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I'm having difficulties with vibrato on bent notes. Suggestions?


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Posted

One technique I've never really mastered is applying vibrato

to a bent note. Whenever I try to do it, the note always dies

out really quickly, because I just can't maintain a constant

finger pressure. I'm not even sure of a proper technique

for bend vibrato, however. I read an article where bend vibrato is discussed and, say in the case of a whole-step bend using the 3rd finger backed by the 1st and 2nd, the vibrato would be about a half-step release and then back up to the target pitch of the bend. I'm not sure of the actual physical process of doing the vibrato, though- do you just vibrato by moving your fingers, or do you "lock" your hand position, and vibrato with a wrist-and-forearm action? Do you use your thumb to anchor your hand or just let your hand kind of "float" (I've watched Eric Clapton do this with a bend vibrato in a Cream video).

Does anyone have any advice? Is it just a matter of building strength in my fingers? I use .10s at A440

 

Thanks

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Posted
Originally posted by guitguy26

One technique I've never really mastered is applying vibrato

to a bent note. Whenever I try to do it, the note always dies

out really quickly, because I just can't maintain a constant

finger pressure.



This is not the answer you're looking for but... have you tried playing slide? You see, what you're trying to do is something very musical, you're adding vibrato to a bent note and what that means is that you vibrato from the target note and down.

This sounds very beautiful. Why? Cause this is basically what singers do.

Now, playing fretted this is kinda hard cause the only way you can do it (except using a wang bar) is to first bend up and then vibrato (down). With a slide all of this is easy. You can vibrato any direction you like :)

So, try slide. Finding a particular technique very difficult might mean that you should work harder at it but also that you should drop it totally and go in another direction. Just a thought.

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Posted

I do play slide, but it's just that bend vibrato when playing
fretted that I have trouble with. What you described though,
is exactly what I'm trying to master, bending up to a target
pitch, and then doing a vibrato down from that pitch. It's
about the only thing I've tried to play on guitar that I haven't yet (more or less) figured out how to do properly. The other thing being ultra-fast Yngwie-style sweep arpeggios...

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Posted

Clapton is so great at it...bending up a step & then smooth even vibrato.

I'm just learning and it's hard for me also. It gets worse in public because I tense up.

I'm playing 11s and one thing that helped was a month when I switched back to 10s. Though my vibrato was then wilder & not always in tune, it gave my hands a chance to try it with much more ease for a while. So I could get some practice in & confidence without so much strain. Back on 11s I know better what to do.

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Posted

Practise bending then releasing a little and rebending (ie. adding a very slow single vibrato).Basically im still not great but by just getting used to bending,releasing and rebending you can get used to it.I do the vibrato purely with the bending fingers (ie not wrist action) but im not sure if thats Clapton's stye or indeed the best way.
After that just practise to get more rapid and fluent.Its the old thing of walking before you run.

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Posted

Try practising first by just bending the note without doing a vibrato on it so that you can keep the pressure constant. Your thumb should be somewhat high and curved over the neck, not directly in back (like a proper jazz player). This is rock and you'll need the strength with your thumb that way. It's almost like making a fist. Check out Jeff Beck. His fist always looks tight and effeicient.

When you can sustain the note without hearing it go dead, then start using vibrato. As far as the floating wrist thing goes, that's up to you and the style of the vibrato you want. Clapton's hand all but comes off the neck for some of his, like Sunshine of your Love, but I would start with keeping your hand in position. Start with a slow vib then when you get good at it, do a faster one. Also, if it is a question of strength in your fingers, try light strings like .008 or .009 and work your way up AFTER you've got the right technique.

Hope this helps

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Posted
Originally posted by guitguy26

I do play slide, but it's just that bend vibrato when playing

fretted that I have trouble with. What you described though,

is exactly what I'm trying to master, bending up to a target

pitch, and then doing a vibrato down from that pitch. It's

about the only thing I've tried to play on guitar that I haven't yet (more or less) figured out how to do properly. The other thing being ultra-fast Yngwie-style sweep arpeggios...



Why make it hard for yourself? If you already play slide then do this trick with the slide, cause with a slide it's easy. Making it hard for yourself has no artistic value, go for the easiest route possible technically to realize your musical goals.

And unltra-fast Yngve-style sweep arpeggios... leave it to him to do those, the world has suffered enough :)

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