Questions tagged [note-bending]

For questions related to bending notes, i.e., actively altering a given pitch.

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Bending techniques in 16-hole Chromatic harmonicas (like Hohner 64)

Obviously, diatonic harmonica requires bending a note to get a chromatic scale. Chromatic harmonica (16-hole like Hohner 64) can get a full chromatic scale by pressing or releasing the side button. ...
wonderich's user avatar
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2 votes
2 answers
126 views

realtime bending of strings to bring classical guitar in tune [closed]

While talking with a friend, I mentioned that the width of a classical guitar neck is quite large, to allow a player room to slightly and subtly bend a string (or strings) by moving fingers parallel ...
Bruce Simonson's user avatar
6 votes
8 answers
4k views

How can I bend better at the higher frets with high e string on guitar?

I always find difficult to bend correctly with the high e string at the higher frets. For example, when I bend a full step or more from fret 15, I always can't reach the correct pitch. There are songs ...
Kwun Yeung's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
512 views

Going to lighter string gauge and bending in tune

I usually play on electric guitar with strings that are marked as '10 in gauge. I learned to play bends in tune (most of the time) and recently I bought a new (electric) guitar that's also set up to '...
Snaz's user avatar
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7 votes
6 answers
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String bending pain doesn't go away

I have been playing the guitar since 2006, so I'm not new to the activity, and I have caluses. I started playing Flamenco on a nylon strings and in 2013 moved to play Surf on a stratocaster. A couple ...
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2 votes
3 answers
3k views

How do you even do a full bend?

I’ve been playing for almost 8 months now but I can not do a full bend on the e string. I’ve gotten used to doing full step bends on the other strings but I could never do it on the high e string. ...
Slapp45's user avatar
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2 answers
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Can bending strings damage acoustic guitar? (nut, fretboard, etc.)

I don't mind the finger pain/difficulty, etc. I just don't want to mess up the guitar's part and setup, besides obviously having to retune more often. Thanks in advance for any thoughts
Slowjammer's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
610 views

String bending on acoustic guitar versus sitar/veena

I'm trying to play the acoustic guitar in the classical Indian style which involves a lot of string bending to go up 1-4 semitones. My question is whether there's a difference in string tension that ...
elbord77's user avatar
  • 123
5 votes
1 answer
194 views

Question about a guitar lick involving string bending and playing a higher note while the string's bent

I'm transcribing a guitar solo, the one in a live version of Bob Marley's "No Woman No Cry." At 4:25, he bends the 11th fret of the high e string up a full step, and right before he comes down, I ...
MKlinger's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
491 views

Guitar bending problem

When I bend on the G string, and then, while still bending, strike a note on the B string, the note on the B string comes out flat. The open B string is in tune and intonated. What's the reason and ...
Daniel Rasmussen's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Guitar: How to mute bend release sound?

Take this tab for example, it is specifically required that there should be no release sound after bending. I tried many ways but just cant get rid of the release sound. My first attempt was to mute ...
null's user avatar
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1 answer
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Is there a "virtual guitar" app that can bend strings? [closed]

When a lick or melody comes to mind one the few times I'm away from a guitar, I use a virtual piano app to play with it and check how it sounds. But now I got an idea with a bend. How can i listen to ...
Anna's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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Semitones in tremolo harmonica

I looked all the internet to get this question answered, but it's hopeless. How can I play notes with accidentals – sharp, flats/bemol – in my 24-hole tremolo harmonica, I want to play this, How can I ...
Mohamed Abduljawad's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
356 views

Two types of bends on the guitar

Many years ago, I read in a book, the name of which I can no longer recall, that there are two ways of bending notes on the guitar. As it has been quite some time since i actually used this technique, ...
Hikaru's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
175 views

Harmonica : what is a bend -4''?

I'm surprised seeing a -4'' bend on this page : https://www.harptabs.com/song.php?ID=16307 Does it exists ? -4' is Db so -4'' is C, +4 in fact ? Btw, replacing -4'' by +4 sounds right. What have I ...
Tarass's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
1k views

How do you bend notes on the bagpipes?

Here's a video I was pretty impressed with: (Loving the Red Hot Chilli Pipers) At about the 1 minute mark we hear a bagpiper bend a note upwards by a tone, ...
AJFaraday's user avatar
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3 votes
3 answers
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Am I correctly approaching the relationship between string bending and action height?

Mostly self-taught guitar player here, haven't had a lesson in 30 years. Running into particular problems with string bending, and after some google searches, trying to finally come up with a strategy ...
danludwig's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
2k views

Bending One String While Fretting Another - Technique?

I'm trying to learn the lead guitar on this song: The solo (skip to 1:15 in the video) repeatedly involves fretting the b string with the index finger while bending ...
Samih's user avatar
  • 111
4 votes
1 answer
269 views

How is a pitch between a C and a C# notated in sheet music for fretless instruments?

Suppose we have a violin or a contrabass, they can play midnote pitches. I guess there must be a way of notating that in classical sheet music,llll how? I realise that it is a small chance it could ...
SovereignSun's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
707 views

How do you switch string at the same fret after bending?

Here is a demo of switching to the string above, but it could also be the string below, of course: https://goo.gl/photos/BSDJ7DcUygNi8veC7 I find this quite awkward to do. The thing is the bended ...
qed's user avatar
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3 answers
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Muting strings while bending

I watched a YouTube music tutorial on guitar bending exercises which stated that while bending on guitar the first finger has to be placed on the top strings for muting all those other than the ...
Abuhasan Sheikh's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

How to play bends with vibrato on electric guitar?

I can bend strings easily and apply vibrato without much trouble, but when it comes to combining those two techniques I am totally lost. When I try to make vibrato on a bent string I loose control of ...
el.pescado - нет войне's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
208 views

Bending with the "super light" strings

I know bending technique is problematic with nylon strings. One has to pull them far to achieve the desired pitch change. Is it the same with "super light" electric guitar strings which have tension ...
vdanylchuk's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
42 views

Bending guitar strings [duplicate]

I am having a big time struggle trying to bend guitar strings. The problem is that my fingertips are hard from playing acoustic guitar so whenever i try to bend a string in my electric guitar i end up ...
Misael's user avatar
  • 11
4 votes
2 answers
816 views

Can a 4-hole harmonica play more than the 8 diatonic notes?

I have a 4-hole harmonica. It is too simple; so, I can play simple songs only. Yesterday, I asked a short question on this site. And, they told me that harmonica bending technique can help me play ...
r5d's user avatar
  • 155
5 votes
1 answer
744 views

Is it possible to Overblow in Hohner Silverstar Harmonica?

I am trying to overblow in silverstar. Almost worked in 6blow. Is is possiblie in 4blow overblow in Silverstar harmonica?
afelixj's user avatar
  • 255
1 vote
0 answers
97 views

How do I keep my finger from sounding another string when bending [duplicate]

When doing a one and a half step bend on guitar, or even a whole step, I can't seem to keep my finger from grabbing the other strings and I can hear them. Do I need to set my action differently? I've ...
Kenny's user avatar
  • 221
3 votes
2 answers
2k views

Correct way of writing this bend in ASCII tab notation

I have a tab notation question. I will be using arbitrary numbers so that the examples are easier When you pluck the 12th fret in the G string, and then you bend the string a full note (from G to A), ...
sports's user avatar
  • 233
6 votes
5 answers
23k views

String bending on acoustic

Any tips on bending notes on an acoustic? Its really hard to do and my string loses it sound really fast. Should I even try it? Bending 1 semitone is easy, after that its quite hard... edit: By ...
user2758186's user avatar
14 votes
10 answers
49k views

What type of strings to use for easier bending in fast solos?

I'm getting better at playing that legendary Enter Sandman solo by Kirk Hammett, and I'm getting the speed part almost covered. What I'm struggling with is hitting the target note when bending that ...
Eran Medan's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

I'm having trouble with bent notes not terminating cleanly but dropping a little in pitch at end

I started asking this about string bends but decided the problem is broader - I need advice on right hand muting in general. I've been trying to pay a lot closer attention to my tone overall. One ...
fitzhugh's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
2k views

Techniques in Bending String, Electric Guitar

When I bend the string, my fingers pressing on the bended string always easily go under the upper string. I think part of the issue is that my strings are quite high, but after fixing the height down ...
user10179's user avatar
9 votes
3 answers
3k views

Are low key harmonicas harder to bend?

Are lower key harmonicas (G and A, for example) technically harder to bend than the ones with a higher key, such as E or D? If so, do I need to use some other technique on lower key harmonicas in ...
streppel's user avatar
  • 147
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

Is there a way to mitigate Floyd Rose Bridge movement during bending?

I have had a discussion with a friend recently, involving Floyd Rose guitars and the way they behave during bends. The issue is that, since the bridge floats, by design, when performing a string bend ...
ravemir's user avatar
  • 173
4 votes
3 answers
4k views

Trumpet - Charles Colin Lip Flexibilities Vol. 1 Exercise 1

I am trying to go through the whole Charles Colin Lip Flexibilities book. Here is an excerpt from the first exercise: There are two ways I could interpret this. Since this book is about building up ...
mboratko's user avatar
  • 143
3 votes
5 answers
4k views

Electric Guitar | Right hand position

I find it difficult to decide on where to position/rest my right hand (picking hand) when playing electric guitar. I started with acoustic and i have a habit of resting my pinky finger on the guitar ...
Gaurav's user avatar
  • 215
34 votes
10 answers
100k views

How to bend and release without flicking the other strings?

I'm trying to bend up then back down on the G string (so it plays both notes, I'm not muting the bend back down to G) but I always catch my fingernail on the D string. So when I let the bend back ...
NotDan's user avatar
  • 441
3 votes
2 answers
580 views

Noise when attempting to bend the 8th hole on a harmonica

I've noticed that when I bend on the 8th hole, weird things happen. If I blow normally, the sound is OK, but upon an attempt to bend (downwards, during the draw), the sounds stop to be melodic and all ...
Kos's user avatar
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12 votes
1 answer
2k views

What are good techniques to bend notes on brass instruments

I play Eb tuba, and sometimes I come across bending down in my notes - either as an effect at the end of a note, or sometimes as a slide between two notes. I find this difficult to achieve with a good ...
awe's user avatar
  • 3,864
11 votes
2 answers
2k views

brass: bending notes upwards

It is fairly easy - although it requires a bit of strength - to bend notes downwards on a trumpet. For example playing a F#, a F, or even lower notes with all valves open. It does not sound nice, but ...
Gauthier's user avatar
  • 4,668
15 votes
4 answers
3k views

Note bending on harmonica

I'm trying to learn to play the harmonica, and one thing I haven't quite figured out is how to consistently bend notes. (I can only hit two and three draw, inconsistently, for a semitone, and can only ...
Willie Wong's user avatar
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