Vibrato
The technique that defines your sound
What is Vibrato?
Vibrato is a slight, rhythmic oscillation of pitch that gives a note life and sustain. It's the equivalent of a singer's voice wavering on a held note. On guitar, it's produced by repeatedly bending and releasing a string in small, controlled movements.
Vibrato is what separates a note that sits there dead from a note that sings. It's arguably the most personal technique — every great guitarist has a recognisable vibrato: B.B. King's wide, vocal wobble; Eric Clapton's smooth, controlled pulse; Stevie Ray Vaughan's aggressive shake.
Wrist Vibrato
The most common and versatile type. It uses the same wrist rotation as bending:
1. Fret a note (e.g., fret 7 on string 2)
2. Slightly bend the string up
3. Release back to normal
4. Repeat in a rhythmic pulse
The movement is small — you're not doing full bends. Think of the string rocking back and forth by a quarter-step or less. The speed and width of the vibrato can vary: slow and wide for blues, fast and narrow for rock.
The key is rhythm. Erratic vibrato sounds nervous. Even, pulsing vibrato sounds confident and musical.
When to Use Vibrato
Apply vibrato to any note you want to sustain or emphasise. Common spots:
- The last note of a phrase (gives it a sense of conclusion)
- Long, held notes in a solo
- The peak note of a bend (bend up, then add vibrato at the top)
- Dramatic moments where you want a note to sing
You don't vibrato every note — that would sound chaotic. Use it selectively for maximum impact. In our tab generator, vibrato is marked with the ~ symbol.
Tab Examples
Vibrato practice
e--7~--------10~--------12~------- B--8~--------10~--------12~------- G--------------------------------- D--------------------------------- A--------------------------------- E---------------------------------
Bend with vibrato at the top
e-------------------------------- B--8b~------10b~------8b~-------- G-------------------------------- D-------------------------------- A-------------------------------- E--------------------------------
Tips
- Keep vibrato rhythmic and even — erratic vibrato sounds amateurish
- Start slow and wide, then experiment with fast and narrow
- Vibrato on a bent note is the ultimate expressive technique
- Listen to B.B. King for the gold standard of guitar vibrato
Practice Exercises
- Hold a note at fret 7 string 2 and apply slow vibrato for 10 seconds — keep it even
- Try the same note with fast, narrow vibrato — hear the difference
- Practice bending up a full step, then adding vibrato at the top of the bend
- Play a pentatonic lick and add vibrato only on the last note
- Listen to 3 famous guitarists and compare their vibrato styles