Bending Technique

[CouchBed]

Hello, all. I have a question.

When I do large bends, (going about a half step or more up)I have problems with the other strings getting in the way a lot and making noise when I don't want them to. I get problems too when I vibrato, and the stings on either side of the string that I'm doing the vibrato on start to vibrate.

I've tried things like using a free finger to dampen the other strings when I bend, but I was wondering if anybody has good tips on what to do to keep my bends and vibratos clear from other strings making unwanted noise.

Any and all opinions and suggestions welcome. Thanks guys!

[desertbluesman]

I have the same problem, and I am also interested in hearing what the other folks on this forum say......

[J. Dan]

Let me preface this by saying that I had no formal guitar instruction. My primary instrument is Keys, followed by Bass, Sax, Rhythm guitar (in that order). So even when I played guitar in a band, I wasn't doing much soloing.

 

That said, I haven't had the problem you mention. I don't know if it's proper technique, but I sort of wrap my index finger and thumb around the neck muting all the strings, and bend with my middle finger. My finger is fat enough that it pushes the adjacent string out of the way before they touch. So I guess I end up bending multiple strings on an extreme bend...not so much on vibrato.

 

That could be totally wrong, but it works for me.

[harvey]

Quick answer...use the picking hand to mute unwanted strings. Will say something more intelligent when I have time!

[Guitarzan]

muting yes. i use both my picking hand and fingers of fretting hand to kill unwanted strings. i will play notes that are not on adjacent strings and the sides of my fretting fingers are placed to kill the strings between the ones i am playing. i find it so natural now i can't really describe it.

[SEHpicker]

Quick answer...use the picking hand to mute unwanted strings. Will say something more intelligent when I have time!

Harvey is right. You need to use the side of your picking hand to mute unwanted string vibration. This takes time to perfect, but gives you control over lots of unwanted string noise.

If you are a fingerstyle picker you can dampen strings with fingertips that are not being used for picking.

I do a little of both to control excess string noise.

[whitefang]

Actually, I never ran across that problem.

Whitefang

[Bartholomew]

Quick answer...use the picking hand to mute unwanted strings. Will say something more intelligent when I have time!

 

And that's what I do. Bend using the third finger rather than the second or first. Keep the palm of the right hand at the front of the bridge. Also the inside of the fingers on my left hand sometimes mute the high E if I'm bending a G plus I mute the bottom E with my thumb like a cowboy.

 

Doesn't always apply...YMMV. Difficult to explain but easy to learn once seen.

 

Check out uTube for string bending techniques and wade through the wankers until something good comes along.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Yhup, it's not necessarily what you want to hear, but muting/damping with both hands and practice, practice practice are the key.

 

The pinky-side edge of your picking-hand can be laid across the strings, particularly near the bridge, for damping and muting.

 

The tips of the trailing fingers of your picking-hand (like your pinky and ring-finger) can sit between the strings that you don't want to sound, too.

[Larryz]

I have not really thought about how I do it as the muting just comes natural. Sometimes while playing octaves and double stops, other unwanted strings chime in and I have to consciously think about muting them and/or avoiding them with my picking hand. I don't do as much full and 1 1/2 step bending as I used to. I have been using more half step bends which may be helping me simplify things. One thing you can try from time to time, is instead of bending up to the note, just play the note...

[picker]

Quick answer...use the picking hand to mute unwanted strings.

 

This.

[CouchBed]

Quick answer...use the picking hand to mute unwanted strings.

That's going to take some getting used to, but it works!

[Winston Psmith]

Heavier strings help, too; more volume, more tone, better control. 009's can feel pretty sloppy, even compared to .010's, and if you do a lot of bending, you'll do a lot of re-tuning with extra light strings.

[Caevan O’Shite]

Quick answer...use the picking hand to mute unwanted strings.

That's going to take some getting used to, but it works!

 

Study the way slide-players damp and mute strings, they're champs at this. Then apply it to your fretted bending approach as best you can.

 

[harvey]

Ok...to expand my first answer a little (and assuming you are right handed) this is what I do:

 

1/ use the right hand to mute the unwanted strings that are lower than the note you are bending/apply vibrato to.

 

2/ use the underside of your fretting fingers to mute the unwanted strings that are higher than the string being picked. The left hand fingers need to be arched a little. Reinforced bending is always helpful, too. That is, if you're using the third LH finger to bend also hold the string with the 1st and 2nd fingers to help push the string...seems to help with accuracy and muting the 'understrings'.

 

Let us know how you're travelling with this. : )

[harvey]

Quick answer...use the picking hand to mute unwanted strings.

That's going to take some getting used to, but it works!

 

Study the way slide-players damp and mute strings, they're champs at this. Then apply it to your fretted bending approach as best you can.

 

word!

[harvey]

Quick answer...use the picking hand to mute unwanted strings.

That's going to take some getting used to, but it works!

 

Cool! Yeah, like most stuff it takes a little while.

 

 

[J. Dan]

GEEEZ!!!!! Typed a well-thought post only to hit some unknown combination of keys that eliminated half of it! So starting over, and not gonna go into detail.

 

Not formally trained on strings, even though I play guitar and bass. Formally trained on keys and sax.

 

Have more trouble with ringing strings on bass, even though I'm better on bass than guitar...technique is different.

 

good luck (my other 5 paragraphs redacted)

[Gruupi]

For bending, you slide your finger under the adjacent strings to lift and separate them from the string you are bending. I notice players with really low action have a harder time doing this, as it makes it hard to get your finger underneath.

 

Muting is a lifelong practice study. You basically use any available surface on either hand to mute unwanted strings. The right hand palm is just the start. You can use the knuckle on your thumb, and other right hand fingers. You can also use your left hand fingers depending on what you are playing. A flattened out fretting finger can cover the strings both above and below the one you are playing.

 

So for muting, it isn't really one trick covers all situations. You have to examine each passage of notes to come up with the best solution. After awhile though, it kind of becomes second nature. But even then, you will find passages where you really have to work it out. The key is, once you become aware of it by listening, the problem is halfway solved. Then it is only a matter of practice.

[CEB]

I just do it. I have no idea what it is though. LOL

[CouchBed]

I just do it. I have no idea what it is though. LOL

That's the reason that I don't think that I'd be a very good guitar teacher. I'm no expert yet, but the things that I do know how to do just kind of happened as I learned to play. I'm %90 self-taught, so I can understand what you're saying there.

[pinkjimiphoton]

i mute with both hands, and all fingers at different points. i find i have more issue with bends if the action is too low, raising it an RCH can sometimes help.

[haywired2]

I don't have any formal training either, but I have more control with my 3rd and 2nd fingers for bending up and my first finger I pull the string instead of pushing up. I try to get up under the string a little, (I don't think about it any more) because if I'm too much on top of the sting, it will slide off. You could tune down a half step once in awhile for practicing. That will make the strings easier to bend. Some of the old blues guys even went down a whole step for those heavy gauge strings.