% some data to plot
x = 1:100;
y = sin(x);
err = randn(size(y));
% 1) busy plot with too many errorbars
ax1 = subplot(2,1,1);
errorbar(x,y,err,'-bs','MarkerFaceColor','r')
% 2) cleaned up plot with fewer errorbars
% (every 10th data point here)
ax2 = subplot(2,1,2);
% plot the line itself first (no errorbars)
plot(x,y);
% now plot the errorbars at every 10th data point
% with no "data" line ('bs' not '-bs' this time)
hold on
errorbar(x(1:10:end),y(1:10:end),err(1:10:end),'bs','MarkerFaceColor','r')
% make the y-limits the same for comparison
set(ax2,'YLim',get(ax1,'YLim'));
