Originally Posted by: Sinnerman
Dear GT and fellow guitarists,

This is the year that I'm going to master string bend vibrato. Only thirty years playing, the last two with GT.

My control is getting better and more consistent but sometimes I feel the string scraping against the fret. Is this normal or a sign of incorrect technique? Any other tips appreciated.

Cheers,

Chris

Best advice I ever got on bending was to strike the note next up in the scale to get an audible clue and then bend to it. Say for instance your on the high E pentatonic (-1 <index> -3 <ring> -4 <pinky> ) and you're going to bend the 3 <ring finger>. The next step up is a half step. So, just strike the 4 <pinky> note and get used to that sound and then follow that by bending to that same note. Sometimes it's a half step and sometimes it's a whole step.

That way you are bending in key.

That's my tip of the day...and for what it's worth, I'm pretty sure I a version of this advice from Mitch Gallagher of Sweetwater back in the 80s. Mitch and I went to the same college and one summer the college had a weeklong guitar workshop. I was in Mitch's class. I had a very nervousy vibrato and he gave me a couple of tips to manage my bends and vibrato. Not that mine was bad per se but that he expanded how I thought about it. Ah, memories....