I can't do vibrato!!!

[tot_Ou_tard]

tot, I see what you are saying. I guess what I was trying to say is that it got better after I did it long enough for my muscle memory/brain/nerves/muscle connections to learn how to do it without my conscious thought. In your words, getting it to the point that it is prewired. Whether it is skiing, playing guitar, whatever, it is always better after my mind and body are used to doing it without my having to consciously think it through.

I think that we are saying the same thing.


I just wanted to make the point that the head was still there doing it's thing when it was out of the way just as it was doing things that are necessary for the process of getting out of the way while it was in the way. It takes a while to set up the neurological circuitry. Muscle memory is this circuitry.

I agree that being in a relaxed but involved state helps to train the brain to wire up relaxed smooth & fluid playing. You get what you ask for & the brain doesn't tend to solve the same problem twice. It will trigger the patterns that it already knows. If you practice tensely you'll play tensely later on.

I should take my own advice!

All the above is just me wagging a finger in what seems a reasonable direction as to how the brain works. What do I know, maybe its done with hamsters.

[ZMAN]

I think that the vibrato comes naturally with time. When I first started playing BB King and Albert King were my inspiration, and their style is mostly bending and vibrato. So to emulate their tone the constant bends just progressed to finger vibrato. Now I have a huge callus on my first finger.
I also have 10 strats and the whammy bar on all of them is in the case.
It is really true what a lot of you have mentioned. I add a subtle ammount to each note without really realizing it. What Robert pointed out was it just adds to a lick making it come alive, and more interesting.

[Hardass blues]

...1 st off I have no viable music training but have played for over 30 years so, here it goes. When you are trying to bend the strings lets say with your 3rd finger use the remaining fingers to help push up and or pull down on the string .It's just a start. This will help as you develop the vibrato and help the muscles in your fingers develop along with the callouses on the finger tips. When doing a slow bend I will use whatever fingers I have open to bend the notes as far into pitch that I can, on a good slow blues tune you can strangle a single note till it hurts. Hope this helps. J.H.

[SweetSong]

Thanks this is helping! I have been playing for 3 hours now trying to just do it alot easier than I was before. It already sounds better so atleast I know I'll do it right someday when I stop thinking so much.

That video is great. I think it's easier to learn something by seeing it.

Is it ok if the neck kind of shakes? I'm still doing that some. If that's a bad habit I don't want to keep practising wrong.

[just strum]

Thanks this is helping! I have been playing for 3 hours now trying to just do it alot easier than I was before. It already sounds better so atleast I know I'll do it right someday when I stop thinking so much.

That video is great. I think it's easier to learn something by seeing it.

Is it ok if the neck kind of shakes? I'm still doing that some. If that's a bad habit I don't want to keep practising wrong.

Remember, if it works, it's not the wrong way. Find what works for you. If you think the neck movement is hindering your progress, than focus on stopping it, however personally I wouldn't be too concerned.

Relax and it will get easier.

The biggest tip in golf is to relax, it applies here too.

[sunvalleylaw]

It is just fine for the neck, or even the whole guitar to shake. Many do it that way. Like Strum said, no wrong way really. Watch some youtube vids of your favs and see how they do it. Glad it is helping and you are having fun with it, which is really the key.

[SweetSong]

Ok I won't worry then,it sounds alot better so just happy about that right now.I better stop for tonight though.My fingers are sore!!

[ZMAN]

Jimi Vaughan atually throws the neck back and forth when he does some of his vibratio. So movement on the neck is cool.