Tremolo Bridge technique, or whatever it is....

[anarkhos]

Hi everyone, i have recently developed interest in using my floyd rose after hearing and watching van halen doing the job. I can screw around a bit with it but feels like i dont know what the heck im doing with it so i started searching for some book or whatever i could find so i could get some kind of instructions or tips or any kind of info about using this on guitar playing, but i found nothing. Do you guys know about any guide or something that teaches something about it, i wanna dominate this baby but just dont know where to start :dunno:

[Hellbat]

Find a copy of the Ozzy "Speak of the Devil" show with Brad Gillis and watch what he does. Or any Dime footage. Thats the best way to learn to use one is watch what people are doing to get the sounds.

[xenophobe]

+1

I'll say it before, and I'll say it again.

Randy Rhoads is the reason I first picked up a guitar. Brad Gillis is the reason I wanted a Floyd Rose.

[SausageofPower]

The only video I recall, speaking of instructional footage of course, that had a "bar technique" segment was George Lynch's Guitar Bible. I don't recall if it was that great, but I think it's on YouTube if you wanna go looking. It's a decent video overall, in my opinion. George back in his prime showing some of his skills.

[anarkhos]

thanks for your replies guys ill check that out, hellbat reply gave me another idea too, to get the troy stetina book about ozzy.

[VitaminG]

Look for YouTube lessons of solos that feature whammy. The good ones will discuss the whammy techniques employed while they talk you through the licks used.

I was recently watching a Michael Caswell instructional on Vai's For The Love Of God (in 9(!) parts) and he did just that - explained how Vai scoops into notes in the second verse, uses whammy vibrato, demonstrates the flutters that he plays later in the song by flicking off the end of the bar, stuff like that.

[Hellbat]

Yeah, I totally should have mentioned Steve to check out as well.

The bonus is there are lots of vids on the tube of Steve performing it live to check out too. The first time I heard those flutters it gave me chills. Not just because of the technique but how perfectly it fit in the song.

[horns666]

Did you know Steve Vai once took a bubblebath with Brad Gillis..?

[VitaminG]

that's so hawt

[horns666]

Gary, I've been thinkin' of gayness. ALOT!!! Are you open to breaking our man hymens, or hymans..if you will.

[micha]

What's up with you and bubblebaths anyway?
Seems to be quite a constant in your life, isn't it?

[horns666]

We are one with the world during bubblebaths. The water is hot, bubbles all sudsy..our genitals vunerbale..floating in suds.

My wife has a blow tub..a whirpool. I'm going in it now. I'm going to point all the jets towards my ass and junk! I'm gonna look like a naked Santa Clause..trying to suck his candy cane.

[VitaminG]

A comedian on Mock The Week said the other night:

"I have my own private jet. Of course, mum owns the rest of the jacuzzi."

[micha]

alright, what's not to like about bubblebaths?!
I have one myself, but rarely use it I have to admit.
I take a couple of minutes for a shower in the morning (sleep is priority No1 here), in the evening I'm usually too lazy, not that having a bath would be lots of work...


anyway back on topic:
I'd try some Laiho as well. I don't think he's a great instructor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkFE10Bp_gE

and his playing is often so so in these vids, but he actually does know how to use his trem very well IMO.
Listen to some Sinergy for example the solo (around 3:00) of this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLLLkuV0qq8&feature=related

he combines different techniques and whammy tricks fluid(ly?) and the result is pretty tasteful.
At least I think so.

I especially like it when he let's the trem just swing (end of vid one/3:31 and about 3:50 second link), sounds really cool IMO.
Doesn't work all that well if you use as many spring as I do for example, but a cool sound none the less once in a while.
I often do harmonic dive bombs and pull ups as well. Doing so feels really evil...

[KevinDguitar]

A good place to start is trying to hit specific intervals using the bar to bend both up and down.. play a bend with your hands and then try to reproduce it using the bar.. half step, whole step, 1 1/2 steps etc.. try playing melodies using the bar in exchange for picking a note.. attack the note with bar dips, etc.. also working on your bar vibrato to make it the same as your finger vibrato.. most will push down on the bar first and then vibrato.. which causes the note to start flat.. NOT how your finger vibrato works.. try starting bar lightly going sharp and experiment from there for starters.