Developing Vibrato

So, how is your vibrato? When I hear Jake or Kris, I am always impressed by their controlled vibrato. I am having a hard time getting anything worthwhile. Typically, the string doesn't really want to move all that much, because the nylon strings seem to slip beneath my fingertips rather than get guided back and forth. It seems like they have less tension or something that makes it seem easier.

Any exercises or tips?

Some of the best instruction I've seen on vibrato is on Eric Johnson's Fine Art of Guitar DVD. Really good stuff.

Sounds like you need a more positive connection to the string. A video would help diagnose the problem quickly if you feel like sharing.

I'm working on some detailed instruction on 'ukulele techniques, but I'm doing right hand stuff first. Left hand might be another while. In the meantime, here's what I have written: https://liveukulele.com/lessons/techniques/vibrato/.

Keeping pressure on the string try moving your finger up and down the string rapidly in the string direction ie no bending it.

Then when you are OK with this try moving the string up and down slightly in the direction of the fret, do note it is a rapid small up and down motion

Brad Bordessa said:

Some of the best instruction I've seen on vibrato is on Eric Johnson's Fine Art of Guitar DVD. Really good stuff.

Sounds like you need a more positive connection to the string. A video would help diagnose the problem quickly if you feel like sharing.

I'm working on some detailed instruction on 'ukulele techniques, but I'm doing right hand stuff first. Left hand might be another while. In the meantime, here's what I have written: https://liveukulele.com/lessons/techniques/vibrato/.

Click to expand...

Eric is one of the best. I don't have a way to record at the moment, but I will hopefully sort that out soon. I suppose the problem is that I don't feel like my vibrato is as controlled as it should be compared to my guitar playing. Effectivly, I feel like I have to put a lot more motion into the vibrato than I am actually getting out of it.

Col50 said:

Keeping pressure on the string try moving your finger up and down the string rapidly in the string direction ie no bending it.

Then when you are OK with this try moving the string up and down slightly in the direction of the fret, do note it is a rapid small up and down motion

Click to expand...

Up and down like you would on a cello... rather than side to side?

SandChannel said:

Up and down like you would on a cello... rather than side to side?

Click to expand...

Exactly! Visible string movement should be absolutely minimal. You should be emulating the sort of action achieved with a tremolo arm (Bigsby or "wammy" bar) on a guitar. This also reduces the wear on the fretboard, frets and strings caused by "bending".

It strikes me that the player in the video above may be using relatively high tension strings, he's certainly getting far more "bending" from his strings than I can get on my ukuleles with that small amount of action. One wonders if his effects are being enhanced by the attached electronics?


YMMV - Good luck :music:

Interesting. Thanks!