I love your attitude toward other players, Tim. You've had an incredible career, yet even now you're always eager to learn from other guitar players. Such a great example for all of us, that we should always be looking to learn and improve.
I'm a big Blackmore nut, and from what I understand, there was a time in his early days where his emphasis was solely on speed. He wanted to be the fastest. It was his meeting with Clapton where he started using vibrato, because that silky smooth vibrato has always been Clapton's signature and the meeting impacted Blackmore greatly. Note too, it was Clapton's roadie that gave Blackmore his first Stratocaster. Fast forward to today, The Man In Black has a masterful vibrato: from the very violent, aggressive type, to the slow, beautiful type. Nice video.
Hi Tim, for me, a standout performance from Angus Young is during the solo of You Shook Me All Night Long. That high bend at 2 : 36 mark has that slight delay before the vibrato that you discuss. That solo exemplifies the nuances of vibrato, with incredible attention to detail! I think the combination of simplicity, vibrato and the clever pre-bending of notes, makes it one of the greatest solos out there. Cheers!
Paul's vibrato to me is legendary. I remember hearing once that Eric Clapton asked Paul about how he got his vibrato. To me, his vibrato on his bends is exactly what I would love to have.
I'm chuffed so many people have mentioned Paul Kossoff in this thread. One of the unsung heroes of rock in my opinion. With vibrato by the bucket load too.
Angus' vibrato on both Guitar solos from the live version of "The Jack" ( 'If you want blood... you got it' ) is simply incredible. Also his vibrato from the live version of "Whole Lotta Rosie" from the same album. But the master is Paul Kossoff. Check out his solo on "Fire and Water" from the Beat club TV show here on youtube... simply the finest Guitar Vibrato ever.
Another vibrato trick is to practice the number of "pulses" on each note. A pulse would be one complete back-and-forth movement of your left hand. Start playing a simple series of notes and play 3 vibrato pulses per note, then 4 per note, etc. Once you are able to control the vibrato at that level of detail your playing will be much improved.
The trick to a really strong vibrato is to angle your left hand just right so that you can use your wrist to do the vibrato. You're basically shaking your hand from the wrist, and once you get the momentum you just control how far your wrist is moving to control the "width" of the vibrato. You can control both the width and the speed of the vibrato, and your right hand controls the volume. A very wide vibrato also enables almost infinite sustain for any note because the wide movement across the fret makes the note lightly ring out.
Jeff Beck also doesn't use a pick, which makes it easier to ride the whammy bar the way he does. David Gilmore also whammys a lot of his vibratos. P.S. If we're talking vibrato, gotta give a shout out to Paul Kossoff of Free.
As mentioned [11:23 - 12:23] out of sync. Just when you had me on the edge of my seat with the Jeff Beck vibe. Thanks guys, such talent & you make it fun.
This is so much fun to watch! And, everybody below mentioned some other great, vibrato players, too... And, I'd like to mention (Robin Trower's (a.k.a. the white Hendrix) vibrato, which I'm still trying to nail since 1974 when Bridge of Sighs came out. Yeah, I was born the same year as Tim.
SRV vibrato. The guy was so strong it looked like he was going to squeeze the neck into pieces and the friction would burn up the fretboard. Sounded that way too, meaning that in the most positive sense.
A fabulous video! Vibrato is IMHO one of the most obvious signature moves in any guitarist's arsenal. His or her banner of individualism. That being said, I wish there had been a nod to my first major vibrato influence, Leslie West. Please keep making these great videos!
If you're talking about Angus Youngs vibrato ( one of my favorite things in life )....for the high notes , it is identical to Paul Kossoffs' vibrato . I think they are/were completely dedicated to that vibrato in there playing. It is a very particular vibrato unique unto itself . Blackmore does it once in a while and other great players will occasionally , but most any Kossoff or Angus solo that has vibrato, will feature it. For sure Angus Youngs use of .009 string gauge set really aids in enables him to execute it .
Love when you have Bruce in your videos. This was a really great video, I think I need to break some vibrato habits as well and consciously develop it some more.
Great observational lesson of past outstanding guitarists vibrato techniques. Being explained nice and clearly how it effects the listener. It hammers home a good delivered single note expressed well makes a greater sounding guitarist, Soulful. Peter Green, dark and emotional. David Gilmour, blows my mind with one expressed note. Scott Gorham, wrongly overlooked slick guitarist, excellent vibrato. The geezer that made Lizzy sound great. Gary Moore and Jimi, greats in the execution and delivery of vibrato, in my opinion.
Great stuff. Always both the teacher and the student - great attitude to have to grow on guitar. Thanks for this. I'll try some of these, but it'll be a while before doing these decently
Great to see a video on vibrato (which I still grapple with, not altogether successfully, but anyway...), really quite surprised there was no mention of one player who, despite a tragically short career, nevertheless had a huge influence and arguably one of the most distinctive vibrato's ever - Paul Kossoff - but great to hear 'Lazy' (and Ritchie Blackmore) mentioned. Thanks Tim, your videos continue to inspire and encourage!!
Awesome vid Tim. I've listened to a few interviews with BB King. He has often stated he did not like the sound of the bent string vibrato, "...doesn't sound good to my ear..." He describes hitting the single note vibrato after a bend as an accent. Seems to work for him...that's for sure.
This is a fantastic topic! Luke needs some props here too. What's fun about learning some of what these guys do is that once you try to replicate it, you can appreciate more either the energy or delicacy of what they do. Like try learning the first 2 measures of the Led Boots solo and your hand will be aching in about 60 seconds. And yeah, good luck with that heavy Trower thing.
It's not a butterfly, it's the B. B. "stinger" as he himself called it in a video I saw once. It's a bee sting, not a butterfly. Love your stuff Tim! Thanks!
Hell yeah! Danny Kirwans is so fast and aggressive. Greeny’s is very sophisticated and beautiful. Not too aggressive and wide like Kirwan, not too fast and narrow like BB, but just perfectly in the middle. Mike Bloomfield also had a very distinctive vibrato. His was wide but slow.
check peter green. there’s a story about him, he once saw an old lady 👵 holding a cup of tea shaking 🍵 , and he said that’s the type of vibrato he wanted to achieve. very bb king like. cheers!
Angus had always been my favorite...followed by BB. Don Felder and believe it or not, Yngwie Malmsteen both have pretty decent ones as well. The list goes on...Santana, etc
Blackmore even did pinky vibrado because of the scalloped fret board. Most people use one of their three fingers for Vibrado. But not the master. Blackmore used to be a freak on the Fret board. Besides the fact he could Sometimes do 60% Of a concert with his eyes shut amazing Talent. Look up rainbow in Toronto if you want to see him play a concert with his eyes Closed.
Albert King show us all of kind of vibrato and then the rest ...... Peter Green ....etc but the moest expressive and stiill impress me still toaday IS kossoff 😎🎸🇬🇷👍👌👏👏👏
Lynch is a hard vibrato to comp, as is Claptons at times. Yngwies is so beautiful . Dimeola when hes not blazing in the 70s had a cool violin style vibrato too.
This is a good video but remember musicians use hearing as sound enhances the feeling therefore the fancy string bending and a multitude of other stuff too, but theorizing is cool too. Now you have to start writing it down on paper so all your cool videos are published but then again just jamming is cool too.
Yes BB King does the butterfly hand, and he also does it freehand, so only his fingertip is touching the guitar! For example in this video ua-cam.com/video/4fk2prKnYnI/v-deo.html
No one seems to be able to do it, even Tim, (whom I respect enormously) can't emulate it. It's like Kossoff. I'd give my eye teeth to be able to get that vibrato.
Yeah how about we not vibrato the living snot out of every last note?! Seems like the 70's had so much dynamics. Volume up and down, picking in different places, switching pick ups, rolling tone knobs etc. I watched Peter Frampton on the Midnight special and he did these things in just one song. I tell ya one of my favorite sounds lately is Leon Russell from the mad dogs and englishman record with Joe Cocker of course. I guess it's that black Les Paul into what...a Fender? It just has some sort of "thing" to it. Oh well off topic!
I love your attitude toward other players, Tim. You've had an incredible career, yet even now you're always eager to learn from other guitar players. Such a great example for all of us, that we should always be looking to learn and improve.
I'm a big Blackmore nut, and from what I understand, there was a time in his early days where his emphasis was solely on speed. He wanted to be the fastest. It was his meeting with Clapton where he started using vibrato, because that silky smooth vibrato has always been Clapton's signature and the meeting impacted Blackmore greatly. Note too, it was Clapton's roadie that gave Blackmore his first Stratocaster. Fast forward to today, The Man In Black has a masterful vibrato: from the very violent, aggressive type, to the slow, beautiful type. Nice video.
Every time I watch Beck I'm just open-mouthed at his originality and subtlety. It was so good to hear that Tim feels just the same.
Kossoff's vibrato was so savage, no one can duplicate it.
Hi Tim, for me, a standout performance from Angus Young is during the solo of You Shook Me All Night Long. That high bend at 2 : 36 mark has that slight delay before the vibrato that you discuss. That solo exemplifies the nuances of vibrato, with incredible attention to detail! I think the combination of simplicity, vibrato and the clever pre-bending of notes, makes it one of the greatest solos out there. Cheers!
Paul Kossoff has the vibrato I would LOVE to be able to do!!
Best ☝️ one
Paul's vibrato to me is legendary. I remember hearing once that Eric Clapton asked Paul about how he got his vibrato. To me, his vibrato on his bends is exactly what I would love to have.
Peter Green and Danny Kirwin as well for me. I can't express how much I like watching Mr. Pierces video. Fantastic
I'm chuffed so many people have mentioned Paul Kossoff in this thread. One of the unsung heroes of rock in my opinion. With vibrato by the bucket load too.
Angus' vibrato on both Guitar solos from the live version of "The Jack" ( 'If you want blood... you got it' ) is simply incredible. Also his vibrato from the live version of "Whole Lotta Rosie" from the same album.
But the master is Paul Kossoff. Check out his solo on "Fire and Water" from the Beat club TV show here on youtube... simply the finest Guitar Vibrato ever.
Another vibrato trick is to practice the number of "pulses" on each note. A pulse would be one complete back-and-forth movement of your left hand. Start playing a simple series of notes and play 3 vibrato pulses per note, then 4 per note, etc. Once you are able to control the vibrato at that level of detail your playing will be much improved.
The trick to a really strong vibrato is to angle your left hand just right so that you can use your wrist to do the vibrato. You're basically shaking your hand from the wrist, and once you get the momentum you just control how far your wrist is moving to control the "width" of the vibrato. You can control both the width and the speed of the vibrato, and your right hand controls the volume. A very wide vibrato also enables almost infinite sustain for any note because the wide movement across the fret makes the note lightly ring out.
Great communication of vibrato styles. Thanks Tim
Jeff Beck also doesn't use a pick, which makes it easier to ride the whammy bar the way he does. David Gilmore also whammys a lot of his vibratos. P.S. If we're talking vibrato, gotta give a shout out to Paul Kossoff of Free.
As mentioned [11:23 - 12:23] out of sync. Just when you had me on the edge of my seat with the Jeff Beck vibe. Thanks guys, such talent & you make it fun.
Saw Foreigner as a kid, good memories of that show!
Your best video yet! Loved the analysis, comparison and demonstration of 2 great players! Awesome! Keep up the great work!
This is so much fun to watch! And, everybody below mentioned some other great, vibrato players, too... And, I'd like to mention (Robin Trower's (a.k.a. the white Hendrix) vibrato, which I'm still trying to nail since 1974 when Bridge of Sighs came out. Yeah, I was born the same year as Tim.
2 great guitar players demonstrating the nuances of other great guitarists ... Love it!!! :)
SRV vibrato. The guy was so strong it looked like he was going to squeeze the neck into pieces and the friction would burn up the fretboard. Sounded that way too, meaning that in the most positive sense.
Great stuff Tim Thanks Great to see and hear Bruce Also.
Very cool. I love the way you focus on a specific technique like this. Thank you.
My vibrato while holding a bend is shite.
GO practice then
Michael Schenker has fantastic vibrato
A fabulous video! Vibrato is IMHO one of the most obvious signature moves in any guitarist's arsenal. His or her banner of individualism. That being said, I wish there had been a nod to my first major vibrato influence, Leslie West. Please keep making these great videos!
Tim and Bruce, thanks for the session it was great insight and love of guitar as expression of self comes through cheers! 🎸🎸🎸
Kossoff was the true master of vibrato he could make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck
Angus' bent vibrato is instantly recongnisable, you hear it and know straight away its him
Love to see you talk about Hendrix on this topic. He had many approaches.
Fun video to watch. There's hardly anything more important than a good vibrato for guitar player.
Great vid Tim. My favourite, often overlooked, guitar technique. Every guitar player needs some vibrato heroes!
If you're talking about Angus Youngs vibrato ( one of my favorite things in life )....for the high notes , it is identical to Paul Kossoffs' vibrato . I think they are/were completely dedicated to that vibrato in there playing. It is a very particular vibrato unique unto itself . Blackmore does it once in a while and other great players will occasionally , but most any Kossoff or Angus solo that has vibrato, will feature it. For sure Angus Youngs use of .009 string gauge set really aids in enables him to execute it .
Love when you have Bruce in your videos. This was a really great video, I think I need to break some vibrato habits as well and consciously develop it some more.
Peter Green’s vibrato (the fast aggressive one) was inimitable - he used it at top of full tone bends, not frequently , still the best imho 🎶👍🏼🎸✌🏻
Great observational lesson of past outstanding guitarists vibrato techniques. Being explained nice and clearly how it effects the listener. It hammers home a good delivered single note expressed well makes a greater sounding guitarist, Soulful. Peter Green, dark and emotional. David Gilmour, blows my mind with one expressed note. Scott Gorham, wrongly overlooked slick guitarist, excellent vibrato. The geezer that made Lizzy sound great. Gary Moore and Jimi, greats in the execution and delivery of vibrato, in my opinion.
LOVE this video
Jeff Becks tremolo/volume technique is out of this world
Mike Campbell has a nice 4 min. video on vibrato. Thanks Tim on your insight.
Did you lose the audio sync at the 11:00 mark or is it just my computer?
Here also so must the video. Of course it couldnt be us ha ha.
"could be us...." I've been married for too long. It has to be my fault.
it went out for me too,,lol
yup.. it's out
back in 12:28
Great stuff. Always both the teacher and the student - great attitude to have to grow on guitar. Thanks for this. I'll try some of these, but it'll be a while before doing these decently
Is anyone familiar with Danny Kirwan's vibrato of Fleetwood Mac? The song "Like It This Way" in particular
His best is Jigsaw Puzzle Blues,,, fantastic vibrato on that one
there's always Gilmour on Money nice use of vibrato there too
Great to see a video on vibrato (which I still grapple with, not altogether successfully, but anyway...), really quite surprised there was no mention of one player who, despite a tragically short career, nevertheless had a huge influence and arguably one of the most distinctive vibrato's ever - Paul Kossoff - but great to hear 'Lazy' (and Ritchie Blackmore) mentioned. Thanks Tim, your videos continue to inspire and encourage!!
Awesome vid Tim. I've listened to a few interviews with BB King. He has often stated he did not like the sound of the bent string vibrato, "...doesn't sound good to my ear..." He describes hitting the single note vibrato after a bend as an accent. Seems to work for him...that's for sure.
This is a fantastic topic! Luke needs some props here too. What's fun about learning some of what these guys do is that once you try to replicate it, you can appreciate more either the energy or delicacy of what they do. Like try learning the first 2 measures of the Led Boots solo and your hand will be aching in about 60 seconds. And yeah, good luck with that heavy Trower thing.
Peter Green, he would go from subtle to blistering, Jumpin' Live At The Boston Tea Party, specially Jumpin' At Shadows
Andrew Latimer (Camel)
Gary Moore
Zakk Wylde
I love the vibrato of these guys.
bushibayushi
+1 for Gary Moore as well
Good choices. I think Zakk's vibrato spans the width of the entire neck sometimes lol.
Gary Moore is my vibrato role model.
+1 for Zakk, his super wide vibrato is such a big part of his sound.
bushibayushi so Happy to see Latimer on the comments
His expressive job at Rajaz is so incredible!
What about Lukather?
That guy has one of the wildest vibratto of the world.
Hold the Line solo is the best example
Bruce playing an Epi ! Yeah baby !!!
This is great!
That's it! The rapidity of the wiggle!
It's not a butterfly, it's the B. B. "stinger" as he himself called it in a video I saw once. It's a bee sting, not a butterfly. Love your stuff Tim! Thanks!
When I think of unique vibrato, Robin Trower comes to mind.
I love the vibrato of Tony Iommi with his pinky and Mark Knopfler with 3 strings chorus :)
5:41 reminds me to go listen to Thin Lizzy's Whiskey In The Jar again!
Trower, Timmons, Aldrich, Schenker, Lukather, Thompson
Nice break down,
Thanks !
Peter green? Danny kirwan?
yes and yes !
Hell yeah! Danny Kirwans is so fast and aggressive. Greeny’s is very sophisticated and beautiful. Not too aggressive and wide like Kirwan, not too fast and narrow like BB, but just perfectly in the middle. Mike Bloomfield also had a very distinctive vibrato. His was wide but slow.
I haven't heard anyone who can emulate Paul Kossoff in his prime (Mr. Big, as a case in point). If anyone has, please let me know.
check peter green. there’s a story about him, he once saw an old lady 👵 holding a cup of tea shaking 🍵 , and he said that’s the type of vibrato he wanted to achieve. very bb king like. cheers!
Angus had always been my favorite...followed by BB. Don Felder and believe it or not, Yngwie Malmsteen both have pretty decent ones as well. The list goes on...Santana, etc
Blackmore even did pinky vibrado because of the scalloped fret board. Most people use one of their three fingers for Vibrado. But not the master. Blackmore used to be a freak on the Fret board. Besides the fact he could Sometimes do 60% Of a concert with his eyes shut amazing Talent. Look up rainbow in Toronto if you want to see him play a concert with his eyes Closed.
Also: George Lynch and Yngwie
But Yngwe had scalloped fretboards...
I care for sound only...if it´s scalloped or covered in diamonds it´s up to the player . Cheers!
ja, just saying :)
Dont forget John Sykes n Warran Demartini
wow Bruce Watson should be called the Bruce Wayne of guitar, the guy kicks ass
Albert King show us all of kind of vibrato and then the rest ...... Peter Green ....etc but the moest expressive and stiill impress me still toaday IS kossoff 😎🎸🇬🇷👍👌👏👏👏
Kingfish has some damn good up and coming legendary vibrato, right up there with the gods, keep an eye on that dude....
Maybe Blackmore didn't vibrato because he and Lord were doubling lines so much, so he was matching the keyboards. Just a thought...
There may well be a lot of truth in that.
Interesting point.
Hey Tim, you and Pete should get IMO one of the best vibrato players in for your "round table" - Chris Poland. Completely unique as a player.
Robin Trower guys, one of the best vibrato in the biz
Yep, Trower for sure. When I seen the title, he was the first one I thought of.
Thank you
How can Brian May NOT be on the list?
Paul Kossoff had wicked vibrato
Danny Kirwan, Fleetwood Mac
thanks!
Great vid on 'vibrotechs' thanks again Tim.. I'm so dig'n Mr.Bruce's Epi P90 tone! . . . any bio on that lil'piece of artillery .. :)
Blackmore also does amazing staccato picking
Lynch is a hard vibrato to comp, as is Claptons at times. Yngwies is so beautiful . Dimeola when hes not blazing in the 70s had a cool violin style vibrato too.
Carl Verheyen has command over his pitches and vibrato!
I learned vibrato watching BB King in the early 70s.
This is a good video but remember musicians use hearing as sound enhances the feeling therefore the fancy string bending and a multitude of other stuff too, but theorizing is cool too. Now you have to start writing it down on paper so all your cool videos are published but then again just jamming is cool too.
Did Steve Vai get a mention?Probably THE most sophisticated vibrato style imo.
Hi Tim great video. Steve Lukather has one of the best vibratos.
Lukather does everything the best..lol
I'm more of a metal guy but I think Brandon Ellis has an insane vibrato.
Fun video!
B.B. King and Jeff Beck are both big fans of Django. Maybe that's where the faster vibrato comes from?
This Bruce dude is a cool cat
no kossoff?
Mister Waffel My first thought!
My thoughts exactly
Ahh, My vibrato idol. Actually early Angus and the Koss have very similar vibrato. Music to my ears!
Hello Tim is this your new go to ES-335. Could you tell us a little about it. Thank you
Yes BB King does the butterfly hand, and he also does it freehand, so only his fingertip is touching the guitar!
For example in this video ua-cam.com/video/4fk2prKnYnI/v-deo.html
No one seems to be able to do it, even Tim, (whom I respect enormously) can't emulate it. It's like Kossoff. I'd give my eye teeth to be able to get that vibrato.
Mick Taylor has my favorite vibrato.
Mister Waffel came first, but yeah, what about Koss????
11:23 sync issue
12:35 back in sync
albert Collins master of the telecaster.
Trower Baby!
11:16 - 12:30 something happened in the audio track selected for the sequence
Thank god, I thought I was having a stroke.
Check out Steve Hackett’s vibrato. It’s insane!
I wonder what guage strings angus plays
Yeah how about we not vibrato the living snot out of every last note?! Seems like the 70's had so much dynamics. Volume up and down, picking in different places, switching pick ups, rolling tone knobs etc. I watched Peter Frampton on the Midnight special and he did these things in just one song. I tell ya one of my favorite sounds lately is Leon Russell from the mad dogs and englishman record with Joe Cocker of course. I guess it's that black Les Paul into what...a Fender? It just has some sort of "thing" to it. Oh well off topic!
“Hey, this is Tim pierce”. /giggity. /little dance
Machine Head peak of guitar prowess from Blackmore? Somebody needs to dig up a copy of Rainbow Rising. ;-)