There is a particular style of double-stop bend thing that SRV does better than just about anyone else…

I call them “Crying”bends, but I don’t think that’s a scientific term 🙂

Get ready to hit hard and I’ll show you how to make this sound…


    15 replies to "SRV Style “Crying” Bends"

    • Thomas Guitarman

      That was an excellent teaching on the subtleties of this sound and tech thanks never really about it like that.

    • Steve

      Aggressive yeh, like Mario Andretti said, “If you’re under control, you’re not driving fast enough!”

    • Mark McGirr

      Cool lesson, you gotta strangle the neck and strings to get these tones !

    • JB Bornstein

      Saw SRV 3 times live – each time was stunned and amazed by his virtuosity including the bends described in this video. SRV was truly one of the greats of all time in my mind: he was in total command of the instrument.

    • Robert Sanders

      Great lesson Griff! I have always wanted to learn crying bends and now I can.. How about a lesson on Roy Buchanan crying bends.I know some of his live performances he would turn his back yo the audience so you couldn’t see how he was playing some of his great riffs. Please keep showing your riffs and playing style…peace!

    • Jennifer

      Thats pretty cool, but you lost me with the overdrive. In my humble opinion, overdrive is a meal that needs to be eaten in full banquet mode, all the way to fuzzy chime. This stiff with clean hitting the first stages of distortion just sound broken, like playing too drunk to notice that your breaking up. I love a well done overdrive that is well driven into the chimy realms of very clipped square waves, but have had it with the light overdrive.. Back in the 60s when I started, that was a sign of bad settings.. and it still sounds that way to me. Otherwise, VERY cool analysis of SRV tone full double string technique..

      • Bill

        Jennifer, lol what? Totally disagree with you and I’m sure most blues guys would

        • Jim

          I am kind of with Jennifer on this one. I am either clean as a bell or strong over drive. Not really a fan of slight break up or modest crunch.

    • Chris J CLEMANS

      Thanks Griff, now I can do it so it sounds right to my ear. I just tried it and it works great yahoo but needs practice time!

    • DaveyJoe

      Cool sound Griff!
      11/6/19

    • NOWMON

      Thats Albert King licks… SRV was a fantastic assimilater… I saw Albert King 10 years before SRV hit the show boat….

      • Henry

        True, SRV always reminded me of Albert KIng on Steroids.

    • Peter Richman

      Awesome…so many of us love SRV and want to learn more of his techniques as it is such a unique sound (i.e. please)…I was lucky to see him twice up close….it seems like he did many things with more than one string that are quite subtle

    • tony

      Off the wall sound . Try chocking up on the pick also . I think I will try that .

    • Chad Harland

      great lesson Griff everyone has an influence and direction they want to go, you hit all the above on this one. Thanks!

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