SOLOING Lessons

 

CHAPTER 3: EMOTION - VIBRATO

 

- EMOTION -

 

Before I start this article with the issue "emotion" I first would like to give a few general hints on soloing.

 
  • Always remember that when you play at home and record yourself, the result of your sound is often far less than when you would record in a fancy studio where the mix is near perfect. This might sound logically, but it's a stimulating idea that your practicing and playing will be extra rewarded once playing/recording in a more professional situation.
  • Playing with old and worn out strings decrease the quality of your sound a lot and makes the guitar sound out of tune.
  • Play as much as you can. When possible, practice scales and other techniques while watching t.v.
  • Don't forget to train your pinky as well. This finger is often forgotten but is very useful for playing scales and patterns in a correct way.

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This time I want to emphases the emotion part in guitar playing. In the last article I already mentioned that emotion is an important substance of your playing otherwise there is a chance the technical side is overriding the total playing.
By adding extra blue and ghost notes you can make a solo more interesting and catchy. Also the way you hit the strings is of importance, giving detail and expression. The real emotion however comes from the inside of you. I will try to explain this.

If you practice scales and copie solos from other guitar players and just perform them without feeling what you're playing, this will also come out that way: technical, neatly and probably nothing to be ashamed about. On the other hand, if you play and really are in the moment where you experience that certain thoughts and emotions (that are part of you) give you feedback in to your playing then listeners will hear this.
So when playing you could dig into yourself a bit, trying to find the person in you that has these emotions and thoughts.

Suppose you want to play a sensitive solo in a ballad then think of something sad or when you want to play a screaming solo think of something that let this kind of soloing come out in an intense way.

When I recorded "Home baked" I got stuck with a certain solo that just didn't wanted come out the way I intended. I got a bit frustrated and angry and played the solo again in this mood with the result that the solo came out the right way. Getting in touch with yourself helps to develop your own style and the way you sound.

A good example of a guitar player that performs with emotion and feeling is

- Gary Moore -

- PRACTICAL -

VIBRATO

This technique was already mentioned in the previous "practical". As said, applying vibrato is not easy and takes some time to perform well. When I started guitar playing I neglected the vibrato somewhat and used my whammy bar instead. That's no substitute and merely an addition to finger vibrato. Later I practiced this technique, confirming my idea that when you neglect certain basic techniques in the beginning, it will be more difficult to learn them once you're a bit older and used to a certain kind of playing.

Okay, how is vibrato done...

I only explain the vibrato as used in blues and rock where you move the string like a bend.

Make sure the junction of your palm and index finger is pressed against the neck, for this will be the pivot point. Push your upper arm lightly to your body for support. The upper two strings are moved towards the low E string. The other 4 strings are pulled in the direction of the high E string.

The speed of the vibrato is normally in line with the tempo and stable but occasionally you can cheat a little for a certain tension. Start slow with moving the B string at the 14th fret and bend it a whole note wide. Concentrate on your pivot point and be sure the movement comes from the wrist, not the fingers. Don't put stress into your shoulder or arm, play relaxed as possible. Release the string to pitch and repeat. Apply this vibrato on all strings and also with your other fingers. When using your middle and ring finger, extra support comes from the other finger. Vibrato with your pinky is not easy because of the strength you need. I normally don't use it.

In the beginning the vibrato feels really awkward and strange and maybe you want to move to fast or shallow. That's normal and it just has to become second nature after a while. Exercise this every day if possible. Try to play a lick and apply vibrato to the last note, moving it up and down 4 times. Then try to play a run and apply vibrato to a note with 2 movements and continue to play the lick. Make sure it sounds like a note with vibrato, not a bend with vibrato, which comes now:

Another way of vibrato is where you bend the string and make the note sing while moving it. Here it hás to sound like a bend with vibrato.

A problem with vibrato can occur when background noise disturbs your playing. So at the same time you'll have to learn to suppress the noise with palm and/or finger muting.

Just play a lot with this technique and you'll notice that it will improve after a while, like all techniques.

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