It seems there is a lot of confusion about bends… which is a shame because they are THE coolest thing about playing guitar.
Bends allow us to do on a guitar what few other instruments can do… it’s incredibly expressive and, done right, almost impossible to really imitate any other way.
But – with great power comes great responsibility – and bending poorly can make you sound… well… really awful.
A bad bend makes an otherwise killer lick sound amateurish and messy… we don’t want that.
So let’s talk about the best places to bend, and why they work:
(and my apologies for my little rant towards the end.)
83 replies to "Where To Make The Bends In Blues Boxes"
Was “straightening” out the bend, tongue in cheek, a choice of words by chance, a smile with the quip, the paradox of the entendre or just mixing the metaphors? Mind bending on in addition to the note/string?
Nice exercise
Like How you explain Guitar tricks.
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Tabs ?) please
ohhhhhhhh boyyyyyyyyy…. am I in trouble now. If my ear cant hear the note I am bending in to how do know I actually hit that note. or does ear training come first… note bends second. Oh boy!!! am I in trouble now.
If you have a tuner….. let it ” listen in ” and look at the needle / dial of the tuner and start learning to bend up to the pitch you are seeking. Practice bends and pre-bends ( where you are up to the note BEFORE you hit the string.
Fun! Enjoy
I spend the first hour of most days watching your days lesson. Sets the “tone” for the day. I get to consider the topic thoroughly through the day and I’m anxious to try it when I practice in the evening. I love the “learning guitar” versus learning songs.
post751@hotmail.com What gauge strings are you using on this video ?
Can you make a lesson on Swamp Blues?
Thank you.
.
Love swamp blues too
Nice shirt!
Long list of people jumping in on your lessons. As usual a good refresh of what you should be doing to get the better blues sound. As i might state they are not doing any recording of what they are playing and playing. Maybe.If it don’t good then it ain’t correct. Thanks Griff
That was great. I try to keep it with the right pitch or best sound but I never heard this before. I think also my 3rd finger 20 degree bend at the knuckle towards the middle finger also makes things hard to sound as if it were in the pocket sound. but to get the bends and tweedled dees and the finger movements or like B.B. King he wiggles his whole hand but I think I need a smaller scale guitar or medium frets so my third finger can get to the right spot. anyway I really like your new site….
That was helpful. Thanks.
Very good lesson, thank you.
Great lesson. I am taking lessons but for my need Griff is perfect. Problem with video instruction is the discipline to set up the laptop, find the lesson, and slow him down. With a teacher sitting before you, yo can ask questions etc. I will do both for a bit and see how it goes. But this bending lesson I may not have learned outside of what I stumbled upon. Thank you, Griff.
Keep on “ranting” Griff……..like it or not, we all need to hear that from time to time !
I love how much you love teaching. Thanks.
Griff, I would love to see TAB for this intro (please??)…
Look at a diagram of the pentatonic scale on the guitar fretboard. Basically, you’ll be bending a note two or three half steps (or, 1 or 1.5 steps) up to the next note in the pentatonic scale on the same string.
As Griff stated, depending on what box you’re in and where you’re fingers are, it’s very difficult to use your single index finger to bend up 1.5 steps and hard to bend up 1 step with that finger. And if you’re using your middle finger (and your index finger to help) it’s still hard to bend 1 or 1.5 steps. It’s also more difficult to bend the lower (in tone) strings (strings 1-3), while the higher strings are easier to bend.
There’s also the half step bend from the minor 3rd to the major 3rd when mixing in the major scale (thus not officially in the pentatonic scale, but often used for some songs).
Thats not what griff is saying your talking rubbish
Yeah…it kinda is what Griff is saying. Except for saying the bottom strings are 1-3…they are actually 4-6. More freedom is pretty spot on. Just remember it’s easier to bend in the middle of the fret board than toward the edges. Mr. Willllson…take a chill pill…we’re all just trying to improve our guitar playing. Thanks Griff, you’re a great teacher and guitar player….Rock/blues on…
Hi, I use electric .009″ strings on my acoustic. The G string is unwound, and bends with ease.
I wonder why the 5 boxes are numbered? Why are they not called by name? I know that Griffs box 1 is the aeolian…..so I can work the rest out from there. If I were to number them I would call the Ionian 1, since that is the key….Dorian 2 etc. Any comments?
Aeolian is a diatonic scale, the boxes are all pentatonic scales… they are different. We number them simply for convenience because all 5 are the same scale.
Sorry you are totally way off, honestly you are
50+
VIDEOS
Mix – Buddy Merrill “San Antonio Rose” Travis-picking on a Fender Stratocaster
YouTube
I found this video on YouTube of Buddy Merrill I thought was interesting.
last night i watched a concert from 2007 with clapton, jeff heally and for a surprise jhon mayall came out and they all did a sit down Eric, likes to his bend around the 12 fret and up. was amazing . jhon was watching him and then comping in with some licks with vibrato bends. Saw David Gilmore with pink floyd at the Forum 1987. Had stage seats. my friend was his road manager. watched him play “MONEY” his solos are mostly bends high up on the fret board. learned a lot that night. It’s hard for me to do bends alot in a solo. my old hands just start to ock up. Now I know how Eric Clapton feels poor guy. he’s in bad shape.
He’ say’s it really hurts to play now. he has a nuerological disorder. we get old and start to fall apart. Soon kieth Richards will be a mummy. lol! thanks Griff.
Actually I thought the lead singer with the Stones was already a mummy. Lol
Total rubbish I saw Clapton this year in May and he still is as awesome as ever.you read to much fake news
Griff, the captions or the words you to describe your lesson blocks your fingerings. Can you somehow adjust the caption so we can see where you place your fingers.
Thanks
Mike S.
Great video.
And then when you combine the Major and minor scale that brings out a lot more possible bends!!! It’s real easy to bend the 2nd, minor 3rd, and the 6th a semi tone darn nears anywhere on the fret board……
Great lesson Griff! I read somewhere that e.c. doesn’t practice his guitar but does practice bends. That says a lot about how important they are. You make it look easy but it’s not!but when you get it right its so cool!. I’ll never give up! Thanks again B-)
Is it even possible bend notes on an acoustic?
Yes. you just need to push harder. Lighter strings bend easier of course but the sound changes.
Thanks.
Yes I practice on an acoustic most of the time and when i pick up a guitar with those flimsy 9’s & 10’s, Its ez just takes practice.
Lego47:
Yes, it’s very possible to bend notes on an acoustic. I use Elixir mediums, they are pretty easy to bend at the locations Griff describes. I practice exclusively on my acoustics. When I switch to my Telecaster it’s much easier, except the fretboard is narrower and I have to become more precise with my fingers.
I bend strings on 6 and even 12-string acoustics. Can’t do more than 1/4 bend on a 12 but still sounds good.
Great stuff Griff. Really enjoy and look forward to your vids. I’ve been trying a few bends in box one, these points will help. Your lessons have greatly improved my playing and knowledge!! Thanks
I really enjoyed this because I set the video playback at half speed and Griff sounds very toasted but still easy to understand the lesson!
Too funny try it out! LOL
Hello Griff,
First, thanks for your rant mate, it was awesome. I had realized that I was only able to use the top three strings, because my fingers aren’t strong enough. But I thought it was my lack of skill, and I had resolved not to try any further. I haven’t thought about the boxes and note positioning at all though. Thanks for yet another perspective.
James.
Always, always great vids and lessons.
Thanks a bunch Griff. I’ve been trying a few bends, didn’t know what I was doing….now I have a “jumping off point”.
thanks Griff kind of Johnny Winter style can you do a video of slide work in the style of Johnny Winter he played killer blues bet you can’t tell I like Johnny Winter thanks! P.S. next video stop the video with a better expression on your face, just kidding keep em coming Griff you are the best !! 🙂
Thanks Griff!
Your comments at the end of the video were light years away from a “rant”, Griff. They were very helpful. If someone complained about them, ignore it. And please don’t change your teaching style at all(in response to someone’s complaint). It is stellar and very easy to follow. I love your videos and courses. Thanks for all of your efforts to help us.
A great session! Thanks Griff!!
Well Mr Hamlin! You have just opened a door that,on the face of it,seems so obvious but until now, missed by me.
Many thanks Griff.
Bernie from Scotland UK
Griff, love your stuff, teaching myself since I retired, 4 yrs ago, you have been a a great part of that thanks!
Have been going through C treatment, in this last month 2 songs & a poem came to me @ 3 am on two nights, a a poem 3 nights ago! This is an Angel that can melt my heart, ” 2 in a dream in love with you..D0n’t wake me up!
When Angels Meet, last verse of three
To bind two hearts together
To finally beat as one
To teach them how to dance with joy
To teach them how to fly
To fill them both , with love and joy, that makes mere mortals cry!
Griff that’s the poem , the two songs I play & sing 20 times a day, love them! These came to me, blows my mind! ❤️? Dave
Great points! I could tell by listening which notes(strings/frets) to bend but didn’t even think about where the note was I was bending to… What a great trip learning guitar is! Every day you learn something constructive is a good day,and every time I open an email from Griff Hamlin I learn something.
Brilliant! You absolutely nail the bends!!! If there is one technique that really stands out as necessary for the blues, it’s gotta be the bends! (Among a dozen other things!). Thanks for the great bends lesson!
Good day to you Griff this lesson is great, but I was wondering if you could speak to the different gauges of strings.been using a #10 string not so easy for me to do bends thinking of going to smaller guage say a 8 or 7 guage. would really like to hear from you on the forum.
Hey Griff, how about the rules for a whammy bar~? And the proper name for it~? This string bender vid is great~! Thanks so much for all you do.
Generally speaking is it easier to bend notes closer to the body of the guitar? Compared to the tuning head?
Very good lesson Griff many thanks ?
Excellent explanation Griff.
Thanks again Griff! I knew some spots in some boxes didn’t make a nice bend sound, and now I know why. You make it so simple, another light bulb comes on!
Rant away you are only human, Aren’t you? LOL
Thanks Griff. Very straightforward sensible lesson.
One last com.antmGeller has allowed more awards than i received between attorney fees and court awarded attorney fees leaves me totally broke and with the case at the end of the month with no resorces ill probably have to plead out and go to jail again.Over a divorce in Minnesota
Good puzzle, though I’d have been happier with ‘lexical’ instead of ‘literary’ in the 11D clue. Also, the SW corner was last to fill; I was saved by EPIPEN, so the Enterprise crew member had to be TROI.
Thanks Griff for this timely lesson. I was trying to explain to someone that when a guitar player bends a guitar string he/she are using their fingers and NOT a ‘whammy bar’ which is quite different.
Hey Griff,
Great lesson, you have done something similar before and even in some of your courses that I have purchased, I’m sure. Great refresher.
Since I came across you back in Jan 2013, I have simply enjoyed all your lessons and Courses , you are the best Guitar Blues Teacher in fact the best Guitar teacher. NOW I have TWO great eyes after Cataract surgery… 20/20 vision Whoopee this Year March & May 2016. I am now going back through all the BGU Course I have purchased starting with BGU V 2.
BTW Happy Fathers Day this weekend June 19th in USA, I hope you get spoiled by your family..
I have just purchased a couple of BGU courses around Strumming and Blues Chords as I am looking to purchase a new EPIPHONE Acoustic Electric EJ200CE in August 2016 so I can enjoy playing anywhere and be able to have some great strumming patterns etc. You can do bends on this Guitar and I have watched a few Demos and it is for me. I will be testing it out before I purchase though..in the middle of one of the biggest Music shops and biggest seller of Epiphone.
All great.
Michael – Sydney- Australia June 2016
Hey Griff, Great refresher again and have saved it..My above comment about getting the Epiphone Acoustics Electric , I purchased the EJ SCE 200 CE in black..but not so easy to bend the Gibson 11 gauge strings so back to the Tele or Strat or 335..
Still a great lesson and I love the bends and do it where appropriate..As always a great lesson..
Michael-Sydney-Australia-23rd June 2017.
Something I rarely see mentioned, but gave me lots of problems until I figured out what was going on – I have a Fender strat with a 7.25″ diameter fretboard and on the E and B string above the 10th or 11th fret, the volume dropped significantly when I attempted to bend those – especially bending up a full step. The problem is the strings hit the higher frets and that stops them from ringing! I raised up the strings, but that introduces other issues. Looking to get another guitar with a 9.5″ fretboard for the blues!
No need to buy a new guitar, just buy a new neck. You will easily get one for about the price you would get for a vintage fender neck.
Great thanks Griff new some of this but put it all into context?Stevieb
Cheers Griff
For the lesson
The problem that im working on is to put a little sugar on top of the bend
And pre bends but getting there
Still working on my vibrato at the top of my bends 😎🎶
Thanks Griff. Very opportune as I have just started to learn the first solo in BGU, which is not difficult to play, but extremely difficult to play well. I can practice the licks on their own, and most of the time, I get close to the right pitch on the bends. But as soon as soon as I put it all together and play in time to the music…That’s when it gets difficult to bend the strings accurately.
I had the same experience with BGU 2.0 Solo #1. I could play it but not very well, and the bends were killing me. Like Griff says, learn it so you can play it about 80-90% and move on. When you come back to it after you’ve been learning more stuff, you might be surprised at how what once seemed difficult is now easy.
Glad that you made these things clear . for the single string bend. i believe that you had demostrated two string bends awhile back . i see a pattern, good ole box one. i think you realize that you had hit some very intresting notes in box four. You know what I mean. when you come back to the surface go slow or you will get the bends ha ha ha .
Nobody does it better than you!
Thank you Griff for all of these little (actually big) lessons. They help make what I am attempting to play much better.
Griff, Thanks for the information, I built custom Harleys in my younger years (still do for my personal rides)and the one thing that people ask is how do you get your bikes to run so well? I tell them its because I match the intake, cams, pipes, fuel to be in tune to get the best performance. Bending the notes on a guitar is a lot like that , getting the best performance is knowing how to bend the note to be in tune with the scale. Once again you have put an exclamation mark on to my blues progress. Thanks
Missed the video but am enjoying and learning from all the other lessons sent. Summer. ..love it but too many diversions.
Didn’t get the video but am enjoying and learning a lot from all the other lessons sent. Summer…love it but too many diversions.
Nice lesson again, man! We use to forget that the target of the bend should be an specific note. BTW, nice guitar, it’s the first time I see it!!, what gauge of string does it sport? it seems easy bending.
Best regards!
Where do you get those cool shirts ?
Hi Griff,
I like al your videos, but one thing I still struggle with after many years with trem on bent notes. You make that look so easy, how do you do it?
listen to griff, he is telling u the best of lessons, I been playing for a long time, and every now and again I stumble thru guitar sites and listen to what guitarist are teaching especially since the net came out everyone is a specialist. this guy is always giving great advice, believe me I been playing in this yard for awhile. my advice don’t stumble on every site you see can drive you nuts and complicating. you find a guy like this he is
talking from the heart and experience. I always check out what he is teaching believe me stay with one good teacher. if you bounce around thinking
everyone out there has to know what there talking about because they are on the net they must know what they are talking about that’s is not true.
I don’t want to rap any players but if you have a hundred carpenters two of them can pound a nail the rest keep cutting without proper training. basically stay with 1 good teacher and you will learn a lot faster and more confidence
instead of guessing yourselk with so many teachers.
(remember the net is great for making monies)
I think the bits and pieces you throw out there are Great!! Makes everything sound better!
Thanks Griff
Well said Griffs one of the best teachers on the net and off
And he cares about his students and how they progress
I came across Griffs site Twelve months ago and I still look forward to
His lessons everyday and I will carry on studying with him