vibrato technique

Greetings,
Just joined yesterday, great site! Very well organized~
I found a single lesson on vibrato, basically covering the techniques used with some helpful instruction.
I'm looking for more in depth tutorial on this technique, despite lots of regimented efforts at times over the years, I can move strings/ fingers back and forth OK but with no real speed, no facility, or discernable progress toward that clear and even, pleasing tone.

I am looking for a drill or maybe some ideas focusing on "building" this technique ?

Thanks,

Tim

Originally Posted by: ptoolmanGreetings,
Just joined yesterday, great site! Very well organized~
I found a single lesson on vibrato, basically covering the techniques used with some helpful instruction.
I'm looking for more in depth tutorial on this technique, despite lots of regimented efforts at times over the years, I can move strings/ fingers back and forth OK but with no real speed, no facility, or discernable progress toward that clear and even, pleasing tone.

I am looking for a drill or maybe some ideas focusing on "building" this technique ?

Thanks,

Tim

I'm certain the instructors will have a bevy of good stuff to share but i think when i learned, I emulated players I liked and listened to what they played and tried to copy it. I don't know that any lesson itself will teach you good vibrato and string bending. It's something you ear and hands need to get used to because it is what makes the guitar unique from other instruments and gives it that human touch. Try to copy some Clapton, Hendrix, Buddy Guy, David Gilmour and BB King. Get videos (youtube if possible) and watch
them.

I mean, the key to good string bending is to keep it in key with the scale you're playing. Bending out of key will give a CC DeVille kind of deal and can be pretty shrill. So in addition to hearing the greats. Play the next two notes up the scale by just fretting them and then see if you can bend to them.

As for actual vibrato or 'shaking' a string. You can do it fast (a la the BB King sting) or slow and wide like a John Sykes. It's a matter of getting the 'feel' and I don't think any amount of texts and lessons can help with that. Just your ear.

Get a tuner, and when you bend the note up, recongnize where your pitch is, when releasing make sure the pitch is where it first started at.

For example, on an A note, bend up to A#, comming back to root position, wich is an A, bend back up to A# etc. make sure it is played evenly.

It took me ages to learn Vibrato

I use the side of the tip of my first finger - quite a lot of pressure - and my whole arm

To me, vibrato is a key component of expression. All the previous suggestions are great, and I can think of little to add, besides practice, practice, practice! The convenient part is, you can practice it in conjunction with everything else you practice. :)

For vibrato in general, how much and how quickly can help convey the mood you are attempting to impart. For bending, I personally find bending up from a note is a bit less tricky than bending up to a note, if that makes any sense. (For example if A is your hot note, it's easy to hit that, then bend up to a complimentary note, rather than hit the note below A, then bend up to it accurately and on beat.)

Anyway, that's the way it's working for me.

Welcome to GT.

Originally Posted by: ptoolmanI found a single lesson on vibrato, basically covering the techniques used with some helpful instruction.
[/quote]
Perhaps this one?

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=703
[QUOTE=ptoolman]
I'm looking for more in depth tutorial on this technique ...

There are two important components to building proper technique, the physical aspect and the musical aspect.

Physical - you have to slightly change your approach in order to bend properly. Normally it's best to keep your thumb in back of the neck applying opposing pressure to your fingers. But when doing bends or wide vibrato, it's better to slightly alter your hand position to "hang your thumb" over the top edge of the neck, with the base of your index finger on the other edge for counter leverage. This gives you more control.

Musical - you have to practice hitting the right pitch. Practice bending a little bit and then gradually wider. At this point you are still just trying to wiggle the string back and forth a bit, but stay centered on the original pitch. This gives that "singing" tone. It keeps the string ringing and the note happening. Next you practice changing the pitch by playing a note, then bending a lower note up to that note. Start with half-steps, move to whole steps, then one and a half steps, etc.

These tutorials show more on vibrato and bending.

http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=723
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=346
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=217
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=312
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=628
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=335
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=295
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=294
http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=475


Best of success!

Vibrato is something that is very underated with players now. Alot of them have that fast thin vibrato that sounds like a bug. Doesnt sound good. I think vibrato is one of the key componets to have if you want to be a great player.

Thank you everyone for the kind and in-depth responses!

I'm very encouraged-- wife's out of town through the weekend-- think I'll be able to give these great recommendations the time and attention they deserve.

With Gratitude~

Tim