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  1. Tutorials
  2. Guitar Lessons & Tutorials

30-day guitar challenge, day 12: Six signature vibratos to master

Tuition
By Guitarist, Total Guitar ( Total Guitar, Guitarist ) published 12 August 2015

What kind of vibrato do you have?

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Introduction

Introduction

30-day guitar challenge: Nearly every guitarist uses this expressive technique, but have you ever really analysed your vibrato skills? Improve your feel as we look at six of the most iconic vibratos in history...

Page 1 of 7
Page 1 of 7
B.B. King

B.B. King

Blues legend BB King has a very fast, shallow vibrato.

To emulate it, try taking your thumb off the neck and shaking your hand rapidly, but don’t bend the string more than a quarter-tone.

Page 2 of 7
Page 2 of 7
Angus Young

Angus Young

Angus’ playing has a blues foundation, and with it comes the fast flutter associated with that style, but his rock attitude comes through with a more pronounced bend, which should be roughly a semitone.

Page 3 of 7
Page 3 of 7
David Gilmour

David Gilmour

David Gilmour is the granddaddy of taste, and his vibrato is smooth, often ethereal and has a very subtle and slow rise and fall in pitch. Think BB King in super-slow motion.

Page 4 of 7
Page 4 of 7
Brian May

Brian May

Dr May makes his guitar sing with a slow pulsing vibrato similar to David Gilmour’s, but a wider semitone curve adds an almost operatic vocal effect, which permeates Queen’s music.

Page 5 of 7
Page 5 of 7
Steve Vai

Steve Vai

Vai’s tone-wide vibrato is almost comparable to a classical violinist.

You can emulate his style by drawing a circle with your finger as you bend and release the string.

Page 6 of 7
Page 6 of 7
Zakk Wylde

Zakk Wylde

Wylde by name and wild by nature. Zakk’s vibrato is as extreme and ferocious as they come, and he bends the string on average a tone and a half. Grip firmly to lever the string up and down.

Page 7 of 7
Page 7 of 7
Total Guitar
Total Guitar
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Total Guitar is Europe's best-selling guitar magazine.

Every month we feature interviews with the biggest names and hottest new acts in guitar land, plus Guest Lessons from the stars.

Finally, our Rocked & Rated section is the place to go for reviews, round-ups and help setting up your guitars and gear.

Subscribe: http://bit.ly/totalguitar

Read more
David Gilmour
How to play guitar like David Gilmour: Bluesy diads, slides, quarter-tone blues curls and more
Michael Thompson
“Then it’s how you smack it, or zing it or strum it”: Guitar legend Michael Thompson talks clean tone
Mark Knopfler of Dire Straights performs onstage in 1985 with his red Fender Stratocaster. He wears a dark suit and a burgundy shirt with an open collar.
How Mark Knopfler grew up wanting to be Jimi Hendrix until he ditched the pick and went fingerstyle
George Harrison
How to play like George Harrison on The Beatles' Abbey Road
Bonnie Raitt
“That feel is something you can’t teach": Bonnie Raitt on how she developed her slide guitar style
Misha Mansoor poses with his new Jackson Juggernaut in Red Crystal. On the right, his heavy relic shell pink Jackson offset
Misha Mansoor on how the Bass VI inspired his Jackson baritone and a tuning so low it’s “absurd”
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