Bending With Vibrato Options

[Lester]

Hello Everyone,

Since I didn't know wich instructor to approach, Í thought: 'I might as well post it here!"
To the point:
I've got some problems with bending and vibrato, so I would like to hear some tips & tricks from anyone really.
Even very slow I can't seem to get a decent vibrato on it.
Any help welcome!!

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This post has been edited by Lester: Nov 18 2008, 10:10 PM

[kjutte]

Hello Everyone,

Since I didn't know wich instructor to approach, Í thought: 'I might as well post it here!"
To the point:
I've got some problems with bending and vibrato, so I would like to hear some tips & tricks from anyone really.
Even very slow I can't seem to get a decent vibrato on it.
Any help welcome!!

Everyone comes to a point where they really gotta focus on vibrato. (Hopefully...)

A powerful vibrato is indeed needed to induce feel into your playing.
Personally I practised really wide vibratos unplugged while watching TV etc,
but don't get unpatient, it takes alot of time to get agood vibrato.

Look at examples like lavendell and especially Zsolt galambos. His vibrato is one of the strongest I've ever heard.

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This post has been edited by kjutte: Nov 18 2008, 10:15 PM

[Lester]

Everyone comes to a point where they really gotta focus on vibrato. (Hopefully...)

A powerful vibrato is indeed needed to induce feel into your playing.
Personally I practised really wide vibratos unplugged while watching TV etc,
but don't get unpatient, it takes alot of time to get agood vibrato.

Look at examples like lavendell and especially Zsolt galambos. His vibrato is one of the strongest I've ever heard.

Thank you for the reply Kjutte,
I am practicing for pretty long on vibrato now, I'm pretty satisfied with it and still developing
but the problem is doing vibrato while bending a string, I can't seem to do it...

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This post has been edited by Lester: Nov 18 2008, 10:19 PM

[kjutte]

Thank you for the reply Kjutte,
I am practicing for pretty long on vibrato now, I'm pretty satisfied with it and still developing
but rhe problem is doing vibrato while bending a strin, I can't seem to do it...

It's ALLLLLL about muscles, that's why I told you to do it by the TV etc, as it is boring.
You gotta do the widest possible vibratos, at controlled speed. faster and faster once you build the strength.

When you can do a unbent wide vibrato in a controlled fasion, start practising bending and vibrato.
It's tough, but you'll get there if you set your mind to it.

Again, it's ALL about muscles.

Edit:
And try to get strong with all your fingers.
The index finger is the worst one to build vibrato in.

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This post has been edited by kjutte: Nov 18 2008, 10:25 PM

[MickeM]

the problem is doing vibrato while bending a string, I can't seem to do it...

I suggest you first bend to the note, hold for a fraction of a section just to make it solid so it sounds it's correct pitch or else it may sound sloppy. Then from that point you add vibrato, support the string with a couple of fingers if you like to make it real steady.
Start slow and increase when you get the hang of it.

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[Lester]

It's ALLLLLL about muscles, that's why I told you to do it by the TV etc, as it is boring.
You gotta do the widest possible vibratos, at controlled speed. faster and faster once you build the strength.

When you can do a unbent wide vibrato in a controlled fasion, start practising bending and vibrato.
It's tough, but you'll get there if you set your mind to it.

Again, it's ALL about muscles.

Edit:
And try to get strong with all your fingers.
The index finger is the worst one to build vibrato in.

Thanks Kjutte,

That's really helpfull, I'll work on those muscles
And my index finger? I don't even want to think about it.

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[berko]

Hi!

Bending&vibrato can be a little difficult at first, but if it's true that you are quite familiar with vibrato already (only without bending), then it's going to be much easier.

It's a bit difficult because if you consider vibrato as a sequence of fast bends following each other, then bending+vibrato is like a multiple of bend over a bend.

You have to develop muscle for that too (as kjutte said). It's important that you do not do it only with your fingers. Rather, use your wrist AND your elbow too. Eventually the movements at these two spots on your hand will get balanced. It may seem easier, but you should not overuse the elbow movements.

A vibrato is confident and professional only when these fast bends are even and in pitch.

Kris has a wonderful video on vibrato at ugtv.com. Just type "vibrato" in the search bar and you'll find it. Too bad I came across it so late.

hope this helped. practice hard and rock on

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[kjutte]

Thanks Kjutte,

That's really helpfull, I'll work on those muscles
And my index finger? I don't even want to think about it.

It's really hard. make sure you practise this equally from the start, or you'll be like me, pretty good vibrato other than index finger. Working on it though

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[Lester]

I suggest you first bend to the note, hold for a fraction of a section just to make it solid so it sounds it's correct pitch or else it may sound sloppy. Then from that point you add vibrato, support the string with a couple of fingers if you like to make it real steady.
Start slow and increase when you get the hang of it.

Thanks for the reply, much appreciated.

I'll try that way to build a vibrato too, some different ways can't hurt i guess

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[kjutte]

Hi!

Bending&vibrato can be a little difficult at first, but if it's true that you are quite familiar with vibrato already (only without bending), then it's going to be much easier.

It's a bit difficult because if you consider vibrato as a sequence of fast bends following each other, then bending+vibrato is like a multiple of bend over a bend.

You have to develop muscle for that too (as kjutte said). It's important that you do not do it only with your fingers. Rather, use your wrist AND your elbow too. Eventually the movements at these two spots on your hand will get balanced. It may seem easier, but you should not overuse the elbow movements.

A vibrato is confident and professional only when these fast bends are even and in pitch.

Kris has a wonderful video on vibrato at ugtv.com. Just type "vibrato" in the search bar and you'll find it. Too bad I came across it so late.

hope this helped. practice hard and rock on

Great point on the wrist thing. I forgot to mention that. Only the fingers should do the job, nothing else.

And really, check your countryman's vibrato, Zsolt Galambos. It's the craziest I've heard!

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This post has been edited by kjutte: Nov 18 2008, 10:34 PM

[Lester]

Thanks Guys, I'll work on it.

It's surely helpfull, Thanks a lot again!

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[Ivan Milenkovic]

I've done some bending/vibrato response on this topic on my board. Maybe you will find it useful mate. Cheers

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[berko]

Great point on the wrist thing. I forgot to mention that. Only the fingers should do the job, nothing else.

And really, check your countryman's vibrato, Zsolt Galambos. It's the craziest I've heard!

Being well aware of many great vibrato examples in guitar music from Marty Friedman to Zsolt I still have to say that using actually the whole arm for a vibrato (when bent) is a good approach. Ofc, one shouldn't end up tugging the neck up n down, you would never do that either. One wouldn't even realize, but the muscles of the whole lower arm are working there.

Surely vibrato is one of the most important techniques of all - if not the most.

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[Lester]

Thanks Ivan and Berko.

Your help is much appreciated!

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[Ramiro Delforte]

For me it's all about forearm and could be a little wrist . After bending the string to have to a movement like a semicircle and bring your palm against you and then go to the other way. That movement is going to make de vibrato work pretty well after you've done the bending.

I hope that was useful.

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[Lester]

For me it's all about forearm and could be a little wrist . After bending the string to have to a movement like a semicircle and bring your palm against you and then go to the other way. That movement is going to make de vibrato work pretty well after you've done the bending.

I hope that was useful.

It is usefull!!

Thanks Ramiro

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[fkalich]

For me it's all about forearm and could be a little wrist . After bending the string to have to a movement like a semicircle and bring your palm against you and then go to the other way. That movement is going to make de vibrato work pretty well after you've done the bending.

I hope that was useful.

same here. mostly forearm, a little wrist. I have to take peek at your videos and see your vibrato. Yes, I see. You hve some nice lessons.

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This post has been edited by fkalich: Nov 19 2008, 08:06 AM

[Ian Bushell]

I would also say forearm and wrist is where the secret lies.
Also try adding more fingers from your left hand to add strength to the muscles in your bend and vibrato.
Kind of like adding more horse power:)

But it's something that will develop with you as you grow as a player, Just practice man.
Cool thing is everyone's vibrato is unique to them. Even if it does sound similar to another player.

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[kjutte]

I would also say forearm and wrist is where the secret lies.
Also try adding more fingers from your left hand to add strength to the muscles in your bend and vibrato.
Kind of like adding more horse power:)

But it's something that will develop with you as you grow as a player, Just practice man.
Cool thing is everyone's vibrato is unique to them. Even if it does sound similar to another player.

I don't use my fore arm at all anymore, because I trained the fingers enough. I think it's adviceable, as you need alot less strain. and can pull it off no matter which fret it is, which will be hard if you gotta position your arm toward gravity.

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[Jose Mena]

I had the same problem, and this was due to lack of practice, I had a few years of playing maybe 3, and I noticed that I could shred but my vibrato sucked. Time to go back to basics, I went back to the old slash solos, and focused on the vibrato, but felt it wasn't getting any better. So I did something a little stupid maybe, but it worked.

I changed the gauge of my strings, I used to play 0.09 and switched to 0.10 and started practicing like that, the I went back and guess what, my vibrato could be wide and agressive on 0.09, however got so used to 0.10 that eventually I went back to 0.10 and was able to do vibrato still, I guess it was a way of gradually developing it.

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