Master the Art of Guitar Bending: Uncover Essential Blues Bends for Soulful Playing

I’m a big fan of bending notes when playing guitar, and there’s a particular kind I love and used to spice up my performances – the blues bend. Now, the blues bend is unique in its function and delivery, you don’t necessarily have to worry about getting a half or whole step out of it. It’s not really about the distance you move your fingers, but about the resonating sound it creates.

One way to understand the blues bend is by picturing yourself playing a note. You’re floating around that note for a moment, then when you feel the time is right, you give the string a twist, a slight bend, before taking off. This twist isn’t decide by a particular measure, rather, it’s a sound thing. It’s meant to echo that bluesy feel we all love.

Something interesting happens when I run down my pentatonic. If you pay attention, you’ll notice right before I leave, I give the five a twist. It’s not a full-on bend, just a little twist to give that note a slight bluesy feel. Now, if I decide to go back up, I’d have to obviously pause a bit. But that doesn’t mean I can’t apply the blues bend. It fits right in and gives the sound that unique tang.

One thing I enjoy doing is adding a bit of a bend when shifting from a higher note to a lower one. It’s a subtle move, but it adds a lot to the music. And when I transition from a lower note to the next note on the fourth string, another window opens to play a blues bend.

There are numerous ways to incorporate blues bends into your playing. Remember, the idea is to mimic that bluesy feel, so don’t worry about getting a perfect half or whole step. Instead, focus on the sound. When your bend begins to sound like the blues, you’ll know you’re on the right path.

Now, exploring the blues bend alongside learning about three fret bends could be a fun way to practice and improve your guitar bending techniques. Wherever you’re going on your fretboard, from five to eight, or any other frets, you can always throw in a blues bend. This will give your sound a unique flavor.

A handy tip I love sharing with people is on how to apply blues bends effectively. For instance, when playing in the key of A, look for the note A on the fretboard. When you find it, bend it up three frets, and you’ll land on the note C, give it a little blues hint.

To illustrate this point, say for example I bend up a note in the second position, something we often do sounds great. But what if I take that exact note, bend it a step and a 🚶, lifting it all the way up to 13. Imagine a sequence where I take a note, give it a 10 bend up a whole step, play that 10, then add a little blues bend. As you can see, the blues bend adds another layer to the music, making it even more engaging.

Practicing endlessly is necessary, but from time to time, it’s beneficial to turn off the metronome and simply explore. Spend time with your guitar, explore the different ways you can apply the blues bend. You need to familiarize yourself with how and when to apply it, how to connect it to different notes, and how it fits into your overall playing style.

These are your “blues bends”, and I encourage you to spend some quality time exploring them. Experiment with your playing style, and see how these bends can elevate your sound. See you next time when we’ll talk about the fifth of the “Big Five”.
Let’s dive into the realm of three fret bends and learn how this technique can raise the level of your guitar playing. The three fret bend, also known as a ‘step and half’ bend, is a guitar bending technique that is useful in many scenarios and can add a tasteful flavor to your playing.

To start with, a three fret bend involves bending the string far enough that the note you’re playing sounds like the note three frets above on the same string. It’s like taking your note on a little journey, from their original position to a note a step and a half above, or in simpler terms, three frets above.

Now, an easy way to start off with these three fret bends is whenever you are transitioning from five to eight or anywhere within that range. The five to eight is just a pointer, you can adjust the frets to suit the musical context you’re in. However, the core thing to grasp is that you can achieve a step and a half, or a three fret bend, to give your music that unique mood.

One of my favorite applications of this is when you are playing in the key of A. If you locate the note A and make a three-fret bend, you will find yourself landing on the note C, another significant note in the same pentatonic scale. Therefore, moving from A to C, our note undergoes an adventurous journey.

Practically, this technique can be tried on the A located in the second position, a position many of us favor to bend. Moving a step and a half from A, you will land on the 13th note, a rollercoaster ride that brings a step shift in the music.

Imagine a scenario where you take a note, bend it up a whole step, play that note, then go on to add a little blues bend. How compelling the performance would be! The blues bend, coupled with the three fret bend, brings a magical blend of technique and emotion which makes the sequence more enticing.

When working on this technique, keep in mind that it’s not all about speed or rote practice. It’s more about exploring this new skill and finding how it fits into your unique style. I encourage all my students to dedicate some time to immerse themselves into these techniques, it’s not about doing it right three times, and then just moving on. It’s about spending time exploring and practicing with it.

Part of this exploring would mean identifying when to prep for the bend, how you’re going to reach that three-note bend, and how to connect it with other notes or bends. I will be demonstrating this in a jam session, which we’ll notate for you. This way, you can observe all these techniques in action and see how to incorporate them into your performances.

Overall, three fret bends can add an extra edge to your bends. With enough practice and exploration, who knows how it will transform your musical experience. And when you’re comfortable with these, you’ll be ready for the fifth of the “Big Five” which we’ll discuss in the next session. Remember, practice makes perfect and exploration makes practice perfect. Keep exploring!
As a guitar instructor, a common questions my students ask me all the time is about practice methods: Should they focus more on speed techniques or music theory? How to best use a metronome? And the like. While these are all crucial aspects to mastering guitar, occasionally, it’s essential to turn off the tick-tick-tick of the metronome and dive into a more exploratory practice. This is what we’ll focus on in this discussion.

The craft of playing the guitar involves a delicate blend of skills and emotion, the marriage of method and artistry. For musicians to truly master this instrument, they need to journey beyond the realm of steps and techniques and delve deeper into an exploratory mindset.

Take bending, for example. We’ve previously discussed the blues bend and the three fret bend, but just practicing these techniques three times a day won’t transform you into a guitar whiz. It’s about setting time aside to truly explore this skill. You see, every guitar player has a unique set of instincts, a unique soul they imprint on their music, and to connect with yours, you need to give it some room to breathe.

A typical practice session should not just be a count of hours, but an experience. It should be a time to not only practice the techniques you’ve learned but to find the music in you waiting to come alive. This would mean examining the notes, the bends, the connections you make from note to note, from bend to bend, and how all these elements can synchronize to create your distinctive sound.

To illustrate this, let’s go back to that blues band or the three fret bend from our previous discussions. Start by focusing on a single bend, say a three-fret bend or a blues bend. Slow down and let your fingers feel the tension of the strings. Listen for the exact moment when the note changes from a steady pitch to a bluesy whimper.

Practicing like this helps you to explore your unique sound, your unique bending style. When you begin to practice with exploration in mind, you’ll find your fingers moving instinctively across the fretboard. And it’s not only about the basics; part of exploration is improvisation, trying new ideas, and seeing what works best for you.

Spend time with your guitar. Get familiar with the fretboard and the unique qualities of each note. Learn what it means to be in the key of A, or B, or C. You’ll find that each key has its own mood, its own personality, that you can encapsulate in your music.

As you immerse yourself more into the world of guitar playing, you’ll discover that our musical journey is never-ending. There’s always more to learn, more to fine-tune. However, it’s not a race. Remember, it’s not about ticking off a checklist of techniques learned. It’s about allowing yourself the freedom to explore, to discover your musical voice. It’s about creating music that is unique to you, that comes from your heart.

So take this to your next practice session: Turn off the metronome, set the theory books aside, and just play. Explore the notes, the bends, and the connections. Discover the music that lies within you.

Get ready for the next time, where we’ll dive into the ‘Big Five.’ Until then, keep exploring, keep practicing, and most importantly, keep playing. Because every note you play, every string you bend, brings you one step closer to becoming the guitarist you aspire to be.

Are you looking to level up your guitar skills? Hear from fellow guitarists on their journey and improvements at GuitarZoom.com.

Interested in expanding your knowledge even further? Delve into the depths of guitar playing and learn more about basics and fundamentals or take the challenging route with scales and soloing. The exploration never ends in the world of guitar. Dive in, and let’s keep making music.