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Nails and bends

TOLF

Free Bird Player
Nov 11, 2019
16
0
  • #1
    Hi!
    I have a real problem between my nails while I bend. Usually when I bend, (on the highest string for exemple), the B and G string hit the E string and produce an awful sound. I don’t know if these two strings have to go above my nails, so they don’t hit the string I’m bending, or under (which is usually quite painful).
    Thanks guys!
     

    Filip Tomiša

    Campfire Attention Holder
    Nov 11, 2019
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  • #2
    Hmm. Can you upload a video so we can see what you are doing wrong? When you bend the high e string or any string try using more than one finger so you can bend easier and with the tip of your finger but not so far up so that the string doesn’t go under your nail and then you can bend even B and G string and it shouldn’t make any sound. Maybe you release the string when you bend it and you touch other strings with your finger so that’s why it makes an awful sound. I might be wrong but that’s all I can think of.
     

    Ana Psuturi

    New Student
    Nov 11, 2019
    51
    0
  • #3
    Filip said the right thing, try to use more than one finger, I usually use three fingers to bend a string, and the first finger put a bit up so i can mute the string above. For example if playing B string I mute the G with first finger that way only bending string is heard and no other noise. Hope that makes any sense for you.
     

    Ed Seith

    Supreme Galactic Overlord
    Staff member
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  • #5
    As you bend, you SHOULD be pushing the strings together, and if you bend far enough, all three strings should be together under the fleshy part of your fingers. Definitely NOT “over the nail.” That sounds like a good way to lose fingernails and break strings.
    What you SHOULD be doing is learning how to use the fleshy part of your right/picking hand (the part you use to mute strings to CHUG) to damp the strings you don’t want to ring (in this case the G and B strings). Ideally, you want to be damping ALL strings you don’t want to ring out, with part of one hand or the other. It’s hard to find a comfortable way to do this sometimes, but the more you get in the habit NOW, the better off you’ll be later – I don’t even think about it any more, in most cases (except where I failed to learn it in my formative years, and now it’s HARDER).
    Good luck!
     

    TOLF

    Free Bird Player
    Nov 11, 2019
    16
    0
  • #6
    Wow that’s a lot of suggestions! Thanks a lot guys! I used 3 fingers, but someone said I should use the 4. I think the problem comes from the force I use. I don’t use enough force to bend, and I release the string… I will try to improve that, thanks a lot!
     
    J

    John Setzler

    New Student
    Nov 11, 2019
    21
    0
  • #7
    The issue(s) I’m having is when I do bend, (1) I guess the strings that are not my focus somehow get plucked and ring out when releasing the bend and (2) when trying other ways, such as putting the same non-focused strings at the very tip of the fingernail, the string that I am bending tends to dissipate before I get done or mutes altogether right as the release starts.
     

    Filip Tomiša

    Campfire Attention Holder
    Nov 11, 2019
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  • #8
    Rest your strumming hand on the strings near bridge like palm muting and then bend the strings that you want to but don’t rest you hand on the string that you are bending cause it will make no sound. That should mute all other strings that you don’t want to ring out and you should hear only the strings that you want to.
     

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