I have a classical guitar with high action and yet, I want to be able to bend properly. Yesterday, I tried a bend in the beginning of a solo and well, it was quite a painful experience. The bend was a full-step-and-a-half and the only way I managed to do it was by getting my fingers (those that I was using to push the string up) under the lower strings. I've tried pushing the lower strings with two fingers and bending with another two but two fingers don't seem to be enough to bend the string properly.
Is it just a lack of finger strength? Should I just keep on trying to bend the lower strings with different fingers or stick with my way of pushing my fingers UNDER the lower strings?
bending on acoustic guitars is tough.
electric guitars bend like willow trees in a gale.
with my acoustic I try to keep the bends one whole step. alot easier.
instead of your whole step and a half why dont you finger one whole step up and bend a half?
Actually, just as a point of information, high action allows for bigger bends than low action.
Otherwise, yeah, it's finger strength, and it'll come with time.
If you play music that has a lot of bends, spend a few minutes each day practiing first 1/2 step bends, then whole step bends with each finger. Stay around the 12th fret (where bending is easiest) and you'll build up the finger strength in no time.
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Dogbite, that's a good idea. I'll try it and see if it sounds good. However, I'll keep practicing the full-step and half bends as well just to be able to play them.
Kingpatzer, I definitely will keep practicing! And the bend in the solo was on the 12th fret and it was still tough. But I actually practiced only that for a couple of minutes and it was better already.
Thank you both for your replies!
good. the strength will come. Ive been playing a long time and acoustic bends are tough.
so dont beat yourself up.
Sometimes it just sounds better to bend it 1-1/2 rather than going up a step and bending 1/2, or whatever. However, I also only bend 1-1/2 to 2 steps on electric. Too hard on acoustic.
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Sometimes it just sounds better to bend it 1-1/2 rather than going up a step and bending 1/2, or whatever. However, I also only bend 1-1/2 to 2 steps on electric. Too hard on acoustic.
I know what you mean. sometimes youhave to bend 1 1/2. I put two fingers together and that helps.
that and alot of feeling. move the fingers, move the hand, move the guitar.
Yea, I tried it with moving up a step and bending 1/2 but it's really not the same effect. I'll just stick with trying out the 1 1/2 instead. I think I'll eventually be able to get the necessary finger strength. It's already getting better! :D
Yea, I tried it with moving up a step and bending 1/2 but it's really not the same effect. I'll just stick with trying out the 1 1/2 instead. I think I'll eventually be able to get the necessary finger strength. It's already getting better! :D
I have to agree with you about them sounding different.
But sometimes you can use this to your advantage. For example I'll bend the B string 15 a whole step (17) and then play an e string 12 straight afterwards. They sound slightly different which gives a nice effect, but ultimately it's very easy to do that.
Also, where applicable, remember you can always wave around in the bend. Ie. you don't always have to prebend. Or to give it that "live sound" you could bend it a whole step for the first pick then really push it from there to pick it again at 1 1/2 step.
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I have to agree with you about them sounding different.
But sometimes you can use this to your advantage. For example I'll bend the B string 15 a whole step (17) and then play an e string 12 straight afterwards. They sound slightly different which gives a nice effect, but ultimately it's very easy to do that.
Also, where applicable, remember you can always wave around in the bend. Ie. you don't always have to prebend. Or to give it that "live sound" you could bend it a whole step for the first pick then really push it from there to pick it again at 1 1/2 step.
Good ideas there. :) I'll try them both. Cause I guess it doesn't have to sound exactly like the real solo anyway. A little variety never hurt anyone. ;) So thanks for the ideas! I'll see if it sounds good for me.
