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Introduction to Bending Strings – Lesson 43

Ben newton

Garage band Groupie
Nov 11, 2019
32
118
32
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Keep on struggling to improve my bends

Parisienne walkways-Gary Moore

I think bends, vibrato and other embellishments can sometimes rely on your ear to make sure you are in tune. Your bends are sounding cool. Maybe the best form of practice is to revisit the song on a few occasions?

Putting the song aside, as practice, have you tried playing the note you want to bend to, and then approaching it from 2-3 frets below with a bend? You can really hear and feel on a much detailed scale whether you are under bending or over bending. Break the solo down a few times, and practice bits in segments and then join them up after. You could also try playing some scales, and practice bending through the scale. This would be great practice to playing bends and other embellishments across all strings and all areas of the fretboard.

Make sure you are happy with your left hand position too. You might feel more confident with your thumb locked in over the top more!
 
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J

Jak Angelescu

Guest
What you're doing in this video is exactly what you need to do to get better with bends! The only thing I would suggest from here on out is to practice doing scales and then on one note, bend up to the following note in the scale. For example:
You play a C major scale. You play C-D-E-F-G when you land on G, try to bend UP to the PITCH of A. Find an A note on your neck and match that pitch :)
 
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Aaron Shepanik

Garage band Groupie
Nov 11, 2019
16
8
****Possible gear related question about bending****
I'm learning a song that has a whole step bend on the high string tuned down half step from e-flat to G (i.e. whole step bend starting on the 12 fret). It's a very tasty bend-release-bend. I usually practice not plugged in so distortion/effects/etc. doesn't hide my mistakes. I finally started getting the hang of this passage so yesterday I tried plugging in to hear it with delay and distortion and IT SOUNDS AWFUL. Not the pitch but the tone gets screechy and changes timbre and it just plain sounds not good, like it's not supposed to do that.

Any thoughts on this? Do I need different strings? Change some action settings? Is it just sh***y technique?

I'm on a PRS Tremonti SE with .10-.46 strings.
 

Jesse Salmons

Stairway to Heaven Tab Studier
Nov 11, 2019
501
1,292
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Indiana
8
****Possible gear related question about bending****
I'm learning a song that has a whole step bend on the high string tuned down half step from e-flat to G (i.e. whole step bend starting on the 12 fret). It's a very tasty bend-release-bend. I usually practice not plugged in so distortion/effects/etc. doesn't hide my mistakes. I finally started getting the hang of this passage so yesterday I tried plugging in to hear it with delay and distortion and IT SOUNDS AWFUL. Not the pitch but the tone gets screechy and changes timbre and it just plain sounds not good, like it's not supposed to do that.

Any thoughts on this? Do I need different strings? Change some action settings? Is it just sh***y technique?

I'm on a PRS Tremonti SE with .10-.46 strings.
Can you post a video? Maybe strings are worn out
 
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Forgetabull

Local Dive Bar Favorite
  • Nov 11, 2019
    181
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    531
    Brisbane, Australia
    6
    One question on how to bend a string correctly.

    Do you bend the string quickly to get the right pitch right away and hold it, or do you bend the string slowly? Or does it depend on the expression you want?

    Based on the expression you want. You will generally want the actual bending of the string to be consistent though (ie. not sounding like you're fishing for the note) so if you want to bend slow, make it smooth, fast, make it smooth, adding stank, make it smooth :)