Ben -- help me on vibrato technique -- especially w/ the index finger. Do you grab the string with the side of the index? How do you control pitch? Any exercises? Do you have lessons on this? Thanks. Tim

Hi Tim. When doing vibrato with the index finger I revert to the regular sidweays up/down type vibrato. So, regardless of the angle your finger is at when you fret the note, you can still change the angle for vibrato.

Not sure if you've seen this vid but (I'm quite sure if my memory serves me correctly) I explain these points in the video, including how to treat vibrato like a series of string bends so you can practise pitch control :

Thanks Ben. One quick last question: for some reason i typically bend up, not down - and tend to play vibrato that way. Most players, like you, seem to bend down. Does it make a difference?

I prefer bending down on all strings except B and high E because I believe it gives greater control and stability. The B & high E strings don't allow such flexability which is why guitarists tend to use an upward motion for those strings. Hope that clarifies it

Yes it does. I'll experiment. Thanks again. Best of luck with your music!