10/11/2015

HowGuitarStringBendsAreNotatedForDummies
Advertisement

RecommendedforYou

ToniColletteandDrew
Barrymore:Sisterhood(and
Friendship)IsPowerful

HowLexusupgradedits
legendarysupercartobecomea
recordbreakingmachine.

PromotedbyTheNewYorkTimes

PromotedbyLexus

7CancerFightingCulinary
SpicesandHerbsForDummies

NineRecipestoWardOffBelly
FatForDummies

Recommendedby

HowtoVaryGuitar
ArticulationbyUsing
HammerOns

HowtoVaryGuitar
ArticulationwithPullOffs

HowtoAddGuitar
ArticulationwithVibrato

HowGuitarStringBendsAreNotated
ByMarkPhillipsandJonChappellfromGuitarForDummies,2ndEdition
Morethananyothertypeofguitararticulation,thestringbendiswhatmakesyourguitartalk(orsingorcry),givingtheinstrument
almostvoicelikeexpressivecapabilities.Bendingisnothingmorethanusingalefthandfingertopushorpullastringoutofits
normalalignment,stretchingitacrossthefingerboardtowardthe6thor1ststring.Asyoubendastring,youraiseitspitchby
stretchingthatstring.
Inguitartablature,abendisindicatedbyacurvedarrowandeitheranumberorafraction(orboth)atthepeakofthearrow,which
tellsyouhowmanywholestepstobendthenote.Forexample,thefraction1/2meansthatyoubendthestringuntilthepitchisa
halfstephigherthannormal,andthenumeral1aboveabendarrowmeansthatyoubendthestringuntilthepitchisawholestep
(ortwofrets)higherthannormal.
Thefollowingfigureshowswhatbendslooklikeinstandardnotationandtab.Noticethattherearethreedifferentstandardforms
ofbend.
Animmediatebend(a).Pickthenoteandthenimmediatelybenditup.
Abendandrelease(b).Pickthenotethenbendit(withoutrepicking),andunbendit(releaseitwithoutrepicking)toits
normalposition.Thisbendisdifferentfromanimmediatebendinthatyouseeitnotatedinaspecificrhythm.Thistypeofbend
isalsocalledabendinrhythmorameasuredbend.
Aprebendandrelease(c).Youprebendthenotebenditbeforeyoustrikeitwiththepick.Afteryoupickthenote,unbend
(releasewithoutrepicking)thestringtoitsnormalposition.

http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/howguitarstringbendsarenotated.html

1/3

10/11/2015

HowGuitarStringBendsAreNotatedForDummies

Usually,whenyouperformabend,youpushthestringtowardthe6thstring(ortowardtheceiling).Butifyoubendnotesonthe
bottomtwostrings(the5thand6thstrings),youpullthestringtowardthe1ststring(ortowardthefloor)otherwise,thestring
slidesrightoffthefretboard.
Notallpublishersusethesestandardbendindicators.Instead,theyshowthepitchofboththeunbentandbentnotes,withoneof
theminparenthesesorprintedverysmall.Toavoidconfusion,makesurethatyouverifywhatsystemyourmusicusesbeforeyou
startplayingthatmusic.

Recommends
TopSixThingsYouShouldNeverDowithYourMac
5KeyReasonsWhyPeopleCantLoseWeightForDummies
TheFirstMonthofOwningaPuppyForDummies
DrinkYourWaytoaFlatterBellyForDummies
LimitSomeFruitsinYourFightAgainstBellyFatForDummies

PromotedStoriesFromAroundTheWeb

OfficersBoycottofQuentinTarantinoFilms
Grows

UniqueMethodMayRegrowLostHair
LifestyleJournal

TheNewYorkTimes

http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/howguitarstringbendsarenotated.html

Whatmakesavehiclestandout?Seeone
example:acrazyspindlegrill.
Lexus

2/3

10/11/2015

HowGuitarStringBendsAreNotatedForDummies

TheMostExcitingMMORPGYou'veEver
Played!Don'tmissthis!
Nords

TheGameThatGotMillionsOfFansInThe
DayOfItsRelease.Afreeversionis
availablenow
Stormfall

Recommendedby

Advertisement

Aboutus

MoreFromDummies

TopicsAZ

AboutForDummies
ContactUs
PrivacyPolicy
TermsandConditions
AdvertisewithUs
ManageYourEMail
Newsletters
Help

MobileSite
MyAccount
DummiesB2BServices
OnlineTestBanks
eLearning
MobileApps
DummiesStore
Sweepstakes

SmallBusiness&Careers
Computers&Software
ConsumerElectronics
Crafts&Hobbies
Education&Languages
Food&Drink
Games
Health&Fitness

Home&Garden
Internet&SocialMedia
Music&CreativeArts
PersonalFinance
Pets
Photography&Video
Relationships&Family
Religion&Spirituality
Sports&Outdoors

Copyright2015&TrademarkbyJohnWiley&Sons,Inc.Allrightsreserved.

http://www.dummies.com/howto/content/howguitarstringbendsarenotated.html

3/3