Which direction to bend when doing bends?

[xjxason]

I always see that when people do bends, they bend the string by pushing it up towards the bass side rather than pulling it down towards the treble side. (Except when sometimes bending the lower A and E strings of course.) Since I've been playing (4 n a half years ago). I've always found it easier for me to bend (when possible) by pulling the strings toward the treble side... is there anything wrong with that? I've found some pros about it like most of the time i can bend around a step n a half in most positions with just one finger. When people see me play they say it looks weird because i don't have a strong grip around the neck most of the time but i usually have my thumb on the back of the middle of the neck. Lately I've been doing more bends by pushing so it doesn't look as weird but is there anything wrong with bending the strings the way I do?

 

[JamesM]

Nope. Just fine, and some very good blues musicians do it. If there's one thing blues musicians know it's bends.

 

[Sephael]

the way I see it, you have to be able to bend in either direction if you want to be able to bend on any string. Beyond that, what ever is more natural feeling for the piece

 

[SirMyghin]

the way I see it, you have to be able to bend in either direction if you want to be able to bend on any string. Beyond that, what ever is more natural feeling for the piece

Yep.

Not accusing you of anything, but make sure you bend from the wrist. This will give you more control.

 

[Hollowway]

Yeah, I bend the lower strings toward my palm and the treble strings away from it. I never knew there was another way to do it, TBH. What always gets confusing for me is wide vibrato on the highest and lowest strings because it has to be done in only one direction or they come off the FB. Which seems to make it inherently slower.

 

[Dirtdog]

Its basically physics. Your fingers are stronger at pulling in rather than the other way around pushing out. Same theory goes for tapping. Its easier to do a pull off towards the bass strings with the tapping hand than pushing out. If you want to get strong stick your hand in a sand box and practice opening your hand with the sand pushing against your hand. Watch out for the stray cat bombs in there. Or just do what your doing cause it works.
Its all good man.

 

[Waelstrum]

I generally bend towards the middle, because that just seems like the logical thing to do. If you're doing it a different way and it's working, then that's fine too (as long as you're not doing something that will damage your wrist, but it doesn't sound like it so you're fine).

 

[Dayn]

I always bend upwards, unless I'm on the lower strings, or am doing vibrato as well on anything but the highest string. Whichever is easier... the only boundary is the physical limitation of your instrument.

 

[kaanman36]

When I was a new player, I performed string bends with my fingers, because that was the only way that it occurred to me to do it.

But as I got more experienced, I learned how to bend with my wrist instead of my fingers. It infinitely improved the accuracy and sound quality of my bends.

Nowadays, I couldn't imagine bending any other way.