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GMC Forum _ REC _ Take 3: Beginner's Corner 21: String Bending

Posted by: Rhida Sep 12 2014, 07:07 PM

Original lesson: http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/ls/Beginners-Corner-21-String-Bending/

So this is take 3 for me!

Links to previous attempts at this lesson:
http://guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=52880

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Sep 12 2014, 10:34 PM

Hi Rhida! Checking the REC section I can see that it has been a busy day for you! It's really cool to see you working hard here, and at Gab's Army in order to improve your guitar playing, composing and improvising skills!

The first thing that I note is that your sound has improved comparing this take with the previous one, good job with it. It's very good to dedicate some effort to improve tone, audio and video quality of your videos and recordings.

Your technique is getting better with the pass of time but there is off course some more work to do in order to make those bends sound more consistent and your vibrato technique more defined and regular. I notice that your hand is still a bit rigid and that most of the time the movement doesn't come from your wrist. Remember that both vibrato and bending should come from your wrist so let it be more relaxed while you play both techniques. At first you will feel that the technique is less controlled but with some practice you will notice that you are on the right track. The bends are now on pitch excepting some of the whole tone ones, those that you do with your ring finger, so focus on these ones.

Please keep on practicing this lesson (as well as the other exercises that we gave you for vibrato and bending) and share a new take in a week.

Cheers!

Posted by: Ben Higgins Sep 13 2014, 01:16 PM

Hi man, I can hear a definite improvement with your concentrating on getting the correct pitch. It still needs work yet but there are more good bends than bad ones.

At 0:27, 0:33 and 0:38 you can see and hear that your finger hits the next note a bit too early and it's fretting it just before you pick it. I can hear that you've worked on this and it sounds better than it did so keep up the good work here and try to avoid these occurrences.

My main advise would be to spend more time on it, though... in order to practise something and make improvements, this generally needs to take more time than just a day or two. Rather than submitting another REC immediately afterwards it would be better if you allowed yourself a bit more time to get things sounding right and then you can come in and blow us away with an 8 or 10 !

Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Sep 13 2014, 04:37 PM

Hey Rhida!

As Gabi pointed out - you have made progress and you are working hard! Bending and vibrato are a bit too overlooked by people in general, because they are always aiming to play fast, first things first But, articulation is really one of the most important aspects in guitar playing and in any instrument, if you come to ask me.

Ben and Gabi can double that, I'm sure

So, I would follow their advice and spend more time on the piece - also, practicing and recording against the original will always be a good mode of comparing the correctitude and expressiveness of your take

All the best and keep rocking!

Cosmin

Posted by: Guido Bungenstock Sep 14 2014, 12:55 PM

Hi mate,

I'm really a big fan of vibratos & bendings because it says everything about the player, Its like the soul of the player. This i the reason why I like Dann Huff, Steve Lukather, Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Larry Carlton and Neal Schon so much.
If you compare all these players, you'll find out that their vibratos/bendings all sound a bit different but have ONE common ground:
They have emotion and expression! This is the reason why people like their tone!
If they only play ONE note, you just can recognize them.

I practice Vibratos/bendings for almost 35 years now and I'm still finding out some new ideas . Sounds crazy I know but so much to discover....

Here are my tips for you.

1. Only do the movements with your loose wrist AND not with your finger.
2. Let the note stay a little bit before you gradually add some vibrato. Think like a wave that is softly building up
3. Don't do the bending too slow from one note to another.
4. Just FEEL it!! If it touches your soul then you're on the right way!!!

Posted by: Fran Sep 14 2014, 01:14 PM

Almost there, 6.25