Next, the vibrato movement should come from the wrist, not the fingers.
#Guitar string notes series#
Keep in mind that, due to the presence of frets, each of which stops a string at a fixed point, a finger vibrato is best achieved not by wiggling the finger back and forth, or sideways, as you would see a violinist, cellist, or slide player do, but rather by performing a series of quick, evenly spaced “micro bends” – less than a quarter step – and releases as a note is held.Ī quarter tone, or quarter step, is more than enough of a pitch fluctuation to produce a pronounced vibrato effect, although some players, for more swagger, like to go with a wider vibrato, bending the pitch as far as a half step, or beyond that, for a bold, over-the-top vibrato effect.įirst and foremost, as you administer a finger vibrato, make sure you manage to convey the intended “base pitch,” with the vibrato repeatedly modulating it up or down but always returning to it. King’s fluttering index-finger trills, David Gilmour’s subtle tremolo-bar warbles, and Yngwie Malmsteen’s wide, violin-like note shakes at the end of a blistering run.Įvery great guitarist’s vibrato is unique and distinctive, and the key is to find a technical approach that’s comfortable for your hands and sounds vocal-like and pleasing to your ears. There are various ways to achieve a musically appealing vibrato effect on the guitar, such as by playing with a slide or using a whammy bar, but here we’ll limit our discussion to the technique of finger vibrato. One of the most distinguishing elements of a guitarist’s sound, or “voice,” is their vibrato. In this case, you’ll want to pull the G string downward at the 12th fret, in toward your palm, using only your first finger. In each bar, you begin by picking the open high E string, which will serve as your reference “target pitch” for each ensuing push-bend on the G string.Īlso known as a “curl,” this is a slight, subtle bend that rises only about midway to the next higher note and provides just a hint of color and soulful expressiveness to a melody. 5 is an exercise designed to sharpen your ear and technique for precision string bending, with each successive bend becoming more challenging to perform. So it’s “3(+2),” or “3(+2 and 1).” And while pushing or pulling a string up or down will raise its pitch, the push-bending technique is the most widely used, as lead licks are most often played on the higher strings. For bends greater than a whole step, you’ll find it advantageous to additionally enlist the aid of the index finger (1), placed one fret below the middle finger. The ring finger (3) generally works best as the note-fretting finger, with the middle finger (2) serving as the reinforcing finger, placed one fret lower on the same string. When push-bending, you’ll want to hook your thumb around the top side of the fretboard (by the low E string) to give your hand an anchor point with which to keep the neck in place as you push the string and neck upward with your bending finger(s).įor any bend greater than a half step, which is equal to one fret above the note you’re bending from, it’s beneficial to employ reinforced fingering, using two or more fingers to push or pull the string, for added strength and pitch control. With the other four strings, you have the option of either pushing or pulling, and each technique feels different.
Likewise, when bending the low E string, you can only pull it downward, for the same reason. When bending the high E string, your only option is to push it in toward the middle strings, as pulling it downward would cause it to fall off the fretboard. The technique and art of string bending – and making it sound polished – takes a great deal of control and practice to master, requiring highly trained fret-hand muscles that are “programmed” and continually guided by the ear.Ī bend may be performed by any finger – although the pinkie (4) is the weakest and hardest to control and is not advisable to use much – and by either pushing the string upward (away from the palm) or pulling it downward (in toward the palm). In many styles, the coolest and most expressive way to articulate a note on the guitar is to bend up to it from below, either as a quick grace note or in rhythm, or time – what’s called a rhythmic bend.
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