I’ve been playing the guitar for almost 30 years and realized that my bends are terrible. I just found this and I’m so impressed. About to go grab a guitar, thank you!!
Inspiring someone to grab their guitar right away while watching one of my videos is the best reaction I could hope for, haha! glad you found this lesson helpful and thanks for the comment! :) -Jared
I’ve recently noticed myself catching the adjacent string with my fingertips by accident during bends and thought I was using bad technique as I don’t recall having bent this way in the past and never have heard anyone else address it. Since you recommend this technique, I guess I’ll just keep doing this an embracing it. Thanks for the video.
Great teacher - straight into good, simple advice straight away. None of this "I am going to do this and that, wait around for my e book, yap, yap, yap"
Great job. This is one of few videos that show you how to bend properly. First one ive come across that shows you how to support. Ive been bending with single fingers far too long
Never quite had the hang of bends so avoided them as much as possible. A friend asked me to learn Parisienne Walkways (because it sounds mostly easy and he wants to learn it) but there are so many bends! Came to UA-cam for tips, found this video and I feel more confident already. Definitely subscribing and checking your other vids. Thank you 🤘
I've been looking for a description of the way other strings should fit into the fingertips and your video was exactly what i needed to see (and feared)
Yes!!! Exactly what I've been looking for. The final step solves the main issue I've been having with bends. Thank you so much! One question: are you also palm muting all strings above the bent string?
Awesome thank you! Likewise, nice videos! Checked out yours too. Seems like we're in similar places with our channels :) Rock on and looking forward to watching yours grow. Cheers
? #5 sounds like my problem; the next string up from the string I am bending tends to go under my finger(s) which shortens my bend from where I want it to go. How can I change this?
I broke my G string mid bend, not sure what happened there fresh set of strings. Thought I over did it, maybe it’s because I play some songs half step up, maybe the extra tension?
Thanks for all the great info. Getting back into playing after decades away. Quick question; string tightness/gauge allow for easier bending? Watching some pros it’s amazing how high they bend (Gilmour in particular) Thanks!
Just discovered your channel while I was looking for bending tips! My problem is that I can't bend the high e string when it comes to whole step bends. I can bend the rest strings properly, but not the high e Any tips?
Good question! Yeah, that's a common challenge. It changes in difficulty depending on what fret position you're in. If you try to bend a whole step on the high E string and you're up in the 12th fret position, you might find that you can do it, but if you try in the 5th position you'll feel more of that resistance that is stopping you. I've experienced the same thing. The gauge of string plays a big part in this. If using 11s or thicker it can feel impossible, with 10s, which I'm guessing you have it's mainly the E string problem you're having, with 9s it shouldn't be a problem. I play with 10s myself. The answer in your situation is that if you want to bend that whole step in those lower positions on the high E string, it just takes more push, more strength, more effort, than the other strings. It's totally doable, just getting used to how much more we need to push up on it is the key. haha, long answer, just got into nerdy mode there. Hope that helps! :) ** Jared
@@soundguitar Thank you very much for your response!! You are right about the whole step bend up to 12th fret. Again, I find it extremely difficult but I can do it...at least most of the times! On 10th position, for example, I find it very hard...it takes a lot of effort to do a whole step bend there I am always afraid that I am gonna break the string...it is a reason to avoid many solos I really want to learn If I realize that it requires bends on high e string 😐 Maybe it takes more effort and practice as you mentioned. I will keep trying I really want to be able to bend on high e string effortlessly as I can on the rest strings. As regards to string gauge I use 9s! Again, thank you very much for your reply! By the way, your channel is very interesting. Subscribed!
Timely lesson for me. Stopping by palm muting at the peak is news to me. I’ve been doing it wrong but I can fix it with practice now. Is it desirable to get to the point where you can bend with the pinky??
Nice video! Sometimes when I bend the strings above the string that I’m bending get caught in my fingernails and I pluck it as I’m releasing the bend. Is my action too high or is it a technique problem?
So the adjacent strings should be that high up on your fingertips? I’ve always struggled with this, and it never looks that way on any video I’ve ever watched.
Is it harder to bend when my guitar has string trees on?? I've switched the standard butterfly trees vs some roller trees and i think this seems even more harder to bend now : /
Yes, it can depend a ton on the strings and guitar type for sure. Acoustic guitars and thick gauge strings will be very hard and some time impossible feeling to bend on.
In my guitar, whenever I bend my e-string to reach another note. For eg. When I bend 10th fret to get a sound similar at 12th fret, I would break my string. Because bending that string is sooo hard. I don't know why that string alone is doing that. I can bend other string easily. Can you figure out where the problem lies?
Usually that's because of the nut or the bridge pinching the string and causing it to break - check where the break is happening. If it's in one of those spots then something sharp there is doing it. Other than that, make sure you have a low enough gauge string to bend. 10-46 should be good.
I recently switched my strings but adjusted the saddles and noticed bending notes feels a bit different. Almost like when the strings bunch up on bends I lose the note and gets cut out. Any tips?
@@AaronLS. Hi Aaron. Thanks for clarifying. Very often when stopping the bend at the peak we're going to pluck that same string again - in that case mute by planting the pick or finger down on the string as if you're going to play another note but just mute, then you're prepped to play again after the bend comes down while muted without making another sound. If the next note is on the next string - also very common - then I mute with the site of my thumb as I plant and prep my pick on the next string up - or I'll use my thumb to mute it if I'm plucking with my fingers. I great way to start practicing this is to bend up, mute at the peak by planting on the same string like I described first, bring the bend down silently, then play a non bent note on that same string, using vibrato. Should sound tasty! Hope that helps and let me know if you want more clarification or if you have any other questions any time. thanks! - Jared
Great tips...What gauge of strings are you using? Always trying to find a string to both give me a mellow blues tone but slinky enough to bend with chewing my fingers up.
I would love to see close-ups of string muting after bending to the desired pitch. I find it super difficult (I am terrible at bending at general, and like another comment below, I get my fingers tangled up in the adjacent strings creating extraneous noise).
What part of your hand are using to mute the bend at the peak? Are you just putting the pick back down on the string, or are using the side of yor hand?
Excellent question! the most popular places to bend in a major pentatonic scale would be 2 up to 3 and 4 up to 5. In a minor pentatonic scale it would be 4 up to 5 and b7 up to 1. Those are just great ones to get down and are the most common BUT you can bend any note to any note and each scale form or position one is in lends itself to bending more easily in different places. Start with those common spots, then just try anything after that, for example, a half step bend from 7 to 1 in the major scale. Hope that helps! -Jared
Good question! Not necessarily, the gauge of the string would make more of a difference than action. Some players have higher action if they play more aggressively to prevent buzz. I have lower action only because I play on the lighter side and don't dig in too much unless I want a "splat" sound on purpose. hope that helps!
I'm new at guitar. All the bends before tip #4 are they vibrato or bending to an adjacent note? I thought bending the strings meant bending to another note. What's the difference between bending and intonation?
Excellent question. Sorry for any confusion. Yes, the purpose of most bending is to bend to an adjacent note, however, often those notes are played out of tune by not listening carefully to the intonation. That's all I mean in #4, to be very intentional about making sure the note we're bending to is in tune. Might seem obvious, I know, but it's an important step that's often missed. Let me know if I missed anything in trying to clarify that point. Hope that helps and thanks for asking. :) -Jared
Sweet video, but I don’t think stopping at the peak is always a necessity. If the bend is controlled on the way down it sounds excellent and adds flare. Plini, Rick Graham, Owane, and Jack Gardiner, amongst others do this quite often. These guys are phenomenal modern players that I highly recommend everyone check out.
I explain that in the video. I mention that it's normal to descend from a bend intentionally, but the intentionality is what makes the difference. thanks for watching, cheers - Jared :)
FREE pdf ➡ Top 3 patterns for soloing more melodically: bit.ly/3lIQujx
I’ve been playing the guitar for almost 30 years and realized that my bends are terrible. I just found this and I’m so impressed. About to go grab a guitar, thank you!!
Inspiring someone to grab their guitar right away while watching one of my videos is the best reaction I could hope for, haha! glad you found this lesson helpful and thanks for the comment! :) -Jared
Absolute jewels of wisdom and technique. Thank you.
I’ve recently noticed myself catching the adjacent string with my fingertips by accident during bends and thought I was using bad technique as I don’t recall having bent this way in the past and never have heard anyone else address it. Since you recommend this technique, I guess I’ll just keep doing this an embracing it. Thanks for the video.
Ah, it's nice when we accidentally do something "right" isn't it? nice job :)
Only video that I've seen that has accurately taught me how to bend as a newbie. Thanks for passing on your wisdom.
On a side note, you have a great voice, and wouldn't mind listening to you read a book lol. Whatever audio processing you are doing is great.
Thanks for the complement, Davey! :) I should start a podcast haha
Glad it was helpful, Davey! Thanks for watching. Cheers ~~ Jared
I will sell my 🎸
Amazing tips. Thats exactly what I needed to improve my technique
Glad it was helpful!
That was very informative for me who has been playing classical guitarist for years and for one who just started playing the electric guitar.
Nice, glad it helped! :)
Great teacher - straight into good, simple advice straight away. None of this "I am going to do this and that, wait around for my e book, yap, yap, yap"
Haha, I've definitely done plenty of that as well. This is a good reminder to try to to keep things simple and to the point. Thanks! :)
Im strugling about ending bend at the peak. Thank You for video. Getting trainig :)
Wow that was the best guitar lesson I ever watched. Gonna check out more from you!
It helped and answered most of my questions. Thank you.
Great job. This is one of few videos that show you how to bend properly. First one ive come across that shows you how to support. Ive been bending with single fingers far too long
Glad it was helpful! cheers ~~Jared
Never quite had the hang of bends so avoided them as much as possible.
A friend asked me to learn Parisienne Walkways (because it sounds mostly easy and he wants to learn it) but there are so many bends!
Came to UA-cam for tips, found this video and I feel more confident already. Definitely subscribing and checking your other vids.
Thank you 🤘
Right on! Glad you found my channel by searching for bending tips. Cheers, -Jared
I've been looking for a description of the way other strings should fit into the fingertips and your video was exactly what i needed to see (and feared)
Right on! :)
Useful and very clear explanation and guide. Thx!
Really specific tips. Very useful! Thanks Jared!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you and please keep posting such informative videos
Will do! Thanks, Vishal! :)
Yes!!! Exactly what I've been looking for. The final step solves the main issue I've been having with bends. Thank you so much! One question: are you also palm muting all strings above the bent string?
Really valuable tip that made me very happy and now understand 😃
your comment made me very happy :)
Thank you for the good information my friend. Personally this is one of the best guitar tones i've ever heard. Amazing work, thank you.
Thanks a lot! ~~ Cheers
On acoustic, bends are less important, but this is still really helpful.
This was really helpful. Thank you.:) really some things i never thought about.
Glad it was helpful!
Subbed at 232. Great video. You showed up on my home page. Good stuff man. Watched a couple of videos.
Awesome thank you! Likewise, nice videos! Checked out yours too. Seems like we're in similar places with our channels :) Rock on and looking forward to watching yours grow. Cheers
@@soundguitar SWEETNESS!!! GOOD LUCK MAN
@@TruthGuitar You too!
Thank you so much!!! That tone is sweet btw.
You're very welcome, thanks! :) -Jared
Beginner and already subscribed. Love your work and work with Move forward Guitar. Thank you
Awesome, thank you!
Very helpful thanks !! I've subscribed 😀 keep it up man 😀
Glad you found it helpful! Thanks so much :) -Jared
Very good video and so informative for beginners like me.
Glad it was helpful! :)
Thank you so much, very informative!
Glad it helped! You're very welcome :) -Jared
This is great! Thanks! :)
You're welcome!
wouldnt the last tip create a noise from the neighboring string if it is touched like this?😮
Muchas. gracias. Por la leccion me ayudó mucho a corregir mi técnica de bending 🎸🎸🎸🎸
Very helpful😍👍👍
I would love to see a video dedicated to #5 because I still don't get that one. Thank you.
? #5 sounds like my problem; the next string up from the string I am bending tends to go under my finger(s) which shortens my bend from where I want it to go. How can I change this?
just wondering which notes in the scale are best suited to bending. not too sure. minor 3rd and 4th sound good but what else?
Great tip!
Thanks for watching!
Great advice, thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
I broke my G string mid bend, not sure what happened there fresh set of strings. Thought I over did it, maybe it’s because I play some songs half step up, maybe the extra tension?
great tutorial
Thanks for all the great info. Getting back into playing after decades away. Quick question; string tightness/gauge allow for easier bending? Watching some pros it’s amazing how high they bend (Gilmour in particular) Thanks!
great video!
Thanks for the visit!
Better then most of the 15-30min videos
Thanks! ~~
Just discovered your channel while I was looking for bending tips!
My problem is that I can't bend the high e string when it comes to whole step bends. I can bend the rest strings properly, but not the high e
Any tips?
Good question! Yeah, that's a common challenge. It changes in difficulty depending on what fret position you're in. If you try to bend a whole step on the high E string and you're up in the 12th fret position, you might find that you can do it, but if you try in the 5th position you'll feel more of that resistance that is stopping you. I've experienced the same thing. The gauge of string plays a big part in this. If using 11s or thicker it can feel impossible, with 10s, which I'm guessing you have it's mainly the E string problem you're having, with 9s it shouldn't be a problem. I play with 10s myself. The answer in your situation is that if you want to bend that whole step in those lower positions on the high E string, it just takes more push, more strength, more effort, than the other strings. It's totally doable, just getting used to how much more we need to push up on it is the key. haha, long answer, just got into nerdy mode there. Hope that helps! :) ** Jared
@@soundguitar Thank you very much for your response!! You are right about the whole step bend up to 12th fret. Again, I find it extremely difficult but I can do it...at least most of the times!
On 10th position, for example, I find it very hard...it takes a lot of effort to do a whole step bend there
I am always afraid that I am gonna break the string...it is a reason to avoid many solos I really want to learn If I realize that it requires bends on high e string 😐
Maybe it takes more effort and practice as you mentioned. I will keep trying
I really want to be able to bend on high e string effortlessly as I can on the rest strings.
As regards to string gauge I use 9s!
Again, thank you very much for your reply!
By the way, your channel is very interesting. Subscribed!
Timely lesson for me. Stopping by palm muting at the peak is news to me. I’ve been doing it wrong but I can fix it with practice now. Is it desirable to get to the point where you can bend with the pinky??
Nice video! Sometimes when I bend the strings above the string that I’m bending get caught in my fingernails and I pluck it as I’m releasing the bend. Is my action too high or is it a technique problem?
I have that problem too. Did you find a solution?
So the adjacent strings should be that high up on your fingertips? I’ve always struggled with this, and it never looks that way on any video I’ve ever watched.
Is that model an American Professional? A Vintage series? Or a reissue? I like the blonde finish
I angle the pick the same way as you when I play single notes. I sound sloppy when I angle it the conventional way.
Same here! Thanks for sharing.
what's the size chart of the strings you used? I really want to know cause mine's just thick😭
I use .010-.046. played with 11s for a while, but that makes bending way harder. I've been on 10s for a long time.
What gauge strings do you recommend for those new to electric/bending?
Great video
Thanks!
I recommend a stronger steal string lke max lifespan strings
Is it harder to bend when my guitar has string trees on?? I've switched the standard butterfly trees vs some roller trees and i think this seems even more harder to bend now : /
Yes, it can depend a ton on the strings and guitar type for sure. Acoustic guitars and thick gauge strings will be very hard and some time impossible feeling to bend on.
Thanks
In my guitar, whenever I bend my e-string to reach another note. For eg. When I bend 10th fret to get a sound similar at 12th fret, I would break my string. Because bending that string is sooo hard. I don't know why that string alone is doing that. I can bend other string easily. Can you figure out where the problem lies?
Usually that's because of the nut or the bridge pinching the string and causing it to break - check where the break is happening. If it's in one of those spots then something sharp there is doing it. Other than that, make sure you have a low enough gauge string to bend. 10-46 should be good.
I recently switched my strings but adjusted the saddles and noticed bending notes feels a bit different. Almost like when the strings bunch up on bends I lose the note and gets cut out. Any tips?
If it's cutting out when you bend then the fret is uneven or the neck is bowing. Just needs a good setup. Hope that helps.
Very helpful. What do you mute the bend with? A thumb, the palm, the pick?
Glad you found it helpful! Thanks for the question. Do you mean when muting at the peak of the bend?
Sound Guitar Lessons yeah at the peak of the bend
@@AaronLS. Hi Aaron. Thanks for clarifying.
Very often when stopping the bend at the peak we're going to pluck that same string again - in that case mute by planting the pick or finger down on the string as if you're going to play another note but just mute, then you're prepped to play again after the bend comes down while muted without making another sound.
If the next note is on the next string - also very common - then I mute with the site of my thumb as I plant and prep my pick on the next string up - or I'll use my thumb to mute it if I'm plucking with my fingers.
I great way to start practicing this is to bend up, mute at the peak by planting on the same string like I described first, bring the bend down silently, then play a non bent note on that same string, using vibrato. Should sound tasty!
Hope that helps and let me know if you want more clarification or if you have any other questions any time.
thanks! - Jared
Sound Guitar Lessons so helpful. Thank you!
@@AaronLS. My pleasure!
that tone is so groovy
Great tips...What gauge of strings are you using? Always trying to find a string to both give me a mellow blues tone but slinky enough to bend with chewing my fingers up.
I totally agree. I tried a lot of string sizes. I just consistently use 10-46 now and it works well for warmth and bending alike.
I would love to see close-ups of string muting after bending to the desired pitch. I find it super difficult (I am terrible at bending at general, and like another comment below, I get my fingers tangled up in the adjacent strings creating extraneous noise).
Thanks for the feedback!!
What part of your hand are using to mute the bend at the peak? Are you just putting the pick back down on the string, or are using the side of yor hand?
Fantastic question! the latter - putting the pick back down preparing the next note - for the most part
Lost audio at 5:20.
I am always afraid of breaking the string while bending high E string.. Any suggestion please
I know the feeling! Lower gauge strings help. 11s or higher are suuuuper hard to bend. 10s are great for it and shouldn't be a problem.
Ah man! Not sure how I missed this video. Question. Which degree does one bend? Especially if I’m on a major or minor pentatonic/diatonic scale?
Excellent question! the most popular places to bend in a major pentatonic scale would be 2 up to 3 and 4 up to 5. In a minor pentatonic scale it would be 4 up to 5 and b7 up to 1. Those are just great ones to get down and are the most common BUT you can bend any note to any note and each scale form or position one is in lends itself to bending more easily in different places. Start with those common spots, then just try anything after that, for example, a half step bend from 7 to 1 in the major scale. Hope that helps! -Jared
Great video, are you using a tortex .73?
Thanks! Yes indeed, I love that pick, I switch between that and "Jazz III" about 50/50 depending on the tone I want.
@@soundguitar same here!! I always seem to be going back and forth from those
haha nice! :) that's awesome
@@soundguitar 🤘🏻 Subbed your channel
Thanks for the sub, Brian! :)
My problem is the muting after bend. Just cant get it right, especially during fast licks.
It can be tricky! For faster licks usually coming back for the next note is what mutes the previous one. hope that helps. -Jared
I have a question sir, I'm new to these kind of stuffs. So, umm does setting your guitar in low action also helps in bending the string?
Good question! Not necessarily, the gauge of the string would make more of a difference than action. Some players have higher action if they play more aggressively to prevent buzz. I have lower action only because I play on the lighter side and don't dig in too much unless I want a "splat" sound on purpose. hope that helps!
@@soundguitar this is a very helpful information for me sir thank you :)
@@luxus20 low.action is bad for bending since it makes your fingers slip especially when doing fast repeatin bends
6:14 really couldnt hold the dad joke in lol
I'm new at guitar.
All the bends before tip #4 are they vibrato or bending to an adjacent note?
I thought bending the strings meant bending to another note.
What's the difference between bending and intonation?
Excellent question. Sorry for any confusion. Yes, the purpose of most bending is to bend to an adjacent note, however, often those notes are played out of tune by not listening carefully to the intonation. That's all I mean in #4, to be very intentional about making sure the note we're bending to is in tune. Might seem obvious, I know, but it's an important step that's often missed. Let me know if I missed anything in trying to clarify that point. Hope that helps and thanks for asking. :) -Jared
@@soundguitar yes that helps. Thanks for clarifying.
6:34 money shot, that’s exactly what I came here for
Sweet video, but I don’t think stopping at the peak is always a necessity. If the bend is controlled on the way down it sounds excellent and adds flare. Plini, Rick Graham, Owane, and Jack Gardiner, amongst others do this quite often. These guys are phenomenal modern players that I highly recommend everyone check out.
I explain that in the video. I mention that it's normal to descend from a bend intentionally, but the intentionality is what makes the difference. thanks for watching, cheers - Jared :)
@@soundguitar right on! Thanks for the reply. Love your channel, man.
Come to India with your guitar....Fam is waiting for you here....
would love to!
my fingernail and skin is tearing off what should i do
My fingers always go "under" the next string when I bend
I disagree wholeheartedly with cutting off the bend
Why icant bend my strings that good, im too afraid to buy new strings haha
haha! I hear ya
Well can you actually teach or show how to perform a bend? What is the hand position and how do you do it? I didnt get anything from this.
you go like 10 times too fast and play too many things around a bend to explain well enough
Awesome advice, thank you!
Very helpful, thanks
Glad it was helpful!
Great video