Vibrato Technique

[darkshadow54321]

I find it hard to do vibrato on the little e string since the string keeps slipping off the fretboard when I do it...

Is it a matter of just finding a way that works and practicing it, or is there a sort of rule?

 

[Dime59hum]

Re: Vibrato Technique

Vibrato upwards, pull the string towards your face and work on it.

 

[Lee]

Re: Vibrato Technique

Most of us do 'upwards' vibrato. Place the main 3 fingers on the fretboard, lift your thumb off the neck, and vibrate the strings upwards and allow them to come down again. Don't make the movement 'downwards'.


Lee

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Vibrato Technique

Takes strength and practice and good taste, but like Carlos Santana says, a player's vibrato is like his face.

I've worked alot on my vibrato as I almost cut off my ring finger years ago and have limited feeling in it...I lost my ability to play a nice smooth soulful vibrato with that finger for several years and like Django, started using my first two fingers alot more.

Listen to how violinists use vibrato. They sound the note and then add the vibrato. Don't just fret the note and start shaking it...that can sound really nervous. Take your time and make it soulful.

Use as many fingers as you can...not just one. That'll give you added strength.

If you keep slipping off the string, maybe you need higher frets or lighter strings...or just alot more practice.

Lew

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Vibrato Technique

Watch the way B.B. King does it. It seems he doesn't even move the
string? He applies pressure to string and shakes his wrist . I guess the
vibrato is from the kinetic energy of his wrist moving? What ever way
he does it, It's amazing!!

 

[Humphrey Bear]

Re: Vibrato Technique

A scalloped fretboard. That will allow you to do some mean vibrato.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Vibrato Technique

Watch the way B.B. King does it. It seems he doesn't even move the
string? He applies pressure to string and shakes his wrist . I guess the
vibrato is from the kinetic energy of his wrist moving? What ever way
he does it, It's amazing!!

BB King doesn't bend strings much. He pretty much lands on the fret and does his butterfly thing. My favorite vibrato in the world tho. BB is...king! Lew

 

[kmcguitars]

Re: Vibrato Technique

BB King doesn't bend strings much. He pretty much lands on the fret and does his butterfly thing. My favorite vibrato in the world tho. BB is...king! Lew

B.B. style is world class !! After 25 years of playing I'd say I got his style
down pretty good. The elusive vibrato is the slower shutle style that
Albert King used?? SRV had it nailed. It's true your vibrato is like you face.
Jerry Garcia could hit one note, And ya know it's him.

 

[Norman_T]

Re: Vibrato Technique

The other possibility is that your string may be incorrectly sitting too close to the neck when you try and do it. Firstly check whether or not that the strings are equal against the fretboard, if they are not then re-site the saddle/bridge and see if this makes a difference. If it still happens then the possibility is that you may have to have a new nut fitted and properly set up. This particular problem arose on one of my guitars and since having the nut replaced the problem has gone.

If it is to do with technique then there are two typical types of vibrato - the classical and the blues.The classical vibrato involves moving up and down on the note and the blues vibrato involves a side to side movement of the note. Both involve wrist movements to generate the vibrato that is needed.

 

[Guitarist]

Re: Vibrato Technique

Just bend upwards and work from there, and you'll be OK!

 

[some_dude]

Re: Vibrato Technique

BB King doesn't bend strings much. He pretty much lands on the fret and does his butterfly thing. My favorite vibrato in the world tho. BB is...king! Lew

Can you explain the butterfly thing?

I generally vibrato with just finger movement, but my new guitar instructor uses his whole arm and doesn't hold the neck, so I've been working on that methode as well as it sounds different. Good for when you want your vibrato to sound huge.

I've also been working on vibrato by squezing the string on the fret (extra jumbo frets). I find it's much more subtle that the other methods, but it doesn't sustain as long (which can be good or bad, depending on your needs).

 

[presa_tito]

Re: Vibrato Technique

doing a vibrato with just your fingers moving is very poor technique. You need to not so much use your arm, but just swivel your wrist back and forth. No finger movement is necessary. It all comes from the wrist. Kind of like shaking it.

 

[Jeff5]

Re: Vibrato Technique

Vibrato is really a persona/feel type of technique. I usually use my whole wrist and even arm sometimes, depending on what type of vibrato I'm going for. When I use my ring finger, I'm using the middle finger and my index mostly to help me vibrato. Same if I use my pinky. But if I use my middle I usually just use that. Its weird, and like I said kind of personal. When you bend, USE ALL YOUR FINGERS! So if your bending up, or down, with your pinky, your using all four, with your ring, using all 3. It drives me nuts to see someone bend with just their ring etc., not a great technique. Or at least not great to me!

Watch and listen to some great vibratos. Stevie Ray's was terrific imo. Don't just listen to him though, watch how he does it. BB king too. Another really famous and great virbrato is Leslie West from Mountain. Again, I think with all these guys you should try to see how they're doing it as well as listen to it. To me, a good vibrato is the sign of a really good an polished player.