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Old 10-15-2014, 04:47 PM
Sombras Sombras is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Idaho
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I agree that radius really doesn't matter. The advice to use more than one finger is good. Also, don't forget that your picking hand can be useful in bending. Watch videos of accomplished players and you'll see that they often use their picking hand to mute and/or pull the adjacent strings--usually the string they're bending towards. This technique can help make the bend easier and better sounding.

Oh, and you can also bend *down*, depending on which string you're on and what effect you're trying to pull off.

Bending to the exact note you want is a real skill. Some people are natural "benders" and others (like me) have to work harder at it. Either way, you'll get there.

EDIT: Oh, you're bending on a STRAT! That adds some complexity. If your Strat has a floating bridge, then you'll need to bend a little farther to reach the note you want. With a floating bridge, the bridge will lift slightly in reaction to the increased string tension during the bend, forcing you to bend a little farther to counteract the bridge reaction. It's one of the common challenges for Strat players who like to "bend up" and hit a note on the next string, usually bending the third string up to hit a second-string note. Never seemed to bother David Gilmour, however.
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Last edited by Sombras; 10-15-2014 at 05:04 PM.
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