Vibrato - how do you do it?

[Mixstar]

Being a Kossoff fan of many years I've always marveled at his vibrato, as have many thousands of others. He's inspired many a player in the art of vibrato such as Angus Young and Joe Bonamassa. I even heard Clapton say on a TV interview that he actually asked Koss straight to his face "how the fudge do you do that?" and apparently practiced Koss bending and vibrato on a daily basis.

It's something I practice all the time and it's something I really can't do properly, although I get away with it. Anyone have any hints and tips and how to vibrate like Koss?

 

[László]

Good question!

I like to use different techniques depending on the needs of the tune, but I like it subtle.

In addition to the blues and rock style vibrato that folks use, I've watched how classical string players get a more subtle vibrato going to milk a note, with less pitch deflection. It's true that it works better on the wound strings, but I've learned how to get some going on the plain strings, too. In any case, I find it pretty effective, and it's part of the mix of stuff I do now.

Each of us has developed different style and taste outcomes on the instrument, and that's what makes us individuals.

 

[Bluesboy998]

Kossoff vibrato according to Howard Leese was unique he bent the strings with the palm of his hand off the neck very hard to do

 

[Huggy Love]

Each of us has developed different style and taste outcomes on the instrument, and that's what makes us individuals.

Well said, I think vibrato is almost as important as phrasing in that it provides one of the widest areas for individuality on some instruments. I try to use fast & slow but much of the time I go on instinct and let it fly naturally, that way I sometimes vary the vibrato within the note, slow to fast and what ever variation I can pull off. You can also vary the amount of bend and even do phrasing with it leading into other chops or passages, etc. maybe do off time stuff with it too. On top of that some do it with a whammy bar and some do it with their fingers, I've got mine blocked off so I do it with my fingers.

I work with singers and always trip out on how locked into their vibrato they are, rarely have I come across one that does a fast & a slow one.

Good subject!!

 

[xjbebop]

Well said, I think vibrato is almost as important as phrasing in that it provides one of the widest areas for individuality on some instruments. I try to use fast & slow but much of the time I go on instinct and let it fly naturally, that way I sometimes vary the vibrato within the note, slow to fast and what ever variation I can pull off. You can also vary the amount of bend and even do phrasing with it leading into other chops or passages, etc. maybe do off time stuff with it too. On top of that some do it with a whammy bar and some do it with their fingers, I've got mine blocked off so I do it with my fingers.

I work with singers and always trip out on how locked into their vibrato they are, rarely have I come across one that does a fast & a slow one.

Good subject!!

agreed!
I've just been wiggling the strings my own way without too much thought. As long as it sounds good to me, then I'm happy...

Nothing wrong with learning variations though.

 

[gush]

I use fast and slow vibrato. I can't pull off a kossoff vibrato though, there is a lot more to it than a person thinks.

 

[Moose6]

I listened to a lot of John Sykes, Blue Murder and Whitesnake.

 

[jcha008]

I think a good vibrato can really take someone to the next level in terms of their phrasing and overall lead playing. I've always been one to shun practicing chords, riffs, etc and just always worked on my vibrato all day .

I love the big wide vibrato like Marty Friedman or the slightly more subtle Johnny Winter. Of course there are others, those are just two that come to mind right now.

 

[alantig]

I've been playing with my vibrato a bit over the past few months. Bending, too - doing different things. The side-to-side, wider and narrower, faster and slower. Same with the old up and down. Bending and pushing the vibrato up, or pulling down instead. Also been using the whammy bar for it as well. I've been doing more of something Emil suggested at the 30th event, with the bar pointing towards the strap pin so it's more like hand vibrato.

 

[AP515]

I like my vibrato, not much else I do, but the vibrato is decent. It's about the only thing that came natural to me after I started bending strings. They say you can tell who's playing by their vibrato. I think I can most times. Mine is also unique. Not too fast, not too slow, and has a singing quality to it. Maybe from listening to my mom sing. She had a natural vibrato, like many women do, and mine reminds me of her voice. I haven't tried to use the trem on my guitars because it feels (and sounds) more natural to use my fingers.

 

[jfine]

When I vibrato a note, the base of my index finger near the thumb contacts the trailing edge of the fingerboard, and that becomes my fulcrum. The motion itself is almost like twisting a doorknob, especially when I'm shaking a bent note. The key seems to be not to grip too hard--keep it loose and relaxed. Thinking of "bowing" the string with the fret (you're moving the string, not the fret) can help. Sometimes my thumb comes entirely away from the back of the neck--I've seen B B King do the same thing. That's what works for me, but everybody's hand is different, so your mileage may vary. I'm much more of a thumb-over guy than a classical-style dropped-wrist guy, although I use the dropped-wrist position for some things, especially if I have to do a long reach with the little finger--which at my age gets increasingly harder to do!

 

[Watersilk]

Yes, twisting a door handle is a good description, the movement comes not just from my wrist, but arm too.... I don't know if this is correct.... but that's how I get more control, that and my thumb... I'm still finding it difficult to achieve the same affect with all my fingers.... I'm still working on that. I do find that it's easier to bend and do vibrato on my Mc Carty, perhaps because it has large frets, perhaps Jumbo? Perhaps, just because it's by far the best guitar I have?

I practice a lot with low distortion so I can hear my input better.

Vibrato isn't easy, but so rewarding when it starts to sound good....

 

[JMintzer]

Leslie West, of Mountain and "Mississippi Queen" fame said this about his vibrato technique...

"I practice every day it's the same technique you use when you jerk off, seriously".

 

[solacematt]

Joke in really odd taste...

If only Michael J. Fox knew the kind of vibrato he'd have at this age :|

 

[xjbebop]

 

[Watersilk]

Leslie West, of Mountain and "Mississippi Queen" fame said this about his vibrato technique...

"I practice every day it's the same technique you use when you jerk off, seriously".

I practice every day too..... but I've never thought of it 'that' way, perhaps my technique is wrong..... the guitar I mean...

 

[CVS]

I am always trying to make my vibrato better (not sure what that means :biggrin: ) - but I am trying (seriously). Larry Carlton uses vibrato extensively and I try to emulate his technique.

 

[alantig]

Leslie West, of Mountain and "Mississippi Queen" fame said this about his vibrato technique...

"I practice every day it's the same technique you use when you jerk off, seriously".

I practice every day too..... but I've never thought of it 'that' way, perhaps my technique is wrong..... the guitar I mean...

I had to adjust my technique using that method - my vibrato was WAY too wide. :flute:

 

[Brad737]

To me, vibrato is very important. I personally HATE when guys do it too fast and warbly. I'm sure you know what I mean...sort of a fast, frenetic wiggle. I try to do it tastefully, although good vibrato technique is difficult. The guys whom I think do(did) it best are early Clapton and the late, great Gary Moore.

 

[Mixstar]

Kossoff vibrato according to Howard Leese was unique he bent the strings with the palm of his hand off the neck very hard to do

Strange I didn't read this post

Now that is very odd, that's the way I naturally USED to get my vibrato working pre-instruction. I can also do vibrato lengthwise, rocking back and fore, similar to violin style, from the fret and that works very well for me. Later I took advice from teachers and changed my style to the more run of the mill, I'll see later if I can still do it the Koss way. I suspect Koss did it his way as he was classically trained in early life and that's how you vibrate using a fretless instrument such as a cello.