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Guitar Vibrato and Tone
Posted on 11/8/22 at 8:22 am
Posted on 11/8/22 at 8:22 am
For my 1,000 post, I wanted to discuss something very dear to my heart with you good people of the Music Board- guitar technique and tone.
I have never been a real tremelo arm guy. First guitar had one that I just took off because it got in my way.
Tried to find my own tone and have struggled with that since I was a kid. My influences are vast - Gilmour, Slash, and Dimebag who all had different techniques and distinct tones but their vibrato was distinct whereas you could tell it was them playing even if you didn't know the song.
I will list some examples:
1. Slash - no tremelo arm but major bends using Les Paul
GNR - Estranged
2. Dimebag- a little of both here but big tremelo guy. He used "diveboms" and had a floyd rose tremelo
Pantera - Cemetery Gates
3. Gilmour - Just unbelievable use of vibrato with bends and tremelo arm as well. Numerous instances to list but here are two:
Floyd - Sorrow Floyd - Comfortably Numb
I think their vibrato is what I am trying to incorporate into my tone. I am "zeroing out" my amp settings this weekend and starting over. Any thoughts on this or anyone have the same issues?
I have never been a real tremelo arm guy. First guitar had one that I just took off because it got in my way.
Tried to find my own tone and have struggled with that since I was a kid. My influences are vast - Gilmour, Slash, and Dimebag who all had different techniques and distinct tones but their vibrato was distinct whereas you could tell it was them playing even if you didn't know the song.
I will list some examples:
1. Slash - no tremelo arm but major bends using Les Paul
GNR - Estranged
2. Dimebag- a little of both here but big tremelo guy. He used "diveboms" and had a floyd rose tremelo
Pantera - Cemetery Gates
3. Gilmour - Just unbelievable use of vibrato with bends and tremelo arm as well. Numerous instances to list but here are two:
Floyd - Sorrow Floyd - Comfortably Numb
I think their vibrato is what I am trying to incorporate into my tone. I am "zeroing out" my amp settings this weekend and starting over. Any thoughts on this or anyone have the same issues?
6
Posted on 11/8/22 at 8:57 am to Cdonaldson27
A PRS guitar that I played about a year ago, had the best trem on it that I've ever played, I probably messed up not buying it, but money was tight and all that. It was really perfect for me. Just the right feel.
I'm wanting a guitar with 2 p-90s and a trem, may have to build one soon.
I have a nice straight Yamaha neck from an EG112 that I bought for 5 bucks, I've spotted a body for that model on reverb fairly cheap, and it has a swimmingpool rout with a strat style trem, so you can do anything you want with it. That neck is wider at the pocket than I like, but it might make a nice experiment.
I'm wanting a guitar with 2 p-90s and a trem, may have to build one soon.
I have a nice straight Yamaha neck from an EG112 that I bought for 5 bucks, I've spotted a body for that model on reverb fairly cheap, and it has a swimmingpool rout with a strat style trem, so you can do anything you want with it. That neck is wider at the pocket than I like, but it might make a nice experiment.
This post was edited on 11/8/22 at 10:13 am
Posted on 11/8/22 at 9:30 am to Cdonaldson27
Practice unplugged or without any distortion so it doesn't muddy the pitch. Good bending and vibrato just comes from repetition and hand strength, in my opinion. Tone is most affected by where and how you actually fret and pick the string.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 12:23 pm to Cdonaldson27
quote:
Any thoughts on this or anyone have the same issues?
What exactly is the issue? The vibrato technique in general, finding a good tone, or both?
Slash is also one of my major influences. I just saw Epi put out a Slash goldtop model that I am seriously gassing for.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 12:46 pm to Cdonaldson27
I started without a tremolo bar.
Now when I put one on I am scared of it. Don’t have a feel for it. No timing with it. It just sounds like a kid at Guitar Center jacking around with one.
Gilmour and SRV use it best. Unless you are watching them you can’t really tell where they are bending or wiggling.
Now when I put one on I am scared of it. Don’t have a feel for it. No timing with it. It just sounds like a kid at Guitar Center jacking around with one.
Gilmour and SRV use it best. Unless you are watching them you can’t really tell where they are bending or wiggling.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 1:18 pm to jdd48
quote:
What exactly is the issue? The vibrato technique in general, finding a good tone, or both?
Just finding what I would consider my tone. I play so different types of music (not saying I do that well) that I think that may be why I am struggling.
If I get into a Black Sabbath kick, I will play 1-1/2 steps down for awhile, then go to playing GNR stuff at 1/2 step down, then Zep or Floyd in standard.
Still cannot find my sound though.
I heard Slash was playing standard until the writing of Appetite and he found his sound going through different guitars and strings. I am just not there.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 1:38 pm to Cdonaldson27
Has anyone bought a Duesenberg tremolo?
What I like about it is you don't have to drill holes so you can go back to stock at any time.
I was thinking about outfitting a new Harley Benton JA-60 to have a little fun with surf music.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 2:57 pm to Mizz-SEC
Whether you're using fingers or the bar, shoot to emulate the inflections found in a singing human voice. All who are praised for tasty, soulful vibrato techniques on guitar or any other expressive instrument, simply have a singing quality to their playing.
And SLOW DOWN. Fast vibrato comes across as manic and annoying to listeners. Again, like a singer's inflections. Don't make your guitar yodel haha.
And SLOW DOWN. Fast vibrato comes across as manic and annoying to listeners. Again, like a singer's inflections. Don't make your guitar yodel haha.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 3:02 pm to Mizz-SEC
There are a few companies that offer TOM/ST guitar retrofit trems with no mods. The Duesenberg is a cool system. Stetsbar is a similarly excellent product to explore.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 4:46 pm to TheFretShack
quote:
Whether you're using fingers or the bar, shoot to emulate the inflections found in a singing human voice. All who are praised for tasty, soulful vibrato techniques on guitar or any other expressive instrument, simply have a singing quality to their playing.
And SLOW DOWN. Fast vibrato comes across as manic and annoying to listeners. Again, like a singer's inflections. Don't make your guitar yodel haha.
Pretty much agree, I do like a heavy handed vibrato sometimes on a baritone guitar. That can be a great sound, done tastefully.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 8:04 pm to Cdonaldson27
Tone comes from the soul.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 8:20 pm to Intelligent
Tone with vibrato comes from the hands/fingers. I wonder if BB and or Freddie King could anything with their fingertips. Meaning I wonder how calloused they were.
That type of vibrato is the hardest for me. Can’t get my hand to wiggle like that. When I can it’s too fast and only in spots. I’m better with the Clapton style of just letting the arm hang and moving my forearm.
That type of vibrato is the hardest for me. Can’t get my hand to wiggle like that. When I can it’s too fast and only in spots. I’m better with the Clapton style of just letting the arm hang and moving my forearm.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 8:24 pm to LSU alum wannabe
Part of it is having the right strings.
Posted on 11/8/22 at 10:55 pm to LSU alum wannabe
I'll give some more opinion on guitarists to try and emulate their vibrato.
BB style is more in the wrist. Hold the note and shake it fast. Angus Young is similar, but more from the forearm.
Clapton has great vibrato. Agreed that it's more in the forearm. He appears to actually take his thumb off the fretboard and shake the note. BB does the same thing; the speed is different.
SRV has pretty extreme vibrato. You'll need to wrap your thumb over the neck and hold the note as hard as you can and shake the guitar.
80's shred guys typically have a very wide vibrato from the forearm. Listen to guys like Yngwie and Lukather. Some guys actually slide their hand up and down to get that effect - think Greg Howe and Warren Demartini. This is actually a pretty difficult technique to emulate.
FWIW, I love Slash's playing, but I don't think his vibrato is that great.
CC DeVille from Poison probably has the worst vibrato I've ever heard in popular popular music. "Nothing but a Good Time" - If you need an example of poor technique, this is it. (I think his note choices are actually pretty great, by the way).
Good vibrato at the very least needs to be even. Ideally, it should be relatively in time with the music.
BB style is more in the wrist. Hold the note and shake it fast. Angus Young is similar, but more from the forearm.
Clapton has great vibrato. Agreed that it's more in the forearm. He appears to actually take his thumb off the fretboard and shake the note. BB does the same thing; the speed is different.
SRV has pretty extreme vibrato. You'll need to wrap your thumb over the neck and hold the note as hard as you can and shake the guitar.
80's shred guys typically have a very wide vibrato from the forearm. Listen to guys like Yngwie and Lukather. Some guys actually slide their hand up and down to get that effect - think Greg Howe and Warren Demartini. This is actually a pretty difficult technique to emulate.
FWIW, I love Slash's playing, but I don't think his vibrato is that great.
CC DeVille from Poison probably has the worst vibrato I've ever heard in popular popular music. "Nothing but a Good Time" - If you need an example of poor technique, this is it. (I think his note choices are actually pretty great, by the way).
Good vibrato at the very least needs to be even. Ideally, it should be relatively in time with the music.
Posted on 11/10/22 at 11:31 am to Cdonaldson27
8 of my 10 are hard tails. I have a Ibanez with a basic system, and don't use it. The one system I uses is a Bigsby, and I love it for what I play on that Hollow body.
I hate systems that are too sensitive. When I bend a string, I want the feel it... I don't want it to feel like it is giving back. My tones all seem to depend on which one I'm playing.. i like some light distortion bright Jangle, but also use some heavy reverb clean tone. I have one that is muddy, and it is what I played weezer on for years... HA
I hate systems that are too sensitive. When I bend a string, I want the feel it... I don't want it to feel like it is giving back. My tones all seem to depend on which one I'm playing.. i like some light distortion bright Jangle, but also use some heavy reverb clean tone. I have one that is muddy, and it is what I played weezer on for years... HA
Posted on 11/10/22 at 12:31 pm to TheFretShack
quote:
And SLOW DOWN. Fast vibrato comes across as manic and annoying to listeners.
Zakk Wylde says hello.
He may be the only one that can pull off that wide fast vibrato.
This post was edited on 11/10/22 at 2:56 pm
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