Electric Guitar Bending Notes

Some suggestions:
Try to bend straight across the fretboard, rather than diagonally in a cutting motion.
Don't press down (into the fretboard) harder than you need to while bending.
Use two or three (or four) fingers, not just the one fretting the note
Take your time, build your calluses up. Injuring your fingers before they are ready for it will not help.
A general rule is bend the bottom three strings up, and the top three strings down.
Try lighter strings next time you change your strings
Tune your guitar down a half step for a while to reduce the tension?

Sounds to me like you are using only one finger to bend the string. As suggested, try using 3 fingers to bend the note. Start out slowly until you develop an ear for bending up one whole tone. It takes a little practice to develop.

Some of the comments in my recent thread on bending notes might help you - http://forums.guitarnoise.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=44617

What gage strings are you using? Using an extra light gage to begin with will help too, as well as the other suggestions posted above. I would start with using a .09" ~ .42" gage string set. If you are already using .09's then try .08's.

Thanks everyone,

I was already using 3 fingers for bending up notes, but some tips definately helped me. One more question though, what to do with my torn ringfinger? It kinda hurts and all the skin is starting to fall off, maybe stop playing guitar for a few days?

Reduce the the playing and let the fingertip heal.
3 hours/day of playing with lots of bending will torn of the skin of you fingertips.
You need to let the top skin heal and let the calluses build up under the top skin.
One thing that helps bending is to raise the strings a bit.
That will make the string above the bended(played) string to hit the fingertip top of finger used for bending instead of "rolling under the finger tip".
/Kalle

All good advice, and I suspect you'll be following your peers here! :D

Gotta let that torn finger heal for sure, and bend with 3 like they say.

A short scale guitar would make it easier, like 24.75" scale instead of 25.5, like your acoustic and possibly the electric?

If that's costly or unnecessary, and you're not playing in the same tune as any other instrument, detune half a step for awhile.

But anyhow, like someone said to try lighter guage strings, that's good, or a hybrid set or just plain Slinkys - bend 'em like elastics! :lol:

I haven't played guitar much for the last 2 days, and won't be playing tomorrow, but then I'll be playing again (I can't hold out without guitar much longer!). I have noticed that my skin (which were turned almost black by the strings) fell off, or almost fell of in which I case I removed it, and red painful skin was underneath. Does this mean I'm developping callus or am I doing something wrong? Does anyone have advice on building fingertip callus?

Thanks in advance guys,

Kappie

Are you holding your hand/wrist still and only using the force of the finger(s) when you bend?
I only use my finger(s) to hold the string, then I wrap the thumb over the side of the neck and move/twist my wrist to bend notes (a little hard to describe in words, should have had a video of it...). That way I hardly use any force at all and can easily bend a couple of whole steps with 010-046 strings anywhere on the neck.

A couple of whole steps? Anywhere? Easily?

I'm not sure I'll ever manage that, regardless of string gauge. One step or one and a half seems my limit (at least, that's where the notes start cutting out, but bending 2 steps at the second fret???)

Um...actually I cam do 2 steps fine at the 5th (I just tried), so it seems that isn't impossible for me afterall. But still think it absurdly difficult at the 1st or 2nd fret.

Um...actually I cam do 2 steps fine at the 5th (I just tried), so it seems that isn't impossible for me afterall. But still think it absurdly difficult at the 1st or 2nd fret.

Hehe, I had to check.. Yup, from an A to a C# on the third string (2nd fret) and from a C# to an F on the second string (2nd fret), no problems..(010-046 strings on a 25,5" scale Telecaster with medium action). It's all in the wrist.... Just lock that grip with the thumb over the neck and three fingers on the string, then use your wrist to bend, not your fingers.. 8)

Scrybe hurriedly adds this to her "things to practice" list...

I'm using the same technique, and can do 1 to 2 steps most places on the fretboard.

More than that, I might be able to DO, but I can't control.

And for out of control bends, I have this whammy bar...

Best,
Ande