Vibrato in slide playing

[juniorspecial]

Ok, how much do you move back and forth to get vibrato when you play slide?

For instance, when you're at the 12th fret, and you add some vibrato, do you go down half way to the 11th fret, and then up to about half way to the 13th fret? Do you go down and up more? Less?

I think my vibrato is too fast and narrow, and I'm trying to get an idea how wide it should be...

[cooltone]

One of the great things about vibrato, and this applies to non-slide playing as well, is that it really helps to define your "style".
Intonation plays such a key role in slide playing, that I'd say it would matter more if your vibrato is causing you to be out of pitch. If it's not, then there is no right or wrong way to do it.
I tend to change how slow or fast my vibrato is according to what mood the song calls for. And, to answer your question about the actual mechanics, yes..I do go about half a fret (or less) back and forth.

[lyles]

I'm not sure there is right or wrong way. As a newby slide player myself I find that I play that by ear.
My vib moves about 1/2 to 3/4 fret depending on what I want to hear. Sometimes, it even sounds OK to let it slip slightly out of pitch as long as you recover it to pitch it time with the tune. Creates a little tension and release factor.

[moonpie]

I start with a very, very wide vibrato....say from the 15th fret to the 9th....as I search for the note that sounds right, the vibrato beomes more narrow, say from the 14th to the 10th......and narrower....say 13th to 11th....and then BINGO yeah, it's that note

of course the band moved on 5 measures back

It's different like cooltone said. Just go with the feeling of the song.

[pbradt]

I start with a very, very wide vibrato....say from the 15th fret to the 9th....as I search for the note that sounds right, the vibrato beomes more narrow, say from the 14th to the 10th......and narrower....say 13th to 11th....and then BINGO yeah, it's that note

of course the band moved on 5 measures back

It's different like cooltone said. Just go with the feeling of the song.

A couple weeks ago at practice, I just hung on a blue note, for like half a solo...it was great sort of anticipation thing, the guys were wondering when I'd go on to something else and I just kept hammering and with narrow, fast vibrato, let that blue note go on and on. It was a blast. I wanted to go on longer with it but I figgered the guys got the point.

[moonpie]

Yeah, man, that's it exactly.....hold that note......playing a million notes per second is cool .....for about half a second.....when I get too busy, I say to myself "breathe".....like a horn player or vocalist...

[lyles]

A couple weeks ago at practice, I just hung on a blue note, for like half a solo...it was great sort of anticipation thing, the guys were wondering when I'd go on to something else and I just kept hammering and with narrow, fast vibrato, let that blue note go on and on. It was a blast. I wanted to go on longer with it but I figgered the guys got the point.

Very cool. Might steal that idea if I can find the right spot to fit it in.