Vibrato

[Haddock]

Hi All
Over a year ago I decided to try and eliminate vibrato from my playing until I was much better at nailing perfect chords. Ive also never really liked vibrato much on any instrument. It totally ruins opera for me and I don’t know how anyone can enjoy Edith Piaf apart from a Dalek that’s trying to brush up on its French. I think its why I have a soft spot for many American country singers who seem to just sing the tune without the wobble.
Anyway, I’ve now decided to allow the luxury of a few tasteful hints of vibrato but strictly rationed. I find myself wondering what everyone’s preferred technique is. I think I like rolling the bar rather than sliding and it certainly feels more natural but it would be interesting to hear what the rest of you do. Anyone else managed to eliminate it altogether? I see some players using huge bar movements which certainly removes the need for compensators.
Over to you.
Cheers
Calum

[Danny Mitchell]

Hi Calum,
I'd class myself as a wholly roller, manqué.

[Ken Byng]

The better players use vibrato Calum, but keep it narrow. The vibrato in the solo is not only beautifully played, but to my mind the vibrato is absolutely perfect. Sorry about Larry Gatlin's vibrato.

[hickenjr]

In my early days of BSS forum postings I was told to stop shaking the bar and told to roll it instead so that's what I learnt to do...I should have already known because that's how my dad uses vibrato.

However, some people shake the bar and do it very well.
Any form of vibrato can become overwhelming if used heavily.

I saw a quote on a pedal steel Facebook group the other day.
A rough version of the quote is - "Vibrato needs to be your emotion and not your way of hoping you can get your playing in tune."

Another rough quote from Britain's own and Sheffield Steel Guitar builder, Dave Wheelhouse, is "There are multiple routes you can take to get to the one destination you want to be".
That has always stuck with me.

My point is, as long as its not over whelming and used for emotion rather than to slip you in tune, you can use either.

Just look at a prodigy like Eddy Dunlap...he sometimes takes his finger picks off to add a different dimension to his tone on pop/rock records and usually in the pedal steel community, playing without picks is a cardinal sin.
That's a different war all together though so lets not get into that one on a vibrato thread.

[Haddock]

Thanks guys. That’s two rollers, and a shaker on Ken’s video. I agree Ken, that the solo is nicely played and the vibrato suits the style but you are right about the singing. Truly awful! They should listen to some barbershop to learn how to do it properly. Not much chance hearing the ‘fifth voice’ with that amount of wobble.....
I like the multiple routes quote. And the implication of multiple destinations contained therein..... Danial Lanois seems to favour no picks and I love his stuff. I would feel naked without them but funnily enough, cant pick a guitar wearing fingerpicks.
Cheers
Calum

[Ken Byng]

Well I cut Larry some slack Calum. He had a form of throat cancer a while back, and now uses the fake vibrato favoured by Barry Gibb and Cliff Richard. When he was younger his vibrato was much smoother, although wide.

[Ken Byng]

A player who rolls the bar, but very widely is the late Herby Wallace. It affects the pitching in my view. Herby was a master player especially fast jazzy stuff, but I wouldn't hold hold his vibrato up as an example of great technique. I use a narrow roll and have done for 50 years or so.

[Haddock]

Oops, sorry Larry. I agree about the Herby vibrato though interestingly, I saw another video where it was a jazz tune and his hand was rock solid most of the time. I wonder if the extreme vibrato is something to do with the gospel style? I remember being dragged to Free Presbyterian church things when I was wee and the presenter also had a really strong vibrato, which certainly helped cover up the assorted monotones and dischords from the congregation. They didn’t allow any musical instruments as clearly, they are the work of the Devil. My bank balance would agree......
Cheers

[Billy White]

I have a copy of an interview with John Hughey where he says he always slid the bar.

[Ken Byng]

Well in actual fact, ask most of the pros in the USA who has had the best bar hand of all and most will say Lloyd, Buddy, Curly and John Hughey. John achieves his famous quivering bar shiver by a form of shaking the bar, but he does it in a very controlled way. There is no right or wrong way with vibrato, it's really what sounds best for you.