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Vibrato on high e string?

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(@rollnrock89)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 342
Topic starter  

Whenever I try to do Vibrato on the high e string, I usually seem to fall over the edge of the fret off the fretboard with the string. Anyone else have this problem? Is it somethin about les pauls, or with all guitars? I guess you'd have to practice doing a Vibrato mainly pushing up?

The first time I heard a Beatles song was "Let It Be." Some little kid was singing along with it: "Let it pee, let it pee" and pretending he was taking a leak. Hey, that's what happened, OK?-some guy


   
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 Mike
(@mike)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 2892
 

It's all in your wrist and joints. Try not to use your fingers as much.


   
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 Taso
(@taso)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2811
 

Rolln, its amazing that you'd ask this now. I've been working on Clapton's layla lately, and I can't seem to get a good vibrato on the 10 on the high E, on any other string my vibrato is awesome though, and I too use a les paul, although I don't think that has anything to do with it...

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
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(@forrok_star)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2337
 

Have you tried shorting the the motion. It only has to be enough to notice the effect. This is why we spend endless amounts of time practicing and playing. It will work it self out.

Joe


   
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(@noteboat)
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Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

There's really three distinct types of vibrato motion:

Classical (all in the wrist, parallel to string direction - think of what a violinist does)

Rock/blues (all in the fingers, perpendicular to string direction)

Butterfly (all in the wrist, perpendicular to string direction - think B.B. King)

The rock/blues one isn't as well suited to the high E as the others, and it's darn near impossible on some setups. Coming from the wrist takes some practice, especially the butterfly motion. You're not changing the pitch so much as varying the pressure put on the string at the fret... if you watch B.B. King play, you'll see there's not much of a bend to the vibrato he does.

Vibrato is absolutely the hardest technique to get down. Many pros will tell you it took them 10, 15, or more years to develop their vibrato sound. I find myself in the 'or more' camp - most days I'm happy with mine, but it's still got moments I don't like, so I still work on it every day.

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(@undercat)
Prominent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 959
 

You should also test out your vibrato on another guitar just to make sure it's your technique and not your guitar.

If your string spacing is off, it can make it much more difficult to keep it on the 'board.

The other thing that can make a difference is a poor fret job. If your frets taper too much, it can really make it easy to fall off the edge.

Good luck.

Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life...


   
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(@metaellihead)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 653
 

I find myself doing the "classical" vibrato on higher frets (mostly below 9) and the treble strings.

For the bass strings and most of the fretboard I use quick string bending and find myself pressing down on the strings above the nut for open string vibrato.

-Metaellihead


   
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(@slydog)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 243
 

Vibrato is absolutely the hardest technique to get down. Many pros will tell you it took them 10, 15, or more years to develop their vibrato sound.

Well, that makes me feel better. Only 9-14 years to go! Woohoo!

Blame it on the lies that killed us, blame it on the truth that ran us down.


   
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(@demoetc)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2167
 

Rolln, its amazing that you'd ask this now. I've been working on Clapton's layla lately, and I can't seem to get a good vibrato on the 10 on the high E, on any other string my vibrato is awesome though, and I too use a les paul, although I don't think that has anything to do with it...

Is possible to do the high D on the 2nd string, 15th fret instead?


   
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(@racer-y)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 114
 

Hi. I dunno... Vibrato came very easy for me, I guess it was from
playing the violin for about 4 years before I started on Guitar...
What Was hard for me was string bending. I was taught to properly
bend a string, you used one finger as the "note" and the others
as a support. I never got that down, I use ONE finger and ONE finger only at a time when do a string bend - those "support" fingers just got in the way

I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but when
you're a 22lb sledge, do you really have to be?


   
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 sirN
(@sirn)
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Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 358
 

I have a Strat and my high E seems to fall over the edge quite easily. I'll try some of the techniques listed here.

check out my website for good recording/playing info


   
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