Improve your Vibrato!

Welcome to Sheffield Guitar Studio! In this guide, we’ll dive deeper into vibrato, a technique that adds emotion and expression to your playing. We’ll explore two advanced elements: controlling vibrato timing and applying vibrato to bends. These skills will elevate your guitar playing by enhancing your phrasing and musicality.

Timing in Vibrato

Timing is an essential component of vibrato. While the first step is achieving even timing and pitch consistency, you can further develop your control by working with the beat. Start with a metronome or drum beat set at 70 BPM to practice vibrato in sync with the rhythm.

Subdividing the Beat

Begin by matching your vibrato to the beat, bending up on the "and" of the beat and returning to the original pitch on the next downbeat. This approach divides the beat into eighth notes. Once comfortable, experiment with subdivisions:

- Triplets: Divide each beat into three equal parts, creating a “one-and-a two-and-a” feel.

- Sixteenth Notes: Divide the beat into four parts for faster vibrato.

- Six-Part Subdivisions: Push your vibrato speed to the next level by subdividing each beat into six parts.

Each subdivision adds intensity and variety to your vibrato, allowing you to match the emotional tone of your music.

Vibrato on Bends

Adding vibrato to bends combines two challenging techniques. Before attempting this, ensure you’ve mastered basic vibrato and bending. Here’s how to apply vibrato to bends:

1. Bend to the Target Note: For example, bend from D to E on the G string.

2. Apply Vibrato: Once at the target note, add vibrato by moving the string slightly up and down.

3. Experiment with Direction:

   - Bend below the target pitch and return.

   - Bend above the target pitch and return.

   - Combine both to create a more intense effect.

When practicing, use a backing track or reference pitch to ensure your bends and vibrato are in tune. This helps develop your ear and ensures a polished sound.

Practical Applications

Vibrato isn’t one-size-fits-all. Observe how your favorite guitarists use vibrato to enhance their solos. Emulate their techniques and incorporate them into your own improvisations. A focused exercise is to limit yourself to a four-note improvisation, applying vibrato to just one note. This constraint sharpens your focus and helps you develop precision.

Conclusion

Vibrato is a versatile and expressive tool that can transform your playing. By mastering timing and applying vibrato to bends, you’ll add depth and nuance to your music. Practice regularly, analyze the vibrato of great guitarists, and make it your own. For more lessons and tutorials, visit SheffieldGuitarStudio.com/blog. Keep practicing, and I’ll see you next time!

Supporting Lessons;

String Bends: https://www.sheffieldguitarstudio.com/post/improve-your-string-bends

4 Note Improvisation: https://www.sheffieldguitarstudio.com/post/improve-your-improvisation-with-4-notes