Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Book Discussion
Search
The tremolo bar was originally only found on Fender guitars, but now they are on many types of
Help
electric guitar. Unfortunately, it has an inappropriate name, because "tremolo" means a fast
Browse wiki
succession of two different tones. A more accurate but less common name is the vibrato bar, and
Cookbook
Wikijunior
Featured books
There are several different types of tremolo bars, details of which can be found in the Anatomy of
Recent changes
the Guitar section, but certain types can only perform certain techniques. Thus, you should make
Donations
sure the tremolo bar you have can do what you want it to do, before you buy it.
Random book
Using Wikibooks
Community
In general, it is good to learn to hold the tremolo bar between your third and fourth fingers, so you
can use the bar and hold a pick at the same time.
Reading room
This section will provide a description of how to accomplish various techniques, but it will be up to
Community portal
Bulletin Board
Help out!
Policies and
guidelines
Contact us
Tools
What links here
open in browser PRO version
Contents [hide]
1 Dive Bomb
2 Dipping
3 Cat Purr
4 Ruler Sound
5 Windmill
Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API
pdfcrowd.com
5 Windmill
Related changes
6 String Choke
Upload file
Special pages
Permanent link
Page information
Cite this page
Dive Bomb
[edit]
A Dive Bomb may be achieved by striking a natural harmonic then lowering the tone. An
"explosion" may added by keeping the bar pressed down and flicking the low E string repeatedly.
Languages
Add links
Sister projects
Wikipedia
Also, there is an alternative way to do a dive bomb, by flicking a string, dipping the bar down,
tapping a harmonic, then manipulating the resulting note however you want. This technique is also
known as a "Squeal", or "Dime Squeal" named after Pantera guitarist, Dimebag Darrel.
Wikiversity
Wiktionary
Wikiquote
Dipping
Wikisource
Dipping is a technique that allows you to make note changes a little more interesting. Before you
Wikinews
change to a higher note, use the bar to quickly lower and then raise the pitch.
Wikivoyage
Commons
Wikidata
Print/export
Cat Purr
[edit]
[edit]
With this technique, a pitch is held for a beat, and then raised up a tone. The lever is moved
Create a collection
slowly, and once you reach the upper or lower tone, you immediately hold, and then reverse
Download as PDF
direction. This results in a sound that can sounds remarkably like a cat.
Printable version
Ruler Sound
[edit]
If you press the tremolo bar down, and then suddenly release it upwards and quickly alternate
between high ups and down, it makes a snap-away sounds, like a ruler vibrating off the edge of a
table. The principle behind this is similar to the cat purr.
open in browser PRO version
pdfcrowd.com
Windmill
[edit]
The "windmill" develops if you just keep turning the tremolo bar in a circle. Naturally, the tone
moves up and down at a regular pace. However, this can sound very "outer space" and can easily
be over done, and you should use this sparingly.
String Choke
[edit]
If the strings are really slack, you can quickly whip the tremolo bar back up until it clicks, making a
string choke. Sometimes overtones will remain, and you can get some interesting sounds and
harmonies. However, these tend to disappear quickly as it is drowned out by the harmonics of the
new string pitch.
Guitar
Category: Guitar
About Wikibooks
Disclaimers
Developers
Mobile view
pdfcrowd.com