Accidentally bending strings

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Hi
I notice that I’m unintentionally bending strings and looking for advice on how to correct this , I have big hands and seem to have a bit of a heavy grip I realise playing lighter will help , I do chromatic excercises etc slowly and study in the mirror and I stop bending so much but I eventually start bending the strings again seems to be mostly 3rd and 4th fingers any advice much appreciated

Certainly, working on not bending the thinner strings of a guitar will help, but instead of going to extremes, why not try adjusting the angle of the fingers on your fretting hand?

Try to have your fingers hitting the string/fingerboard at a completely perpendicular angle.

 

[mambo4]

You can actually practice left hand finger pressure
Often overlooked

 

[HowieD72]

All the above is solid advice. I'd add two things-

1) take a look at how the instrument and your body are aligned. Elevating the neck or lowering it relative to your body may get you at a better angle to keep this from happening .

2) this helped me immensely in most aspects of my playing: turn up your amplifier louder and play softer. A really nice thing about electric instruments is you can have the amplifier do the heavy lifting to take a lot of stress off your hands.

Perfect advice. These are the two things that helped me the most with the same problem.

 

[JimmyM]

Yeah I seem to have a problem training myself to play lighter

That’s why it’s called “training.”

 

[Eric Wolfe]

Hi
I notice that I’m unintentionally bending strings and looking for advice on how to correct this , I have big hands and seem to have a bit of a heavy grip I realise playing lighter will help , I do chromatic excercises etc slowly and study in the mirror and I stop bending so much but I eventually start bending the strings again seems to be mostly 3rd and 4th fingers any advice much appreciated

Where is your thumb? It should be anchored on the back of the neck, your left hand forming a "c" shape...

 

[Drew56]

Where is your thumb? It should be anchored on the back of the neck, your left hand forming a "c" shape...

My thumb is between ist and second finger

 

[Lance Bunyon]

My thumb is between ist and second finger

My thumb is DIRECTLY behind my 2nd finger straight up and down.
When it wasn't like that, I had major problems including carpal tunnel syndrome.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

My thumb is DIRECTLY behind my 2nd finger straight up and down.
When it wasn't like that, I had major problems including carpal tunnel syndrome.

I'm the outlier (as per usual). When I play, my thumb is almost always "hooked over" the top of the neck, ready to help mute the E string.

 

[HolmeBass]

I think you have the biggest part of the problem solved: awareness of the problem!

Keep practicing, keep working on this problem and it will keep getting better. I am not sure there is anyone who doesn’t do this a little bit, so I would not despair.

 

[Lobster11]

My thumb is between ist and second finger

You might want to check out this oft-posted video regarding thumb placement:

 

[nnnnnn]

You only want to press down on the string enough to cleanly sound the note. If you press harder than that, that extra energy has to go somewhere, and since you can't push the sting farther into the fretboard it has to go sideways instead.

You can press the string further into the fretboard than required without moving it sideways, especially if the bass in question has tall frets - in which case (especially further up the neck) the minimum pressure needed to cleanly sound the note does not push the string all the way to touch the wood of the fretboard, the string would only touch the fret wire. Pushing the string all the way to the wood may result in a smaller change in pitch than pushing it sideways, but it will still make some difference.

 

[Lobster11]

You can press the string further into the fretboard than required without moving it sideways, especially if the bass in question has tall frets - in which case (especially further up the neck) the minimum pressure needed to cleanly sound the note does not push the string all the way to touch the wood of the fretboard, the string would only touch the fret wire. Pushing the string all the way to the wood may result in a smaller change in pitch than pushing it sideways, but it will still make some difference.

Point taken. Subsequent discussion suggests that pressing too hard is probably not OP's primary problem -- though doing so might exacerbate the main problem(s).

 

[Watchootognbout]

If you're hooking your thumb over the E string it can effect the angle that your fingers descend to the strings.
I this is the case,you need to raise the angle of the neck and have your thumb on the back of the neck.
This will put more of your fingers over the fingerboard so they can curve down.

 

[Pocket Dave]

Some good suggestions re: string pressure and fretting-hand, neutral position.

I'd also recommend searching and practicing exercises on horizontal vs vertical vibrato as a way of refocusing motion. It's difficult to apply vertical vibrato while working on horizontal. The net result is you'll have better discipline/control over vertical while learning horizontal, which is useful with fretted, and is necessary if you ever play fretless.

 

[MrLenny1]

Where is your thumb when you're bending strings?

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hi
I notice that I’m unintentionally bending strings and looking for advice on how to correct this , I have big hands and seem to have a bit of a heavy grip I realise playing lighter will help , I do chromatic excercises etc slowly and study in the mirror and I stop bending so much but I eventually start bending the strings again seems to be mostly 3rd and 4th fingers any advice much appreciated

Use thicker strings.

I used to have that problem. Medium guages clear it right up.

Then, you'll eventually understand that it doesn't take much pressure to hit a note if your bass is set up properly. That comes with time though. Heavier guage strings work instantly.

 

[Drew56]

If you're hooking your thumb over the E string it can effect the angle that your fingers descend to the strings.
I this is the case,you need to raise the angle of the neck and have your thumb on the back of the neck.
This will put more of your fingers over the fingerboard so they can curve down.

Yes it’s more over the first finger would you say it’s better over the second finger

 

[Drew56]

it’s more over the first finger on back of neck would you say it’s better over the second finger

 

[Drew56]

Where is your thumb when you're bending strings?

Between ist and second finger back of neck

 

[Drew56]

I think you have the biggest part of the problem solved: awareness of the problem!

Keep practicing, keep working on this problem and it will keep getting better. I am not sure there is anyone who doesn’t do this a little bit, so I would not despair.

Thanks so I take it the main solution to this is to try and practise Lighter, as in when I do scales arpeggios etc?