Vibrato technique

[Number Of The Priest]

I'm having trouble with my vibrato technique on the low and high E strings. My problem is that the fretboard isn't wide enough, so the E strings slip off the fretboard when the strings are bent up and down.

What do you do in a situation like this? Grab the whammy bar and flutter it smoothly?

I'm working on vibrato at Diablomozart's suggestion and it's coming along nicely, but only on the A, D, G, and B strings, where there's enough fretboard to perform the technique.

[MetalChef]

Re: Vibrato technique

Iusually just push the string upwards at the others on the high E...you have to be VERY precise.

Do it slow..then once you can do it without going off the fretboard, go faster.

I also have narrow, long fingers with smaller fingertips..so doing this sort of thing is no problem for me.

[rodrigo_echeverri]

Re: Vibrato technique

factors:

1) Guitar scale: short scale guitars (Gibson) achieve nomal tuning with less tension... that makes this problem easier to appear

2) String gauge: Thicker strings help reduce the problem

3) Tuning: Low tuning modes make the strings more flumsy and therefore easier to pull out...

4) Guitar manufacturer: I always thought Jacksons tend to do this....

[VitaminG]

Re: Vibrato technique

my natural vibrato pulls the string down, towards the floor (probably much the same as most people here), so the low E is no problem. I also always had difficulty on the high E because my normal action would pull the string down & off the neck, so it was easier to cheat and grab the bar instead. But I've been working on my vibrato the last 6-12 months, particularly on getting a nice vibrato while holding a bent note, something that has always given me trouble and which I just avoided addressing for years.

So while I was working on that, I've also worked on developing my vibrato on the high E. It was pretty simple really. I just made a conscious effort to change my action to pushing the string up instead of pulling it down when I vibratoed on that string. After a while, it becomes automatic, you can stop thinking about and just play.

[jgcable]

Re: Vibrato technique

Try working vertical vibrato (bottleneck slide is what Lynch calls it). It is featured on his RES instructional videos. It is basically vibrato that instead of bending the string you slide back and forth on it between the frets to create vibrato. It is very useful on guitars where the high E string is very close to the edge.

[Alexi7]

Re: Vibrato technique

Just pull up on the high E, it feels very good, especially when you have your action lifted a little, imo.
Cheers

[Newc]

Re: Vibrato technique

Lynch's vibrato technique is similar to Classical string vibrato, in that you are not moving the string (as JG said) but rather you are rolling the pressure point forward and backwards to sound the microtones of each note.
I've always found this technique difficult to nail all the time.

I adopted Iommi's vibrato technique, where you use either the index or ring finger only and you let go of the neck completely except for the tip of your one finger (index or middle, whichever you use) and the third knuckle of your index finger (the one where your finger joins the hand), and twist your wrist. This pushes and pulls the string slightly up and down, as well as rocks between the microtones of the note.

For the High E, you can also keep two fingers on the string - the one in front does the vibrato while the one behing it holds the string on the neck.

Newc

[edited to double-check and correct how I do it [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] ]

[ May 23, 2003, 09:21 AM: Message edited by: Newc ]

[LesPaulCustom]

Re: Vibrato technique

Priest:

I'm not that great at describing techniques, but here is a good practice tip for vibrato, which I feel is one of the hardest things to "master" on guitar. Mine is a combo between the old school guys like Clapton/Page to newer guitarists like Schon/Rhoads/Lynch.....I like to bend then add vibrato....but anywho....use a metronome at various tempos and pick target notes to compare your pitch to.......or micro tones....it works....just takes TOI (time on instrument)....and hey, guitar is a lifelong venture...you always improve....always evolve and assimilate other influences....gotta love it...
[img]graemlins/band.gif[/img]

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Vibrato technique

Whoa, thanks for all the replies!

Back when I first started learning guitar, I learned on an acoustic, and I would vibrato using that George Lynch technique you're all referring to: Fretting a note and wiggling your wrist towards the headstock and bridge in an rapid oscillatory fashion. Worked for me.

Then, when I got some electric guitars, I would naturally apply what I had learned on the acoustic, but it wasn't enough vibrato. For some reason, it doesn't shine through very well on electric. So, I started doing the bending vibrato technique which I am asking about in reference to the high and low E strings.

Vibrato is a huge part of my technique and I want to nail it on these two strings especially. I guess I could adjust my technique so that on the high E string, I am only bending upwards, and when I am on the low E string, I am only bending downwards towards the floor. But, it's just so natural to bend up and down since I learned to do it by playing Ratt's "Lay It Down" solo.

When I did my usual acoustic vibrato technique, my guitar teacher corrected me and taught me the bending method of vibrato, which works well on electric. Now, I'm just so used to this new way that I even do it on acoustic.

You do get two different types of vibrato. I guess each has its place!

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Vibrato technique

Actually, I guess there are seven ways to achieve vibrato without using a whammy pedal. Just straightforward guitar technique here.

1.) The George Lynch "classical" method.

2.) The Ratt string-bending method.

3.) Using the whammy bar or palm/lift the bridge with your hand.

4.) Grabbing the back of the neck near the headstock and physically bending the neck back and forth. Not advisable, but I do it on my beater acoustic since there's no whammy bar there to perform full-chord vibrato.

5.) If you have the locking nut unlocked, you can press the strings behind the nut (I think Tony Iommi did it) to alter the pitch.

6.) Press the strings down towards the fretboard surface (ie- fret harder and softer).

7.) Shake your guitar. Especially with a Floyd-equipped guitar, you can really pronounce this method by jumping up and down (like the neo-pop-punk bands do) as you play. Sounds like crud, but little hops can give you a weird vibrato-type effect.

[jgcable]

Re: Vibrato technique

I understand what you are saying priest. I combine speed picking and massive vibrato in my style. I use a combination of the vertical Lynch style, traditional bending up (on the high strings, and down on the low strings) and I always have my whammy bar in my hand and I use that too. I have a few Malmsteen scalloped strats and I can get as much vibrato with my Wolfgangs as I can from the strats! The key to the Lynch style vibrato is a 1300ms delay and large room reverb. George plays with multiple delays that enhance the vibrato by layering it on top of itself. He also does lots of double stop bends which when done correctly using a locking trem will give you a "false" descending 3rd harmonic while you are double stop bending up 2 strings. This is caused by the bridge being pulled up while you are bending thus creating a harmonic that descends as the bridge tension decrease. Keep your hands loose when using vibrato. Also, it is really important to get your entire left arm "into" the bend. What I mean is don't just use your fingers or your hands. Look at George in his REH videos when he is demonstration. His entire left arm is moving when he is bending. Stevie Ray Vaughan was another player who really mastered the art of vibrato. Good luck!!

[jgcable]

Re: Vibrato technique

TYPO!!!!!!! This is caused by the bridge being pulled up while you are bending thus creating a harmonic that descends as the bridge tension decrease.
I MEANT as the string tension increases and causes the bridge to "dive down" this creating the descending harmonic. It is the coolest sound there is and it is signature Lynch or Demartini all the way.