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String bending high up the fretboard

Ed Seith

Supreme Galactic Overlord
Staff member
Legend+
  • Nov 11, 2019
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    In theory, the strings are easiest to bend closest to the center of their length, which is always right around the 12th fret. Any difficulty you have at ~the 16th fret should be about the same as about the 9th fret or so. If it’s more difficult for you higher up, then it could have something to do with your “angle of approach” and would just be a matter of developing the right muscles by repetition.
    Although if you’re playing an acoustic, there’s an entirely different set of problems playing that high up the neck .
     

    idssdi

    Sold-out Crowd Surfer
    Nov 11, 2019
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    Groningen
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    To be honest I don’t really have a big problem with bends higher up. In general what might constrain you Is the amount of force you can apply to the string. All I can really say about bends higher up the neck is try to practice the guitar solo in wet sand from RHCP which contains a lot of bends higher up the neck
     

    Calvin Phillips

    Music Theory Bragger
    Nov 11, 2019
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    The only string I have issues bending on is the high E string. And its simply because I am so aggressive with my bends ala using just one finger so I dont have as much control as I really need for that string. The good news is I dont always have to use that string for the bends. I’m getting better there too, but I also like the sound of the bends so its hard to move away from it.
    I dont really know how to tell you how to improve on your bends… I guess you just figure out after a while how much you need to go to get a certain sound or tone. And your muscles get used to the movement.