Members Alex_DeLarge Posted December 23, 2009 Members Posted December 23, 2009 I have bad problems with my bending technique. I've been practicing REALLY slow trying to make it sound right but I can't do it. Maybe my technique is wrong, I don't know. I think my action is really high too, it may accentuate the problem. The problem itself is that when I bend and the come back and release the string that is above the one I'm bending sounds like it was being plucked, although is muted, so it sounds less, but it sounds nevertheless. I think the problem might be in my right hand, and its about muting better the strings. My guitar is a crap guitar that I bought for around 80 bucks with an small amp, both used. Here are the pics: My action: http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/9707/accion1.jpg http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/3071/accion2.jpg My bending (the motion is exaggerated so you can see better how strings touch my finger as the movement goes): http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/8900/bending1.jpg I think my technique is similar to the one this guy is showing around 1:10-1:30 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prhi5FgScEM Well, I hope you can give me a tip or two so I can work on the solution Thanks again guys and happy holidays everybody!!
Members Jeff1979 Posted December 23, 2009 Members Posted December 23, 2009 Well that action looks a bit to high for my personal choice, by the sound of it, i thought your fingers were going under the unbent strings and that is whats causing the noise. I mute the strings with the heel of my right hand when bending, i kinda press it down quickly to stop the others ringing out, plus i bend with the side of the tip of my finger, so i dont have to much finger hanging over the string im bending (if that makes sense?)
Members Jeff1979 Posted December 23, 2009 Members Posted December 23, 2009 after re-reading your post, are you holding down the string above the one your bending up ?
Members GreenAsJade Posted December 23, 2009 Members Posted December 23, 2009 Did you see my thread on exactly the same topic, complete with photos, not that long ago? I think your photos look _right_ ! The conclusion I got from my thread was "jack up your action a bit, dude, and you'll be right" ... I did, and I was! That said, action is so easy to adjust, I totally recommend you mess with it a bit to see if it helps you. One thing I found was that there's an aspect to this that "just sorts itself out". If you read "The Inner Game Of Music", one thing that comes from there is "let yourself listen to the problem, whatever it is, take it in, and let your fingers sort it out". This really does work in some cases, and I reckon this is one. For me, the combination of having the action in the right place (in my case, I needed to move it up, so the inactive strings did not sneak under the bending fingers) and letting my instincts manage it worked a treat. If you let them, your fingers do all sorts of subtle things to make it work ... just release them from your brain!! GaJ Edit: Dang, the search function in this place sucks! To save you the trouble, here is the thread I'm talking about: http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=2462459
Members jeremy_green Posted December 23, 2009 Members Posted December 23, 2009 Your awareness of any issue is the first step to it going away. A lot of those technical problems people have in the beginning just eventually stop happening with experience. Keep working on it, accept where you are as a player that its not going to be perfect and keep working. Very seldom have I seen a player, who has a problem with bends, where it is an equipment thing - it is usually hand strength and muting issues. An experienced player can execute on damn near any guitar. Muting happens with both hands at all times on the guitar. One of them (your hands) hasn't quite got the "where to be" yet. It will come. Do lots of bends ALWAYS being aware to hit the correct pitches and in time it will just flat out get better - just dont stop playing.
Members Jasco Posted December 23, 2009 Members Posted December 23, 2009 Great reply as usual Jeremy. Alex_DeLarge, I'm a fan of high action, and I don't think that's your problem. Releasing bends without sounding other strings can be a bitch. You need to mute those other strings however you can, with both hands. As Jeremy said, awareness is the first part of the solution. Just keep working at it patiently and you'll see improvement.
Members 3shiftgtr Posted December 23, 2009 Members Posted December 23, 2009 Common problem Alex....and a subtle one to fix. Not just one thing fixes the problem like Jeremy said. The main culprits are finger strength and control that facilitate muting. When someone bends a string up pushing up the string above it, and releases the other string above it so it sounds, it means that the finger itself is not in control of the bend. So remember this: it is not the note you are bending, it is the note you are bending to...practice bending a note and holding it to pitch until it is effortless to bend and hold at pitch for 15 seconds. Be able to do this with each finger individually. Start off not worrying about the release. Just build strength, stamina and control with your bends. Do this with 10's preferably. Then once you have strength and control over pitch, then look at how you want to mute the string above on your release. Generally muting the string above during the release comes from the fretting hand. Sometimes from the picking hand. The picking hand is easy enough. Fretting hand wise, look at your fretting hand and see where your hand binds the string above. And with your newfound strength, you will be able to manipulate the string and the angle of your finger during the bend up, so that it doesn't "catch" during the release. Hope it helps.
Members EverlastingDawn Posted December 23, 2009 Members Posted December 23, 2009 Couple of things I would suggest: -Try resting your picking hand on the strings above the ones you are bending to mute them. That should reduce any unwanted ringing. This will also help went you do sweeps and tapping. I use my right hand a lot to mute strings. -Try to use the tip of your fingers on the strings. From looking at your picture, it looks like there is too much flesh past the string you are bending which is probably a reason why other strings are sounding. The stringing should be fretted with your finger tips coming straight down like a hammer. The less amount of body parts you have on the fretboard the better. Which leads to another thing worth mentioning: you should try to practice bending each string by using only one finger to push it up. In the picture you have three fingers on that G string which is three opportunities to produced unwanted sounds. Unless you are planning on coming back to one of those previously fretted notes of course. But even then, two fingers on the string should be enough.
Members Alex_DeLarge Posted December 24, 2009 Author Members Posted December 24, 2009 Thanks everyone for the insights and tips, I'll start trying to improve right now
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