Guitar bends technique

[Purple Banana]

I've been playing guitar for a good 4 years now, and one thing that really frustrates me are guitar bends. I love them, but when I have dual pickups on, or even one, and do a bend, I hit the string above it when I'm slowly releasing the bend, which makes for an abrupt crappy sound.

Also, my pickups are WAY too sensistive. When I pic one note, the vibration of the strings can carry over to the next string.

Any help?

Purple Banana Reviewed by Purple Banana on 03-11-2007. Guitar bends technique I've been playing guitar for a good 4 years now, and one thing that really frustrates me are guitar bends. I love them, but when I have dual pickups on, or even one, and do a bend, I hit the string above it when I'm slowly releasing the bend, which makes for an abrupt crappy sound. Also, my pickups are WAY too sensistive. When I pic one note, the vibration of the strings can carry over to the next string. Any help? Rating: 5

[klup]

practice is all i can say or maybe get a wider neck. maybe adjust your pickups/ pots for less sensitivity.

[SonicBloom]

Sounds like you have a lazy fretting hand. Try to get more of an arch in your wrist, so that it's bending towards the neck, and your fingers should come down on the strings at a better angle.

[Nochowderforyou]

Practice make perfect.

I have my bends down pat. I use them in every tune I play/write. You can thank the influence of Dimebag for that one.

All I can say is you have to keep at it without hitting that string above the one you're bending. Long fingernails can cause this problem by either the nail hitting the string above it, and your finger not being able to lay flat on the fretboard. Keep working at it and you'll get it right.

As for sensitive pickups, I'm not exactly sure what to do about that. Sensitive pickups are a result of years opf use, or simply, a low quality pickup. My Strat has this exact problem. It can pick up vaccuums through the amp from a few doors away (apartment).

I once read that Eddie Van Halen would dip the lower half of this pickups in hot wax, coating the lower half with it. He said that would take away the interference from other electronics. I don't recommend doing this yourself though as it sounds risky.

Another problem could be high gain output on your amp. Having an amp cranked right up to 9 or 10 on the distortion control makes they very sensitive to sound. If you have a "Presence" knob or "Limiter" knob on your amp, turn up the Limiter, and turn down the Presence, or, turn down the gain on your amp, and turn up the volume for better tone. High gain on low volume sounds like grabage in my eyes, so instead, turn down the gain, and turn up the volume.

Also, if you have a Mid-range setting on your amp, keep that down and that will help with the pickups picking up everything.

[SonicBloom]

Practice make perfect.

I have my bends down pat. I use them in every tune I play/write. You can thank the influence of Dimebag for that one.

All I can say is you have to keep at it without hitting that string above the one you're bending. Long fingernails can cause this problem by either the nail hitting the string above it, and your finger not being able to lay flat on the fretboard. Keep working at it and you'll get it right.

As for sensitive pickups, I'm not exactly sure what to do about that. Sensitive pickups are a result of years opf use, or simply, a low quality pickup. My Strat has this exact problem. It can pick up vaccuums through the amp from a few doors away (apartment).

I once read that Eddie Van Halen would dip the lower half of this pickups in hot wax, coating the lower half with it. He said that would take away the interference from other electronics. I don't recommend doing this yourself though as it sounds risky.

Another problem could be high gain output on your amp. Having an amp cranked right up to 9 or 10 on the distortion control makes they very sensitive to sound. If you have a "Presence" knob or "Limiter" knob on your amp, turn up the Limiter, and turn down the Presence, or, turn down the gain on your amp, and turn up the volume for better tone. High gain on low volume sounds like grabage in my eyes, so instead, turn down the gain, and turn up the volume.

Also, if you have a Mid-range setting on your amp, keep that down and that will help with the pickups picking up everything.

Pickups don't get more sensitive over time, they tend to actually lose it. By sensitivity, I'm assuming you mean they have high output? It's normally something people want. There isn't really a lot you can do about, unless you completely change the pickups to something less hot. Try rolling down your tone knob.

What your talking about with EVH is called wax potting, and it's extremely common. It doesn't effect what the pickups actually pick up at all; it reduces microphonic feedback. Most high-end modern guitars have it.

[SonicBloom]

Oh, and what kind of pick ups do you have in guitar, Chowder? The only pickup I know of that will pick up sounds aside from vibrating metal are the Fernandes Sustainers.

[Nochowderforyou]

Oh, and what kind of pick ups do you have in guitar, Chowder? The only pickup I know of that will pick up sounds aside from vibrating metal are the Fernandes Sustainers.

In my S-65 I have 2 Seymour Duncan designed humbuckers.

In my Strat though, where the sensitive pickups are a problem, are 3 Dimarzio single coils. They pickup everything electronic within a 100ft around me.

I misunderstood what I've learned about sensitive pickups.

[SonicBloom]

Can you make sound samples?

[Genuine17]

instead of bending just the one note i developed a technique which allows me to bend a couple so if you miss you just hit the second one giving a more bluesy sound but not shitty open string madness...

like if your bending on the g-string 9th fret pull back till your also pulling back on the b-string 9th fret which in reality is bending both...

[SonicBloom]

instead of bending just the one note i developed a technique which allows me to bend a couple so if you miss you just hit the second one giving a more bluesy sound but not shitty open string madness...

like if your bending on the g-string 9th fret pull back till your also pulling back on the b-string 9th fret which in reality is bending both...

That's called a double stop. It's a completely different sound than a single note bend. You should learn both.