I'm 56, having recently picked up an electric guitar after a 45 year hiatus from strumming acoustic folk music. I've become obsessive, locking myself in the basement every day after work. I finally got the courage to start working on string bending and am looking for some assurance that I'm doing it the right way and that I will, at some point, get better at it.
1. Is there a trick to ending a note after bending up? I can reach the notes o.k. but have a tendency to return to the original note which I believe is called "bend and release." Do I mute the string with my right hand? Do I lighten my bending fingers so the string moves off of the fret as I end the note? Is there a special technique that is used, especially when playing fast? Whatever I try usually results in lots of unappealing twangs, pops & buzzes.
2. The blues solo I am working on from the DVD "Fender Presents Getting Started on Electric Guitar" includes some bends I am having a terrible time with. The first is a fast triplet sequence:
-----------5------------5--
--------5-----------5------
---7bu1--------7bu1-----
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The other is four quarter note 1/4 bends ("micro bends?") in a row on the 1st string:
--8bu1/4--8bu1/4--8bu1/4--8bu1/4
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In addition to having trouble ending the bends cleanly (see #1 above) there's no way that I can make the moves at the speed of the instructor. I know I will never be another SRV (who will?), but assuming I can get the bends to sound right (with advise from the forum) how long will it take to become proficient or am I doomed to play at half speed forever? I practice 1-2 hours a day.
Practice them slowly. Going for speed at first will only cause you to get into bad habits. have you heard the saying " You have to walk before you run ". This one time it's true. Those are idolized licks known as standard cliché's. You'll here them in numerous guitar solo's, in every style. As for playing, speaking for myself it depends on what I'm going to play before or after, which way I'm coming into the lick and /or which way I'm going after. What feeling I'm trying to create, along with a host of things which dictates how I going execute the bend.
I could use a down stroke and do the bend and the notes on the 5th fret all in one stroke or down stroke the bend on the 7th and up stroke the notes on the 5th frets. After you've played them awhile you'll know what your target note or sound for the bend will be. There's a certain sound I go for when I'm creating the mood or style for the lead.
It comes down to playing and practicing them till you achieve your sound.
Joe
A lot of times, you do have to mute the string with your right hand at the top of the bend to keep from hearing the release of the bend.
creator of #1 video"Guitar Playing for Songwriters"
