Vibrato

Lesson 2/58 | Study Time: 5 Min
Vibrato

Vibrato

Vibrato is a technique of rapidly moving a note up and down in the direction of the adjacent strings. Vibrato is an important method of sustaining a note once it has been picked. It also gives much more expression to your playing.

Vibrato is usually found on long notes, or a note at the end of a phrase. Vibrato is usually obtained by the movement of the wrist away from the neck and back towards the neck, much like turning a doorknob. The symbol for vibrato is a wavy line.

Move string back and forth in the direction of the adjacent strings.

The following lick demonstrates the use of vibrato.

Vibrato With Bent Notes

Adding vibrato to a bent note is a great way to keep the note sustaining as well as giving a more emotional quality to the music. When practicing this type of vibrato, be sure to reach the highest pitch intended for the bend before releasing the pressure slightly.

Then increase the pressure again to return the note to its original bent pitch. Practice slowly at first and increase the speed gradually.

Here is a lick which uses vibrato on bent notes.

This one makes use of vibrato on bent and unbent notes.

GDPR Cookie Settings

When you visit any of our websites, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. This information might be about you, your preferences or your device and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to. The information does not usually directly identify you, but it can give you a more personalized web experience. Because we respect your right to privacy, you can choose not to allow some types of cookies. Click on the different category headings to find out more and manage your preferences. Please note, that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer.