Standarduser

When i bend one of the solo strings(B), my fretting hand fingers also bend the string above the string which im bending(G), which makes a horrible sound. I can either let the string that is above the string which im bending to slide above my fingernails(awuful) or let the G string rest on the flesh beneath my fingernails. Letting it slife under the fingers creates unwanted distortion.

Is there any other option to bend without making the other string bend as well?

mdc

No there isn't. You second option is correct. Dampen the strings with your picking hand by resting the pick on top of the G string to keep it quiet. The rest of your picking hand should naturally be in position to be dampening the thicker strings already.

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Sweet

Zaphod_Beeblebr

The other string is going to bend; there is literally no other physical option. What you need to do is mute it so that it doesn't make any sound.

There are two way of doing this, realistically: fretting hand and picking hand. Muting with your picking hand takes the least explanation: you just using some part of your picking hand to keep the string you don't want to sound quiet. I usually do this with the pick and thumb - hit the note and then rest the pick against the string below that I don't want to sound. This way you can also use one of your other picking hand fingers like your middle finger to hold strings above quiet as well.

The fretting hand muting is also pretty simple; basically the idea is to use your index finger to mute a few strings. What I do is hold the bend with my 3rd finger, support it with my second and lay my index finger flat across the strings behind the other two. That way you can mute nearly everything. Obviously if you're using your index finger to bend this isn't a very good option but with the pick hand muting as well you should be able to keep everything you don't want to sound quiet at all times.

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Lavatain

If you're using fingers for support in the bend, rather than the one finger on its own, use your index finger to mute the lower strings, so that it rests on top of the strings, but on a lower fret to what you are bending. This way you can also hit these muted strings to do what is called a "rake" and will give a slightly more aggressive sound.

Standarduser

Considering you should bend from the wrist - how can you mute with the index finger?

mdc

Like this at 1:31 and 1:38.

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Sweet

Standarduser

What do i do when my hand gets sweaty and the strings slides beneath my fingers?

Zaphod_Beeblebr

Keep muting.

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Mephaphil

JUST KEEP MUTING, MAN!

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Zaphod_Beeblebr

Always. Everything must be entirely silent all the time!

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Mephaphil

Off topic: Check the technique help thread! That shouldn't be silent....

On topic: its all practice TS. Slow it down till you can do the technique and mute at the same time and speed it up when you can do it perfectly. I remember my bending when I was a youngster, bent all out of shape . Now, I've got a much better hold on it, but it was definitely a struggle.

Just make sure you slow down, get it right, and speed it up slowly, and use the top of the finger bending to mute the top string, or the fingers not doing the actual bend.

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Max Dread

I read an article recently in which someone was discussing option one as a good possibility for string bending (i.e. if bending the B string, rather than pushing G as part of the bend, the fingers should go underneath the G string. So the fingernail of the fretting finger slides underneath the adjacent string/strings).

I can't say I'm a fan of the technique, and the articles itself states it is not for everyone. But apparently Lee Ritenour was a fan. And the article in question was by Rik Emmett.

Just thought I'd mention it while the article is still fresh in my mind.

Zoomyrs1

That is more or less what I do, on the higher strings I'll bend into the B or G and palm the lower strings.

On the E-A-G I try to bend 2nd finger and index to mute

mdc

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Freepower

I always say to my students -

"For every sound you must make five silences."

That's some guru-sounding shit right there.

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