vibrato

practicealot

Andreas,

First, I want to say that I have gotten a lot of great ideas from your book and hope more like it are being planned. I would like to ask you a question concerning vibrato in the gypsy jazz style. What tips would you give someone who can do a rock and roll electric guitar vibrato but wants to refine it to get that intense, fast vibrato that you, Stochelo Rosenberg, and others do so well? So far, I've experimented with trying it with my thumb on the neck and my thumb off the neck, but it doesn't seem to make much of a difference. I've also tried shaking my whole forearm and just rotating my wrist. I'd appreciate any words of wisdom you could pass on about this frustrating topic. Finally, is there any truth to the idea that this type of vibrato easier to achieve on the longer scale guitars? I ask this because I play a shorter scale grand bouche model.

Thanks,

Steve in San Francisco

MichaelHorowitz

Hi Steve,

The real intense, fast, wide vibrato used by Django (and even more so by the rosenbergs) is done by releasing the thumb, tightening your wrist and forearm, and shaking your whole arm from the elbow. Most of the time it is done with the index finger. But others can work....if you use the ring finger keep all the others down too (except the pinky of course)

It's one instance were you have to use a lot of muscle tension. Be very careful and try this at your own risk.

On the bass strings you can keep the thumb down and just pivot...it's sort of like a heavy metal vibrato. Usually done with the middle finger.

Fappy uses the more classical side to side vibrato a lot....more subtle but nice.

'm

AndreasOberg

Hey Steve,
Michael explained this really well, I hope it answers your question.
I'm not sure if it's easier to do a heavy vibrato on a long scale guitar but one thing that makes a difference is the actual string tension. On some guitars, it can be really tough for the left hand...
The frets can also be an important factor. Some frets give that kind of nice little buzz that I like.
Best Regards and good luck!
Andreas

Klezmorim

I find that it's easier for me to use my middle finger and ring finger for vibrato than either the index or "pinky." I believe this is because the mass of the forearm and hand is more evenly balanced when oscillating around the middle and ring fingers.

I also find that vibrato is MUCH easier on guitar than violin! There just doesn't seem to be anything comfortable or "natural" about the violin.