Advanced Whammy Bar Tricks

Playing guitar is fun. Playing guitar with a whammy bar is even more fun.

In this article, we will go over some fun tricks involving the whammy bar that will allow you to take a whole new approach to your soloing, and playing in general.

It is important that you read this before going on to the advanced whammy bar tricks themselves:

Using a whammy bar without a proper setup can damage your tremolo. Whammy bars put tremendous amounts of stress upon your guitar’s tremolo system.

If you aren’t sure about your guitar’s tremolo system, or if you have any doubts, it is best that you take it in for a quick setup to get your bridge aligned and your tremolo set properly. If the bridge is too high, there is a possibility that it can overly stress the guitar and cause permanent damage. If it is too low (dipping into the cavity) there is a chance that you can cause stress fractures in the wood.

It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your instrument.

Now, on to some great whammy bar tricks.

Our first trick is the flutter. The flutter is one of the most commonly asked about tricks in guitar playing. If you’ve ever heard a note bounce around like a pinball, chances are it was a flutter.

A flutter is performed by “slapping” the whammy bar. This is done when the whammy bar is fully locked in and you hit the top of it. Don’t feel the need to display your boxing skills; a firm pressure and release (push down slightly then release) will do the trick.

The result is that the bar bounces in the tremolo system, which jiggles the strings in their housings. This makes the notes flutter. It is very similar to vibrato, but at a much quicker pace than can be done with the fingers.

The second trick is the dive. The dive is performed by grasping the whammy bar and pushing it towards the guitar’s body. This brings the bridge upwards, lifting it away from the body and closer to the nut, which in turn greatly reduces the tension of the strings. The closer to the body you bring the whammy bar, the lower the note of the dive. Don’t jerk the bar hard; dives are gradual. Slowly increase the pressure until you receive the desired effect.

The third of our whammy bar tricks the opposite of our dive. Hit a note and pull the whammy bar upwards. This pulls the tremolo system further from the nut, which increases the tension of the strings and heightens the note value.

Just like with the dive, don’t yank with excessive force; ease your way into the technique. The more you do it, the better you will get ad the quicker you will be able to do it with the correct amount of pressure.

One of the greatest properties of a whammy bar is it offers virtually limitless possibilities. Try using harmonics instead of notes, or using different amounts of pressure during a solo. Keep your mind open to new possibilities and have fun!

Click here to access Guitar Tricks instantly...