Question about vibrato technique

[SweetPete]

Guys,

In another thread, there's the video of that absolutely amazing young asian girl playing a lengthly classical piece. I noticed her vibrato technique, which I've seen numerous other players use, but I've never understood. Rather than bend the string up and down perpendicular to the fretboard, she "wavers" her finger parallel to the fretboard.

Now, what I don't get, is that her guitar has frets, and "wavering" her finger to produce vibrato is completely useless. I mean, I tried it myself, through my tuner - fretted any string on the 12th fret, did the "wavering" thing, and the tuner didn't budge.

So...what's the point of this techique on a fretted instrument such as a guitar? I know this technique works fine on non-fretted instruments, such as a violin.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

That seems to be a vibrato technique for acoustic and classical guitars. I started on acoustic so this is how I used to perform it, and when I moved over to electric, the technique I had practiced didn't apply now since you can hardly hear any shifting in the pitch. And now, after learning the bending vibrato technique, I tend to do that when I go back to acoustic. [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

[Sunbane]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

I've never played classical guitar, but that "wavering" technique is the same you'd use for a violin. I think it makes more sense to use it with a fretless instrument though.

[Miffy rules]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

Agree, but classical guitar does have frets. [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

On the other hand, I think it's relatively difficult to do "bending vibrato" on nylon string because it's harder to bend than steel.

[Bruce Weaver]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

It never made sense to me why the violin type vibrato works on a guitar or other fretted instrument, but it does! I'm still learning how to do regular string bending vibrato well. I played violin as a child, so I guess it's my default setting. I like the violin vibrato - I like to think of it as part of my signature sound. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

[1trussell]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

I will use that type of vibrato for a subtle effect on the high E string. It is a way of adding a little character without the more dramatic pitch shift of bending the string. I'm wondering if the reason why it does work is similar to pressing harder on the string. When you press down really hard, the note will change pitch because of the tension on the string. Maybe it is related.

[Sunbane]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

Originally posted by Miffy rules:
On the other hand, I think it's relatively difficult to do "bending vibrato" on nylon string because it's harder to bend than steel.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">According to my experience, nylon is too easy to bend - at least to me. The problem (the way I see it) is that the bending usually has almost no effect, making all that bending fruitless.

Btw, I think Travis is onto something about why it works on a fretted instrument. Although right now I can't remember whether classic guitars have high or low frets (high frets would probably make this technique a lot easier to do).

[jgcable]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

It is directly influenced by violin players. Geroge Lynch is the 1st and only guitarist I know of that uses it extensively. He calls it bottleneck slide vibrato and also refers to is as vertical vibrato (vertical meaning along the string). Many players use it to achieve vibrato when tapping or hammering. I have been using it along with traditional vibrato techniques for years. Benefits are increased range and less detuning of the other strings when bending(known as ghost bends) on Floyd equipt guitars.

[Fragle]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

and then there are players like steve vai who mix both techniques. sounds (and looks btw) pretty cool.

but i personally prefer that malmsteen like vibrato [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

greets
fragle

[DJROBA]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

By using this type of vibrato, it enables you to sound out the note your are hitting longer and cleaner with much more sustain than conventional vibrato. It is kinda like the sustain pedals on a piano. Vibrato is really a loose term for this technique. It's really more of a form of sustaining a note.

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

Originally posted by DJROBA:
Vibrato is really a loose term for this technique. It's really more of a form of sustaining a note.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">It may be used to sustain a note, but it is still called vibrato in the strictest sense since vibrato is defined as an oscillatory change in pitch, I think. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[RockBrigadePC1]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

I will just comment that I hate when I see electric players use that sort of vobrato. Of course it is up to taste, but I also find it useless. I use a very wide vibrato, mostly like Collen uses, which I have found takes a lot out of the frets with heavy strings, but it sounds very cool.

I would also like the mention that Steve Vai's "circle-technique" is very cool and appearances and sound. It seems less harsh so to speak...

Anyways, I have seen that video, it is impressive, but I hate the vibrato she uses...

[morbid]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

Originally posted by SweetPete:
Guys,

In another thread, there's the video of that absolutely amazing young asian girl playing a lengthly classical piece. I noticed her vibrato technique, which I've seen numerous other players use, but I've never understood. Rather than bend the string up and down perpendicular to the fretboard, she "wavers" her finger parallel to the fretboard.

Now, what I don't get, is that her guitar has frets, and "wavering" her finger to produce vibrato is completely useless. I mean, I tried it myself, through my tuner - fretted any string on the 12th fret, did the "wavering" thing, and the tuner didn't budge.

So...what's the point of this techique on a fretted instrument such as a guitar? I know this technique works fine on non-fretted instruments, such as a violin.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">I have a teacher on acoustic nylon strings guitar, and as I know that's not for bending strings, is more for sustain.

[fritzreiser]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

Originally posted by jgcable:
It is directly influenced by violin players. Geroge Lynch is the 1st and only guitarist I know of that uses it extensively.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">JG, didn't Blackmore use it extensively? I used to own a video of DP called "Come Hell or High Water", and on that video he played some absolutely amazing vertical vibrato. Also, IIRC, he said in an interview that he used violin type vibrato exclusively.

[jgcable]

Re: Question about vibrato technique

I wasn't aware of Blackmore using that technique but it certainly makes sense. Lynch slides as much as 2 full frets when he uses violin vibrato. It is easily mistaken for a whammy bar technique. Very very cool and really hard to do. A 300ms delay helps out alot.