For this issue’s ‘improve your’ topic, Simon Barnard flexes his fingers to show how finger vibrato adds individuality to your technique.

BB King was one of the first to play guitar with vibrato

Finger vibrato is one of the most emotive and expressive techniques in a guitarist’s tool kit. More often than not, a player’s approach to vibrato separates them from others, and can add a distinct and often identifiable signature to their playing.

There are many ways of applying finger vibrato, from the subtle horizontal approach used by classical guitarists to a full on wide rock vibrato, where the fretting-hand wrist is employed to create a wild and thrilling sound. The ability to use vibrato, unlike on a piano, makes the guitar an incredibly expressive instrument, able to mimic the human voice, wavering between pitches without being bound to the interval of a semitone. The ability to employ microtones within one’s playing is one of the most expressive tools out there.