wrist shake one. But instead of the finger and hand remaining steadfast while shaking the wrist, the hand and wrist remain steadfast while shaking the finger.

Start slow and you'll feel/hear the effect. Pick any note on the B or E string in any fret using any finger. Play the note, and now put slightly more pressure on the string and pull it down slightly and then release it (keep it fretted). Increase the speed. You can use this to great effect. Hope this helps.

Steve

[igorynka]

I'll dig this topic up.

I've been playing electric guitar for nearly 3 months which is "eyeblink" and surely this is main reason that I've got problems with vibrato, but I'll give it a try. I must add that I'm playing on a "clean" electric guitar (without any amplifiers or effects) - just the guitar.

If I understand well, vibrato is a "smaller size" of bending - quick, short bends up and down. But it doesn't work for me. I can't hear any "vibrating" sounds, just single sound. Is this possible that the reason of my problem is caused by lack of amplifier? It's quite naive, but will vibrato be louder, more audible, when I'll try it with an amp?

Thanks in advance

[solidwalnut]

Originally Posted by igorynka

I'll dig this topic up.

I've been playing electric guitar for nearly 3 months which is "eyeblink" and surely this is main reason that I've got problems with vibrato, but I'll give it a try. I must add that I'm playing on a "clean" electric guitar (without any amplifiers or effects) - just the guitar.

If I understand well, vibrato is a "smaller size" of bending - quick, short bends up and down. But it doesn't work for me. I can't hear any "vibrating" sounds, just single sound. Is this possible that the reason of my problem is caused by lack of amplifier? It's quite naive, but will vibrato be louder, more audible, when I'll try it with an amp?

Thanks in advance

Hi igorynka--

Here's a basic video on the topic I have. It's not really a video on vibrato techniques, but it gives a visual on a couple of different types. I hope it gives you some ideas. Lead Guitar Techniques -- Straight, Vibrato and Slide.

[fireblade]

It's a posh name for wobbling your strings up & down in small bends so it sounds nice. like bending, it's much easier if you use as many fingers as you can to bend the string. Gives more control & doesnt hurt your fingers so much!!

[fireblade]

BTW its easier to bend the strings away from the nut, hence around the 8-16th frets is the easiest place to play vibrato.

[Noodler]

Originally Posted by fireblade

BTW its easier to bend the strings away from the nut, hence around the 8-16th frets is the easiest place to play vibrato.

That's so true for chords.

There is another type of vibrato I am trying to learn which is with the fingers, hand and wrist all fixed and shaking the note using the forearm with the thumb not touching the guitar. It's a blues thing (Clapton, et al). You're using the weight of the guitar to do it. Much easier standing up, but it sounds great. The whole guitar shakes.

I think it's worth poiniting out like Walnut said, that it depends on what you want to play. eg if you want to do the Angus Young vibrato, or BB Kings, expect to spend some time on it. It's about imitating if you're doing covers. How deep, fast, etc do they do it? You'll usually see vibrato along the string in classical guitar and acoustically.

As for shaking chords, depending on the chord, it can require lots of strength, so it might be difficult for a while.

What is your goal with it? Style, songs, etc.

[igorynka]

thank You guys for replies.

At the moment I have to hurry in order to not to be late at work. But I promise I'll check it out today evening.

[thodwris]

Another very interesting thread Carol,thank you for this!The best of luck with your practice,I hope you soon will nail this tecknique!!Be always well...

Solidwalnut,great tips and video!I have a question for you.In my mind things stand like this.When you bend a note but do it rapidly(as you do it in the video)the tecknique is no longer called bending but vibrato.Am I right?The same thing happens when you slide a note back and forth,it is no longer called sliding but vibrato,am I right?So basically all teckniques have a tendancy to relate to one another like hammer-on's and pull-off's relate to tapping...Noodling around with the guitar,I tried to slide whole chords and now I can see that it is possible,this is great!!...Please answer to my question,I am very curious to see if I am on the right track.Being still a beginner,I don't want to make my own assumptions and understand things wrong...Be always well...

Dave,what you say is a tecknique that others have used before Clapton.I think it is quite difficult especially for a beginner.I know I wouldn't try this,not yet at least.Thank you for bringing it up though.Be always well...

All the best,
Theo

[igorynka]

solidwalnut - thanks for video. I've already seen through vast majority of Your lessons (bending/vibrato lesson as well) but it cannot help me all free lessons videos (not only Yours) are skipping/jumping on my computer a little bit (this is surely caused by my old-fashioned pc) therefore I cannot see how EXACTLY you play vibrato. Anyway - thanks a lot for lessons

solidwalnut - You wrote earlier:

Pick any note on the B or E string in any fret using any finger. Play the note, and now put slightly more pressure on the string and pull it down slightly and then release it (keep it fretted). Increase the speed. You can use this to great effect. Hope this helps.

and that's the point!! When I try to do this, my so-called "vibrato" is really vibrating! (in other words - doing vibrato by this method is definitely better for me than the quick-short bendings)

fireblade and Noodler- thanks a lot for Your always welcomed advices. As Theo wrote - I am not ready for "Clapton-vibratos" yet although I'm not excluding trying it in near or rather far future

thodwris - You wrote:

The best of luck with your practice,I hope you soon will nail this tecknique!

Thank You very much and I hope so as well

edit: in addition - my favourite guitar player is David Gilmour from Pink Floyd, and if I had to choose - I would like to play like Gilmour

[Ian McAllister]

Not to blow my own trumpet, because I play guitar, but I have a pretty good vibrato. I learned it from a blues player, and it definitely is a wrist thing.
Should you care to look, I do a lot of it on 'Kenny', a collab with X4StringDrive, which you can find here:
YouTube - Kenny
Playing electric guitar without a decent vibrato is like eating eggs without salt. Mr Gilmour knows where the salt is.
Ian

[Noodler]

That was awesome Mr McAllister. You can blow your own trumpet whenever you like man, I really enjoyed that.

[starsailor]

WOW You're the man Ian, blow your own trumpet whenever, that was brilliant, more, more