Vibrato and Bending


Matt_Kornfreak
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Joined: 08/04/01
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Matt_Kornfreak
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Joined: 08/04/01
Posts: 1
08/04/2001 8:48 pm
Ok... I've been playing for about a year and I am having problems with bending the strings cleanly (i.e with making noise of of another string)
I'm also finding it very difficult to pull off a good fast and consistant vibrato effect.... Anyone have any tips????
Please HELP!!!!!
# 1
djmoymoy
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djmoymoy
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08/05/2001 3:05 am
You may be having trouble bending because of your fretboard. Some guitars have those fretboards with all the wood grains left unfilled with varnish (these fretboards are harder to bend and vibrato with). Or it could be because you are using string guage that is too thick.
# 2
letmedrown
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letmedrown
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08/07/2001 11:09 am
...most of the time you must mute strings with your right hand (or left), anyway when you bend up try to take the above strings under your fingers and mute them with your right hand when you release bend.
Anyway it's also a question of practice..the most you exercise the easier it will be.
For vibrato, the concept it's the same as bending but usually you use only one finger (usually the first), even if sometimes you use three fingers (combinated with bending, obvious), first you must play it slowly then faster.
You must make a lot of practice for that too.
# 3
Lordathestrings
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Lordathestrings
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08/07/2001 10:34 pm
Heavy strings give you better tone. I use D'Addario EXL115's (.011-.049) on all my electrics. SRV used GHS Boomers in .012-.054. I think you'll agree he did some fairly energetic bending and vibrato.

Don't be afraid to use several fingers on one string to make a bend. You will often see what looks like a two-semitone bend done with only the pinky finger, but close inspection will reveal that two or three other fingers are helping out, while also muting other strings.

Vibrato comes from rolling your fingertip back and forth between the frets. You should exagerate the movement at first, to get a 'feel' for it. Try to get the effect of the ringing, stinging notes that BB King uses in his solos. From there, it becomes easy to back off to a more subtle effect.

Like any guitar technique, it comes down to practice. Get it right at a slow tempo, then gradually increase your speed. In time, it will be as natural to you as breathing.
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# 4
Coffee
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Coffee
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08/11/2001 8:21 am
I play a lot of blues which of course means bends and vibrato. I also use heavy strings .049 to .011 and I like the control the heavy string gives me.

For vibrato, I kind of hold the fretted string and then just kind of shake my hand with only the one finger on the guitar. For bends, try this. Put your baby finger on the 12 fret of string 2 and put the next two fingers on the same string behind it. Now put your first finger on fret nine on string one. Now, play both strings and push with all the fingers on string 2 leaving string one unbent (hmm, is that the technical term.) When you hear the same pitch, you have done a whole tone (major second) bend. After the bend is complete damp both strings with the heal of your right hand.

After you've got that done, do the same thing but bend string 2 up to string ones pitch, then play string one while holding the bend, then play string 2 again (which is still bent right?) and drop the bend put your fingers back where they were before you started the bend then play string 2 fret 9. Cool huh. This will develop proper technique and train your ear at the same time.

For developing an ear for the 1/2 tone bend (minor second) do the same thing using strings 2 and 3 instead.
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# 5

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