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  Techniques
Bends

Whole Step Bends

A whole step is two frets on the guitar.  So when you play a whole step bend, the end note should sound like the note 2 frets higher that where you are bending.  The notation of whole step bends uses the same idea as the half step bends above.  Below are 3 different ways that you may see these bends written.

 

fig 2a
fig 2b
fig 2c

Things to do

Play the 9th fret with your 4th finger and bend the 7th fret up a whole step with your 3rd finger.

Play the 9th fret with your 4th finger and bend the 7th fret up a whole step with your 2nd finger.

Play the 9th fret with your 3rd finger and bend the 7th fret up a whole step with your 1st finger.

 

Bends (as well as slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs etc..) come in two different flavors.

grace note bends

The approach and end note are heard as one,  The bend is heard as a decoration of the end note.

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Lick using grace note bends

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measured bends

The approach and end note are heard as 2 different notes.

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Lick using measured bends

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Page 1, bends



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