Background matters: Minor vibratory stimulation during motor skill acquisition selectively reduces off-line memory consolidation

•Neuron-level processes sub-serving long-term motor memory formation are triggered by practice.•Whether these processes will proceed to a successful completion is under strict control (gating).•Vibratory stimulation during motor sequence training did not affect the acquisition phase gains.•Off-line, consolidation phase, gains were selectively reduced by stimulation during training.•A motor training resulting in robust online gains does not necessarily ensure skill consolidation.•Extra-task vibratory stimulation during acquisition phase may modulate long-term plasticity.•Exposure to vibration is a counterpart of pharmacologically induced gating of consolidation.