Noel Johnston

[pamosmusic]

Here’s an article:

Classical Guitar Vibrato Explained

relevant portion:

“When watching a classical guitarist perform the vibrato technique it can look as though they are simply rolling the finger, however they are actually applying enough pressure to push and pull the string so that it goes higher and lower in pitch. The rolling movement made by the classical guitarist is just a by product of this push/pull technique.”

[RJVB]

By pushing and pulling the string side to side, you’re tightening and slackening the ringing side of the string.

Erm, no. Pushing the string a given distance from its centre line will give the same increase in tension as pulling it that same distance to the opposite side of its centre line.

I think that what really happens during a classical vibrato that looks like a violin vibrato (= along the length of the string) is that you increase the fretting pressure during the toward-the-headstock phase of the pendulum movement.

Calling "The rolling movement made by the classical guitarist [is] just a by product of this push/pull technique” makes me take that article you cite with a grain of salt or two
(the push/pull effect -if there is really one- would be the effect of the rolling movement).

[pamosmusic]

Give it a go.

Its a super subtle effect on the nylon strings but pretty obvious on the wound.

(this is me. forgive my haste. I am between lessons.)

[grahambop]

Classical guitar vibrato lowers the pitch as well as raising it. On a classical guitar you can easily test this, e.g. fret a note on the G string at (say) 10th fret. Grip the string hard enough (use 2 left hand fingers if necessary) and push towards the bridge. The pitch will go down noticeably. I can lower the pitch by around a semitone doing this.

Of course in normal playing it’s not that extreme, but it’s still there.