Making bends sound good
Hello, can i have some help on making string bends sound good? It's really annoying me when the strings just slip and make a buzzing sound. ;)
# 1
Hi there,
String bends are tricky when you start out but stay with them becuase they are one of those things that separate the boys from the men (so to speak). First of all you can either bend up or down (to you head or towards the floor), experiment and find which is best for you when you are starting - you will pick up the other way easily once you start to progress. Some people bend with their middle finger and add support with their pointing finger - effectively using two fingers on the bend. Personally, I only ever bend with two fingers if it is an extreme bend eg 1.5 tones or more with added vibrato. Things to watch for are bending on the high E, you should bend that string towards your head otherwise the string will go off the side of the fretboard. Likewise, ifyou bend on the low E then you should bend towards the floor to avoid the same. If you experience buzzing it is probably because the action on your guitar is too low or you have a slight bow on the neck - you can adjust string height and the truss rod to iron that out esily enough.
No doubt some of the other guys will post a lot more tips, my personal #1 tip is to add vibratto to your bends. Also, practice using different fingers and neck positions and find the tone you want to bend to and train your ear to be able to bend to the correct tones. It all takes a time but you will find it comes together as you improve over time.
Hope that helps.
String bends are tricky when you start out but stay with them becuase they are one of those things that separate the boys from the men (so to speak). First of all you can either bend up or down (to you head or towards the floor), experiment and find which is best for you when you are starting - you will pick up the other way easily once you start to progress. Some people bend with their middle finger and add support with their pointing finger - effectively using two fingers on the bend. Personally, I only ever bend with two fingers if it is an extreme bend eg 1.5 tones or more with added vibrato. Things to watch for are bending on the high E, you should bend that string towards your head otherwise the string will go off the side of the fretboard. Likewise, ifyou bend on the low E then you should bend towards the floor to avoid the same. If you experience buzzing it is probably because the action on your guitar is too low or you have a slight bow on the neck - you can adjust string height and the truss rod to iron that out esily enough.
No doubt some of the other guys will post a lot more tips, my personal #1 tip is to add vibratto to your bends. Also, practice using different fingers and neck positions and find the tone you want to bend to and train your ear to be able to bend to the correct tones. It all takes a time but you will find it comes together as you improve over time.
Hope that helps.
# 2
Superhuman, is right about this stuff, but I would suggest using the ring finger to bend the 2nd string. Some bends I do differently of course, but generally the ring finger bends the string. This leaves the pinky free, to get a note on the 1st string.
I bend the third string with the middle finger, and use the ring finger for notes on the 2nd string. You can also use your pinky below the ring finger to get the 1st string for a nice steel guitar effect.
This is just for basic string bending, there are other ways of bending strings, but this is a great place to start.
JD
I bend the third string with the middle finger, and use the ring finger for notes on the 2nd string. You can also use your pinky below the ring finger to get the 1st string for a nice steel guitar effect.
This is just for basic string bending, there are other ways of bending strings, but this is a great place to start.
JD
JD
Latest Tutorials
Bending The Flat 7 To The 1
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Hybrid Picking Progression In A
Double Stop Progression In A
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Behind The Nut Bends On The G String
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Latest Tutorials
Bending The Flat 7 To The 1
Chicken Pickin'
Hybrid Picking Exercises: One Finger
Hybrid Picking Progression In A
Double Stop Progression In A
Crosspicking Combinations
Behind The Nut Bends On The G String
Behind The Nut Bends On The B String
My Lessons
http://www.youtube.com/jdfenderbender
myspace.com/jdjarrell
myspace.com/guitartrickscountry
twitter.com/jdfenderbender
facebook.com/jdjarrell
# 3
If you have 'Full Access' I've done a video about doing bends that covers how you can bend up and down, mute strings while your bending and so forth...
http://guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=9359
I'll be upgrading this video in more depth in the next couple of months with a Hi-Def version as well as some Jam tracks you can use to jam to.
But for now, this video pretty much goes into a complete explanation of doing bends.
Personally, I tend to use just one finger to do my bends with and the reason why is explained in the video.
http://guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=9359
I'll be upgrading this video in more depth in the next couple of months with a Hi-Def version as well as some Jam tracks you can use to jam to.
But for now, this video pretty much goes into a complete explanation of doing bends.
Personally, I tend to use just one finger to do my bends with and the reason why is explained in the video.
# 4