Music Search Site

Learn to Play Blues Guitar - 4 Steps to Play Blues String Bends

String bending is one of the most expressive blues guitar techniques you can learn.

A string bend sounds fairly simple to perform. Just strike the note, rotate your wrist and push the string until it reaches the desired pitch. Although it sounds easy, it is one of the more difficult techniques for new guitarists to master.

Step 1:

String bending is done by fretting a string and either bending it up or down. By doing this we effectively stretch the string on the guitar fret board. This in turn raises the pitch of the note being played. String bends are much easier to perform with the thumb wrapped around the neck to provide a pivot point instead of resting on the back of it. If you are able to rest your thumb on the low e string your hand is in the correct position.

Step 2:

Use the strength of more fingers to bend the string. While you should practice with each finger, the 3rd finger is the one that most bends will fall to in blues style guitar. This is because we normally use a minor pentatonic scale when we play the blues.

A useful trick is to use three of your fingers to bend the string, instead of just the one on the fret you are trying to bend. Using three fingers will stabilize the string and give you that little extra help to bend the required amount.

At first you probably will not be able to make the pitch change that much. This is especially true if you are learning on an acoustic guitar. The only cure for this is to practice and build your muscle strength.

Remember light gauge strings are easier to bend. However string gauge is a personal preference and there are pros and cons to using both heavy and light gauges strings.

Step 3:

Bending to the correct pitch is always tricky for a new guitarist. The easiest way to develop this skill is play a note with and without a bend.

For example play a note on the seventh fret of any string. Now play a note on the sixth fret of the same string and bend it until both notes sound identical. You’ve just played a half bend. At first this will be difficult but don’t worry with practice you will improve, and anyway, in blues guitar you normally bend slightly flat.

Step 4:

Once you are comfortable playing bends, the matter of timing is the next aspect to focus on. There are three ways bends can be timed, and each method has a unique sound

• A pre-bend is performed by bending the string before it is played.

• Timed bends are played in much the same way as individual notes;
with each coming at the time a note would normally be plucked.

• Instantaneous bends are performed by bending the string as soon as the note is played. This should be a subtle effect, and should be done neither before the note is played (like a pre-bend) nor after the note is played (like a timed bend).

Learn more free blues guitar tips at Learn To Play Blues Guitar

Dave Long is the owner of http://www.learntoplaybluesguitar.net where he provides blues guitar tips and advice.

Learn to Play Blues Guitar - 4 Steps to Play Blues String Bends / Author: Dave Long

Bookmark: