The tremolo bar on a guitar is a real strange effect that is very characteristic for the guitar. Many guitarist are really amused by the bar that comes with the guitar, play with it for a while, and hardly ever use it again because they don't know how to really use it or stop using it because they can't really control the effect that well.

Although some guitarists don't really like the weird tremolo effects, you can also get some very subtle beautiful sounds out of your tremolo bar, at least if you use it the right way. Why don't some people like the tremolo effect you ask? Well it must have something to do with people having no good control. If you are not really controlling the effect you are creating some horrible sounds that are out of tune, no wonder people don't like it right?

Practicing tremolo is also something that is very difficult and certainly not an easy task. I pretty much consider it an advanced technique but if used subtle you can also start using it if you are not that advanced yet. Lets start with a very basic exercise for learning to push down the bar exactly one whole note.

Controlling the Tremolo bar
The first important thing you have to do is set the tremolo and grab it. Some guitarists actually grab it with their hand, but many others, including myself, rather hold on to the guitar pick and use the remaining three finger to control the tremolo bar.

Tremolo exercise and more at "Composing Recording Mastering Audio & Video"
http://www.crmav.com/musicians/guitars/tremologuitar.html

FLOPPY TREMOLO ARM FIX
Following on from the article in newsletter #24:
http://www.GuitarSite.com/newsletters/24.htm#tremolo

Another quick and easy "floppy tremolo arm" fix. This works well with the straight screw-in Strat type arms. If the thread has become worn and loose so that the arm will not stay in a convenient place, unscrew the arm completely. Then take about 3cm of an old top E string from a NYLON strung guitar and place this in the hole before screwing the arm back in. Try to leave about 1 cm protruding from the hole so that you can remove it if necessary. The arm will be a little difficult to screw in initially but once the first few turns are completed the string will be deformed into the worn thread and take up the slack, allowing the arm to move freely, but remain wherever it is placed.

From previous GNW article by Steve Coates
http://www.guitarsite.com/newsletters/29.htm