vibrato

If your asking what does vibrato mean then:

Defined at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrato

Vibrato is a musical effect where the pitch or frequency of a note or sound is quickly and repeatedly raised and lowered over a small distance for the duration of that note or sound. Vibrato is naturally present in the human voice, and is used to add expression and vocal-like qualities to instrumental notes.

How by me:

Bending the strings like with string bends or whammy bar.

vibrato is a good and essential technique to learn.

think of your finger as a pencil eraser. but instead of rubbing vigorously imagine erasing a dot on the string. wiggle that finger tip on the string behind the fret.
sometimes I move forward and back but mostly up and down.
but remember use the whole hand not just the finger.
well, somewhere in between .

the note goes sharp and flat slightly. it sounds natural to the ear.
also, you can really ring the tone out of the note that way. overtones come out. especailly if you have overdrive effects on.

I think the easiest way to perform vibrato is to rotate the forearm back and forth, whilst keeping the wrist firm (but not tense). If you keep your fingers firm as well, you'll get leverage against the string, which will bend slightly. Repetition of the twisting motion will provide vibrato effect.

Hope this makes some sense 8)

thanks guys i understand it now.. still new to the guitar and tryin to load all the info i can into my brain!

Stick with it, it's definately worth the effort, and it only gets easier with time :D

Do you know the pencil trick where you hold the pencil in front of your eyes with your fingers tips and wiggle it up and down to make it look like it is actually bending? This is the motion I think about when I practice vibrato.

Hope it helps ya!

Hey, jeremyd, here's a big thing to remember when learning guitar. Ask questions and the only stupid question is the one you don't ask. You'll find everybody here is a nice person and lots of people with experience willing to help. Just keep on playing!