The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
  1. #1

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    Hi all,


    I had a few ideas I wanted to expand upon from my previous post last week. I had a few questions in the comments of that video asking for clarification on the classical vibrato technique, so I went a little bit more in depth on my approach to learning it and when to use it.


    I wanted to focus on one of my favorite players who makes great use of this method - Julian Lage. It's amazing how he pulls it off in such a smooth manner and I really look up to him as a musician.






    Hopefully this this topic will interest some of you and hopefully I've done a good enough job explaining it to be helpful! Let me know if you have any questions.


    Best,
    Alex

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  3. #2

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    horizontal vibrato is nothing new!!...one of the great exponents was mike oldfield!!...and many of the original 60's
    sf fillmore band guitarists. who were trying to emulate indian classical sitar (ravi shankar) did it

    tom verlaine another good one

    gabor szabo did some nice work in jazz field...on martin flatop!

    cheers

  4. #3

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    I'd use the third finger, and put the first and second finger on the string, too. I get more momentum from it.

    However, I find that this vibrato doesn't work too well on steel strings (for me, that is). Too subtle, in a way. I can't hear much vibrato in the video, either. At around 7:30, when Julian wants a really strong vibrato, he uses the "butterfly" style. BTW thanks for the Julian Lage video links, didn't know these yet.

  5. #4

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    Nothing particularly classical about it, as I've seen it done many times by electric players and acoustic players. I always teach it emphasising having the vibrato pulse in time with the music, though sped up - context is everything.

  6. #5

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    Thanks for the tips neatomic. I'll have to check those players out. For sure it's nothing new (as classical musicians have been doing it for centuries) but I do think it is really nicely done by Julian.

    Docsteve - it is really subtle! You can hear it if the instrument is exposed, but even in a band mix I think that a really nice product of this technique is how it can appear to warm up your sound when you use it - sort of like how violinists blend together in a string section by using vibrato all together. A straight tone is much more likely to stick out.
    The Applause video I mentioned is one of my favorites now!

    Rob - interesting. I use the metronome when I practice and teach it, but eventually I don't like to have any attachment to the actual tempo of the song. I feel like it becomes robotic at that point. I think vibrato should be an automatic response. It should start slow and speed up a bit to a comfortable sound. That's how my viola teacher taught it to me many years ago and that's what I've stuck with.

  7. #6

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    Whatever. It's ultimately subjective.

  8. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by neatomic
    horizontal vibrato is nothing new!!...one of the great exponents was mike oldfield!!...and many of the original 60's
    sf fillmore band guitarists. who were trying to emulate indian classical sitar (ravi shankar) did it

    tom verlaine another good one

    gabor szabo did some nice work in jazz field...on martin flatop!

    cheers
    When I think of this type of vibrato I immediately think of the late Alan Holdsworth.