lesson summary
Integrating vibrato into your guitar playing is a great way to add emotion and soul. David MacKenzie explains the basics of vibrato in this lesson.
David demonstrates the vibrato styles of artists such as Angus Young, B.B. King, and Zack Wylde.
Chapter 1: (04:47) Intro to Vibrato
Vibrato is a technique that adds feeling, expression, and a distinct personal identity to your playing. Vibrato is a pulsating effect resulting from rapid variations in pitch. At this point, you are probably very familiar with string bends. A vibrato can be thought of as a rapid sequence of small bends and releases.
Essentially, when vibrato is applied to a note, a guitarist is mimicking the sound of the human voice. Singers frequently apply this technique to long sustained notes or to the last note in a phrase. In this lesson, Dave MacKenzie will demonstrate the basic fret hand mechanics necessary to imitate this singing technique on the guitar.
Your Identity as a Guitarist
Vibrato is one of the most important components of a player's individual style. Many guitarists can be identified by their vibrato alone. These players have a very distinct and controlled vibrato technique. There are several ways to perform a vibrato on guitar. Spend significant time practicing and experimenting with each until you find what sounds best to you. Beware! It may take several years before you find the vibrato that is perfect for you.
Vibrato Factors
The two main factors that influence the sound of vibrato are speed and pitch. Speed refers to how quickly the note is pulsating. Pitch refers to how far the player bends the note away from the pitch that the vibrato is being applied to.
Ways to Perform Vibrato
A. Whammy Bar (Tremolo)
A vibrato can be produced with a whammy bar as a substitute for fret hand vibrato. A whammy bar vibrato sounds very different from a vibrato produced by the fret hand.
The whammy vibrato is most easily produced on guitars that feature a floating or locking tremolo system. The Paul Reed Smith tremolo is an example of a floating tremolo. The Floyd Rose tremolo is a double locking system. This means that the strings are locked in place at the bridge and at the nut. Floating and locking systems allow you to raise the pitch up or down. Tremolo systems that do not float above the body of the guitar will only allow the player to lower the pitch with the tremolo bar. Vibrato is possible with this system. However, your options are more limited.
B. Vibrato from the Wrist
Similar to bending strings, performing a vibrato from the wrist requires that you bring the fret hand thumb up over the top of the neck. The strong thumb muscle combined with the wrist provide the leverage necessary to produce a strong vibrato. Shake the wrist back and forth like you are rapidly opening a doorknob to produce a vibrato.
C. Horizontal Finger Vibrato
This type of vibrato is used by classical guitarists. Rapidly wiggle the finger back and forth from side to side. Do not move the string up or down! This technique is quite similar to the way that other string players such as violinists and cellists perform vibrato. A much more subtle vibrato is produced with this method.
Types of Vibrato
Slow, Relaxed Vibrato
Joe Walsh from The Eagles has a very slow, relaxed vibrato. His solo in "Hotel California" provides some excellent examples of his vibrato style. When Joe Walsh performs a vibrato, it is very subtle. Other players with wider, faster vibratos are far less subtle.
Chapter 2: (01:52) Angus Young and B.B. King Style Vibrato
Wide, Intense Vibrato
Players such as Angus Young and B.B. King play with a faster, wider vibrato sound. Listen to any B.B. King recording, and you'll instantly hear what Dave is talking about. This style of vibrato is much less subtle. It instantly jumps right out of the speakers. The vast majority of electric blues players prefer this technique. This technique is favored by roughly 3/4 of the rock and roll population as well. B.B.'s hand oscillates back and forth in a motion similar to turning a doorknob back and forth.
If possible, watch a live performance of B.B. King. Notice how wide and exaggerated his wrist movement is when adding vibrato to a note.
about David MacKenzie
David MacKenzie: Rock Musician, Performer, and Song Writer
Dave MacKenzie has been playing guitar for 30 of his 45 years on this earth. Starting back when he was 14 years old, Dave picked up the guitar and started to learn from his oldest brother, who had played some guitar as well. Dave was hooked, and couldn't learn fast enough! Everything from the Beatles, Chicago, Ted Nugent, The Eagles, you name it, Dave was trying to play it.
Then as with a lot of players out there, Eddie Van Halen came along and changed the way
guitar was played! Dave has been influenced by anyone he has heard play guitar, literally! Always keeping an open mind and a humbleness about him has helped him to keep learning new things on, and about the guitar.
Dave has mostly played in top 40 rock, country, and pop bands. He is most recently playing guitar and keyboards in a 80's metal band called Open Fire. They have opened for Warrant, Firehouse, Winger, and LA Guns
within the 3 and a half years they have been together, and are now jumping into original music.
Dave believes you should have internal motivation, and passion to play guitar, and most definitely, it should be fun!
As with his playing, Dave will find new ways to show you how to get the most out of your time learning guitar!
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