a bend..?

[Andresko13]

on tabs when people say you have to do a bend, what exactly is that? how do you "bend"?

[BlaZinChoPs]

Take your 3rd finger (ring finger) and place it on the 2nd string from the bottom (B string, second smallest string) at the 7th fret (3rd dot). That note is G#. Take your index finger and lay it across all strings at the 5th fret. Now hold the G# note and pluck that string. Now pluck the same note and while the note is ringing out, bend the string to the cieling. It should be moving the next 2 strings up. The resulting note you get from that bend is an E.

Understand?

Chaiyz

[Andresko13]

i think i understand... but why did you say to put my index across all the strings at the 5th fret? you don't have to do that for every bend, right? and what if you have to bend a string that's higher up, like the 6th string? you can't bend it to move two strings up because it's the last string...

[Andresko13]

i'm gonna go practice while i get a reply...

[BlaZinChoPs]

I told you to barre your index across the 5th fret so that your playing in position. All this will come in time. More importantly, go here http://www.zentao.com/guitar/guitar-lessons.html

Go through these and enjoy!

Chaiyz

[Andresko13]

ok, i'll practice... thanks for the help and the link... but i think the note you told me is actually an F# not a G#... 2nd string, 7th fret... anyway, doesn't matter, thanks...

[pinarello]

In tabs it mostly states how big the bend shall be. If it says 1/2 you should bend the note so that it gets the same as the note one fret up, if 1 two frets up. I have even seen the figure 2 (same pitch as 4 frets up) in some BB King licks. Then I think you have to use thinner strings.
I culd not get it right with my 0.10 strings.
You often also have to switch from the pinky to your ring-finger to get enough force.
I am playing blues, and in this kind of music good-sounding bends is essential. You can bend the string upwards or downwards, depending on where you come from, and the smallest string naturally goes upward.
Listen carefully to your bends to get them right. You can also alter the tempo of the bend, from quick stopped to long sweeping.
All this is at least applicable to blues.
You can do a lot with bends, to conclude.

[SmokeJaguar]

Bends are, in my opinion, the single most expressive part of guitar playing. Blues artists use bends constantly and it really helps to define the style. The thing to remember is that most of the time you want your bends to be dead on; ie. exactly 1/2, 1, 2, or even 3 or 4 semitones higher. Little bending mistakes sound bad. There are some exceptions though. Often when notation tells you to bend 1/2 of a semitone (a microtone), what it's really saying is to just give the string a little jerk. You have to use your judgement in this, and with time it will make sense. If you don't already, listen to some blues. It's the best style to listen to if you want to understand where some of the fundamental guitar concepts come from.

[Andresko13]

cool, thanks