Tremolo Lever ( eng. Whammy bar , vibrato bar , tremolo bar ; also vibrato ) is a mechanical device in the form of a lever mounted on a guitar sternum holder , which makes it possible to change the pitch using the movement of this lever. Moving the tremolo changes the tension of the strings in the scroll and thereby changes the musical structure of the instrument. The tremolo lever was invented in the 1930s, but massively introduced into the manufacture of guitars in the late 1940s - early 1950s; Initially, the goal was to enable guitarists to create harmonious vibrations during the game in accordance with vibrato , but over time, with its help, many new playing techniques were invented that made it possible to achieve sound that was previously unheard of.
Although from a “technical” point of view, the phrase “lever vibrato” would be the more correct name for this lever, in accordance with the principle of its operation, the term “tremolo” was most widely used among guitarists. In different languages there are also various "vernacular" its names.
Features of playing with tremolo on an electric guitar :
- Decreased string construction .
- Vibrato
- Dive bomb