Any advice or exercises to improve my guitar vibrato?

Question

I'm self-taught, been playing for 20+ years, but have NEVER had good vibrato. Really think it detracts from my soloing style.

Answer 1

This is a technique for bowed instruments (Violin, Viola, Cello, Contrabass), but it might help. Get a metronome and set it at around 48 bpm. Do a sort of really wavy vibrato, but extremely rhythmic. The higher in the vibrato is almost always the pitch your audience should hear. First do two on a beat, then three, then four, then six, then eight. Do each one (two, three, four, etc.) four about 4 measures worth, and then let it go as a nice wide even vibrato. Then, click up the metronome one beat. At 49 bmp, do the same thing, and then 50, and so on. Probably only go to about 55 for a while, and then start to move on. You should try to do this with all of your fingers, but not at first. 2nd and 3rd are the strongest fingers, and you should let them do most of the exercising. Try and listen to your progress, and make sure that the vibrato is even, and that it isn't too skinny (like the "Tip-Toe Through the Tulips" guy) or too wide (Opera singer on dope).

I'm not quite sure of the exact technique needed on guitar, but hopefully this will help. I play the Viola, and I do these exercises on a regular basis. They definitely help.

Answer 2

Vibrato on violin is all within the wrists. Practice relocating your wrist fluidly from side to side. Try utilizing an egg shaker or whatever to be in a position to listen to the rhythm. Start sluggish, and paintings your manner as much as the pace for vibrato. Also, be certain to make use of the guidelines of your finger with vibrato, it is going to supply you higher intonation.

Answer 3

hmmm.. I wonder how after 20 years, you have realized this is an issue?
I suppose you could start by picking specific 'moments' in pieces where a note 'needs' vibrato.
Instead, are you thinking you need vibrato throughout the piece on every note and chord?
Perhaps this is something you're focusing on that is not even an issue.

BTW, I have a masters proficiency level in guitar performance and I've NEVER had to think about vibrato. It's there in the playing.