trouble with string bending

[le-gasp]

hi,

im having a lot of trouble with string bending, my teacher taught me to have tow fingers behind the one im bending and have my thumb at the top of the neck, but every time i do that i get a lot of fret buzz, and i find it way more comfortable to have my thumb on the middle of the back of the neck,

any advice

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Just J]

takes a little to build up the strength. I pull the strings down when I'm bending the lower strings (if I'm bending the E or A, I pull them down toward the G), push them up on the high ones.

Not sure what you're saying there, but I usually bend up with my ring using the other two as support, my thumb is usually anchored where it'd be when I'm fretting normally. You should do what's comfortable and allows you to play with speed, accuracy and consistency IMO.

 

[NKUSigEp]

Do whatever gives you the best results with the least amount of effort. There's really no right or wrong way to play. You just gotta figure out what works best for you.

 

[JimmyM]

I don't recommend moving your thumb at all. You lose leverage that way. But most people use the other two fingers for support, so that's legit.

 

[syko]

Well, if you keep the thumb in the back, then it's easier to keep (perpendicular to the fretboard) pressure on the strings.

On the other hand, if you hook the thumb around the top of the neck, you can get more leverage for bending. In this situation, don't just let the thumb sit there, use it to "squeeze" your thumb and bending finger together, so the bending finger doesn't have to do all the work. Also, in this position, you don't want to just keep your wrist the same and move your thumb, or it'll be really uncomfortable. You've got to rotate your wrist/arm about 45 to 90 degrees, and then bending is kind-of a doorknob twisting motion.

 

[Rickenbrad]

if you want to bend easier, i would suggest lighter strings