OK, about time I tried to learn vibrato .....

axisus · February 2020

This old dog needs to learn a new trick. I've been playing guitar not amazingly at home for almost 4 decades now. For a great many years I absolutely avoided bending notes due to a problem that would never get better - any 'pressure' on my fingers (eg with bends) would be a serious risk of the fingernail separating from the nail-bed. For anyone who doesn't know, that is excruciatingly painful and renders it impossible to play guitar for 2-4 weeks, depending on severity.

Anyway, about 7 years ago I finally overcame the problem and touchwood, there has been not even the slightest sign of returning. I'm fine with bending strings these days, but I have never managed to add vibrato to a bend. In the old days it would have been an act of madness to put pressure on my nail then wiggle it around, so I never even tried it.

I can add vibrato to general notes, but attempting with a bent note just sounds like a disaster!

So my question is ..... does anyone know of a resource on YouTube that explains adding vibrato to bent notes really well? I could just go and dig out one of the many videos but I'm hoping that there is something that is recommended as being a good tutorial. I imagine that it will take me forever to get vaguely acceptable but I may as well have a go. You just can't beat the sound of singing vibrato on a bent note.

stratman3142 · February 2020

Being an old git, I started to develop my vibrato in the early 70s (well before video tutorials existed). I used to watch what other guitarists did at live concerts and it took bloody ages (well over a year) before I figured it out.

I did a very quick search on Youtube and two videos worth looking at are
"How to Play a Bend WITH Vibrato - Steve Stine Guitar Lesson" and
"How To Add Vibrato To String Bends, Technique & Exercises: Blues Lead Guitar Lesson Tutorial s2p4" - Justinguitar.

A few points from my experience, but others may have different views
It's essentially wrist rotation movement
Its easier with higher frets and lighter strings
It's good to support the bend/vibrato with other fingers. For example, for bends/vibrato with my 3rd finger I try to remember to support it with my 2nd finger.
For vibrato on bent notes, it's more of a "bend (pressure) and release feeling" than a "moving the string from side to side feeling". There's a good quote in one of Justinguitar's videos where we says "let the string do the work".

axisus · February 2020

stratman3142 said:

Being an old git, I started to develop my vibrato in the early 70s (well before video tutorials existed). I used to watch what other guitarists did at live concerts and it took bloody ages (well over a year) before I figured it out.

I did a very quick search on Youtube and two videos worth looking at are
"How to Play a Bend WITH Vibrato - Steve Stine Guitar Lesson" and
"How To Add Vibrato To String Bends, Technique & Exercises: Blues Lead Guitar Lesson Tutorial s2p4" - Justinguitar.

A few points from my experience, but others may have different views
It's essentially wrist rotation movement
Its easier with higher frets and lighter strings
It's good to support the bend/vibrato with other fingers. For example, for bends/vibrato with my 3rd finger I try to remember to support it with my 2nd finger.
For vibrato on bent notes, it's more of a "bend (pressure) and release feeling" than a "moving the string from side to side feeling". There's a good quote in one of Justinguitar's videos where we says "let the string do the work".

Thanks for the input! and I'll take a look at the vidz

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OK, about time I tried to learn vibrato .....

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