I've been wicked obsessed with Vibrato lately... wondered if anyone had any advice on that smooth violin sounding vibrato that he uses.
I get close with a Vai style 'circular' vibrato (combining trad vibrato and a classical style one) but just cant nail it...
Any advice?

well yngwie's scallops help him control the vibro, but besides that its just feeling around for it until you get it.

Yeah, I must say my favorite vibrato is Vai's and Malmsteen's... I have spent some time on Vai's I love it. What you do is just take your hand entirely off the fretboard except the vibrato finger. and make the finger straight (thats the key). You can figure it out by watching some vids of him, like that Tender Surrender vid or For The Love Of God. Took me a while to master.

Malmsteen's vibrato is great as well, assisted by his scallops he can achieve really accurate vibrato. The scallops really give you that grip.

I thought the scallops may have played a part.

Well i'm not about readdy to attack my RG so i think we will master Vai's one instead.

Cheers guys

Well, Yngwie's vibrato I wouldn't say is significantly different from a vibrato that he would do on a non scalloped fretboard, he can just do more with the scallops. He vibrato is very controlled, its just an ear/technique thing practice... nothing is is stopping you from getting yngwie like vibrato, it just might not sound identicle due to the scallops.

What kind of RG do you have? I love RGs :)
They have giant frets which gets you closer to a scalloped feel than normal sized frets.

I only have an RGEX320.
Not the flashest.
I love it to bits though, its got a FRED in the neck and a DDISTORTION in the bridge. I'm going to sallop the last 5 frets after i move to the UK.

I'm planning on obtaning another one, or possibly a 7 string RG in the not to distant future.

I'm addicted to Ibby's.

Had some other ones, but they came and went.

Yngwie's vibrato is the best ever. A scalloped fretboard will help vibrato bacause it allows the fretting finger to get in behind the string when using a bending vibrato style. Captain Doom be careful when you get your geetar scalloped as playing on a scalloped neck requires a lighter touch. Too heavy and it's possible to send the note out of pitch. Hope it goes well and welcome to the UK when you get here.

P.s try using a sliding across the string vibrato. You can emphasise this technique by removing the thumb of your fretting from the back of your guitars neck.

ya make sure you dont get the scalloping done by some sketchy guitar store, get it done by a professional.

Cheers man.

Yeah i've played with Jems and possibly the only EGEN in the country as well as someone's half scalloped Blackmore tribute strat, so i know the dangers of scalloping.
Plus i've Jem'ed a couple of RG's in the past so i'm ok to scallop the last 5 frets.

Ibanez' are great and all, but I'm getting a slipknot ad while posting this message. =/

Anyways, I have an sz320 and I love it's fast neck. It also has a great metal tone as well, and I dont hate the neck pickup.

Btw, that JEM is sweet.

Speaking of Vai's vibrato I really don't understand it, I read an article about it that said he fused vibrato of guys like clapton with classical vibrato, but I don't really know what is classical vibrato and therefore I don't understand Vai's.
If someone could help me I'd appreciated.

If your referring to his Martian love secrets series he explains what a classical vibrato is...

Classical is when you rock, slide, shake your finger back and fourth in a linear motion, no UP and DOWN like a blues vibrato.

I personally find that i can get more feel out of classical vibrato if i take all other fingers and thumbs of the neck and just allow that one finger to do the work. Try it, it will take getting used to it but its a smoother vibrato IMO.

Actually, i find my vibrato technique to be better if i have my palm on the back of the fret board and my thumb covering the first two strings. Its hard to explain but i think a dude on youtube explains it well. Plus when i move my wrist for the vibrato i kinda have a muscle spasm but its sorta controlled (there is a better way of explaining it but it is quite perverted) . Im working on stregthening it right now because i like the way it sounds. The only thing is when i over use it some times my hand and wrist start to seriously have "seizures" or uncontrollable shaking. (i truly hope this isnt a big problem). If, anyone want to use my poorly described method make sure you don't over do it give your hand a break every now and then.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4y3JhRwuYE


P.S. think super fast "fingering", if you understand then you understand, if you don't, don't go asking mommy or daddy.

I've noticed that you can devellop your vibrato by recording you. I was shocked when I saw my first video : I use a vibrato every where. I didn't think it was so important in my playing. I think that the fact of seeing malmsteen playing has a huge impact. I watch violin videos (paganini caprices)too. To describe a vibrato I would say that it's a bend but you keep your bend at 1/4. You don't play a full one. And you musn't hear the vibrato as a technic but as a feeling in your playing

Agreed. On the slower notes most good players are doing something with the string to get the most feeling out of it, you shouldn't just play the note. Whatever feels/sounds right at the time, it's not something you think about, it'll be there naturally.