newbies and vibrato

Phil Halton · From: Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA

I'd like to get some advice on vibrato. I've been working hard to get the right notes and work the pedals correctly , only to find myself ignoring vibrato and the resulting sound is just not right. So, tonight I concentrated on getting vibrato on every note (fills & chords) and it really makes a difference. Enough so that I see the absolute need for vibrato on all my notes.

I've read and heard enough to know that one should "establish" the note first, then add vibrato after itsounds for a brief while. When I do this it sounds great, but I find it a real feat of syncronization to pick, let the note ring, then add vibrato to each note in a scale run or quarter note phrase.

My brain seems to tell my left hand to "just vibrato all the time and your bound to get vibrato on all the notes". But that brief instance of no vibrato on the start of each note is sacrificed and I have a feeling that that's the cheaters way.

The result is a mishmash of vibrato which doesn't really sound right either. I find that brief instant of no vibrato followed by vibrato on a note seems to help seperate the notes and bring out the beauty of the steel guitar sound.

with all that said, does anyone have any helpful practice suggestions for newbies to develop a good vibrato in their playing? Is that "establishing" of the note before adding vibrato as important as it seems to be, and is it just a matter of training your brain and hands to seperate the functions of picking and blocking on the right hand, and vibrato on the left hand?
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Disclaimer! I make no warranty on the manure I've been spreadin' around here.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Vibrato isn't the worst habit you can get, but it's a tie with swelling your volume pedal just after you hit a note.

Try slowly rolling the bar if anything.

If your ear is driving you nuts, it might be because your tuning system has some glitches, or that you're hearing every little glitch, and you're trying to compensate for it.

If you don't get a handle on it, you could end up

In "olden days" distortion and muddiness covered up those things. Reverb does it more nowadays.

Listen to some of the main steel recordings. Chances are you don't hear as much vibrato as your playing, and that should tell you the story.

Mainly getting across from a live teacher will get you started right on some of these things.

Until then fatten it up with reverb, or doubling, or maybe just cut the highs until you settle in.

Smile

EJL

Chuck Thompson · From: Illinois, USA

phil - i am right there with you - seems i have to spend alot more time concentrating on my left hand than my right - trying to stay relaxed seems to help me the most - then it is easier to just roll the bar slowly but usually it looks and sounds like i am trying to rub the windings off the strings Embarassed

Mike Shefrin · Posted 18 Sep 2007 5:53 am

Phil, there's two techniques for vibrato. One is the the "shake" vibrato, and the other is the "roll" vibrato. Different players use different vibrato.For example, Lloyd Green likes to shake the bar while Buddy Emmons likes to roll the bar. Knowing when and how much to use it is quite important. You don't want to overdo it or it won't sound right. On slow tunes is where the vibrato is often most effective, and it's the combination of the correct volume pedal control and vibrato that will get you that crying sound that you hear on records. This takes awhile to master but once you get it, it's worth it. Try recording yourself playing vibrato at different speeds to get an idea of when it sounds right and when it doesn't. You definitely do not want to use it all the time though, and you don't need to anyway. You will discover that it is more subtle than you had thought. Learn when to use it and when not to is my advice for you.

Bob Hoffnar · From: Austin, Tx

I think it is best to focus on playing in tune and being relaxed. The vibrato will come easy after that. The squeeze and wiggle the bar thing that people starting out do is a hidiously bad habit. Like Eric said, find a good live teacher to get started on the right foot.
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Bob

Mike Shefrin · Posted 18 Sep 2007 7:16 am

deleted.

Phil Halton · From: Holyoke, Massachusetts, USA

[quote="Bob Hoffnar"]I think it is best to focus on playing in tune and being relaxed. The vibrato will come easy after that. Like Eric said, find a good live teacher to get started on the right foot.[/quote]

Unfortunately, at "live teacher" prices these days, a person would have to take out a bank loan to cover it. My sole source of info is the Newman "PSG Techniques", and "Up from the top" videos. He really stresses the need for vibrato on EVERY note. Maybe a closer look at what he's doing will answer my questions. Hey, maybe he's my "live teacher"--except it'll be a one way conversation. Alot like the way it was with my ex wife.

Smile

_________________
Disclaimer! I make no warranty on the manure I've been spreadin' around here.

A. J. Schobert · From: Cincinnati, Ohio,

Funny thing, vibrato is one of the more important things for PSG yet it is rarely talked about.

You should tape yourself playing, listen to it then find out where you can improve.

Truthfully you may want need to seek out a teacher, that is what I did, (buddy charlton), what they can show you in such a short time will be worth it. Maybe even point out bad habits before they get worse.

mike nolan · From: Forest Hills, NY USA

Even one or two lessons with a good teacher can be very helpful. Learn all the basic skills that you can from videos, then take a lesson to correct any bad habits that you might have developed. Work up to the next level with video or written instruction, then take another lesson. You get a lot more for your money with a live teacher if you develop skills and have specific things to work on.

Jim Bob Sedgwick · From: Clinton, Missouri USA

NUMBER ONE RULE start the note and have it come out of the amp very clear and stable before you add vibrato. Poor players try to use vibrato to cover up their intonation problems. As usual all this takes a lot of practice.

NUMBER TWO Nobody and I mean NOBODY has become proficient on this instrument without one heck of a lot of sitting on their BUTT, practicing. There are NO SHORT CUTS AND BUYING EQUIPMENT WILL NOT HELP DEVELOP THE TECHNIQUES THAT ARE REQUIRED!!!!FOOT NOTE: No teacher can DO IT FOR YOU. You have to do it for yourself. See above Number two rule.

OK, I'm done now (lecturing that is)

Steve Waltz · From: USA

I had the "up from the top" stuff and there was a ton of good stuff in there. Jeff wanted lots of bar rolling for vibrato. My problem is that I did it and I think it was covering my intonation problems.

I've since worked hard to stop rolling the bar so much so that I can hear if all of my notes are right. I think I was over doing it but it did cause me some problems live when I was having a hard time playing in tune. I wish I had known to make sure I was hitting the right notes first. I also have an older guitar that needs some bar adjustments to make up for some issues. I couldn't hear how to make those adjustments when I was rolling like crazy. I'm teaching somebody some basic stuff right now and my advise is to not roll the bar much if at all until they are sure they are hitting the intonation right. I'm also telling him not to use the volume pedal for a little while until the blocking gets where it should be.
I also try to practice with headphones as much as I can because you can really hear when your notes are off. A quiet amp may not let you really hear what is going on.

Ward Skinner · From: Mission, TX * R.I.P.

I'm having a bit of a vibrato problem too, just can't get it to sound as it should. It's too shallow and fast. More than likely due to the fact that I never practice it. I am a roller, not a shaker, maybe I'm getting some bad left hand habits.

Played a wedding anniversary a few weeks ago, before the dance started I played 20 minutes of background music during a slide show. There was a photographer there, still and video, and soon after I got to see the DVD he made, slideshow and all. I was surprised, it sounded pretty good, better than I thought it would. But I did not like the vibrato, just not lush enough. I'll be going on 2 yrs playing at the end of the year, it should have been better. Guess I need to concentrate some practice time on that, it seems easier than it really is, for me anyway.

Mike Phillips · From: Brooklyn, NY

Vibrato sounds great, and that's why I think lots of people start off by "over-milking" it.

Bob Hoffnar helped me stop doing that, and it worked. His words were pretty much the same as he offered here: try playing without any vibrato at all, and let it creep back in naturally, and musically.

For the record: my first lesson with Bob was the single biggest dose help to me I have ever received in any music lesson situation. He broke me of my bad habits, showed me how to get a sweeter tone by not always picking right by the pickup, and to relax.

Thank again, Mr. Bob. Hope to see you soon.

Mike

Fred Glave · From: McHenry, Illinois, USA

Vibrato and volume pedal control are my biggest challange right now. It seems that when I'm playing with the group now, I do my best when I feel relaxed and knowing the songs well and having fun. Sometimes when I'm learning new material or practicing, the vibrato and volume feels forced and not too good.

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