Country String Bending And Pedal Steel Effect

In this lesson, we focus on string bending. This technique is most associated with the Country guitar, particularly with the Double Stops and Pedal Steel style bending, of which we're trying to emulate on regular guitar.

Bending the strings on guitar requires attention with our ear as we need to bend to pitch. We can do this best through having solid bending technique.

Here’s how to achieve clean, in-tune bends:

• Hand Position: Grip the neck like a handshake, with the thumb and side of the palm providing stability.

• Finger Placement: Group fingers 1, 2, and 3 together for strength and control.

• Wrist Motion: Use a "twist the wrist" motion rather than just finger strength to bend the string smoothly.

• Target Pitch: Place your 3rd finger on the note to be bent and imagine the pitch of the target note, 1 or 2 frets away. Focus on bending up to that pitch precisely and not bending over the desired pitch.

String Bending Licks and Hybrid Picking

In this lesson, each lick combines string bending, hybrid picking, and resolving the bend to complete the lick. Here’s how to approach these techniques:

Key Techniques in the Licks:

• Bending Target Notes: Focus on bending to specific intervals. For example, bend from the 2nd degree to the Major 3rd (e.g. ring finger on the 4th fret of the G string, bending to the pitch of the 6th fret).

• Hybrid Picking: Combine picking with the middle finger of the picking hand to play between the bent note and other notes. For instance, after bending to the Major 3rd, use the little finger to fret the 5th degree from the root note A which is an E note (5th fret, B string) all while maintaining the bend.

• Releasing and Resolving: Release the bend smoothly and resolve the lick to the root note (A).

• Extended Licks: Extend the licks by holding the bend longer and using hybrid picking to go between the bent note and the held note with little finger more times, adding tension before resolving.

These techniques help emulate the expressive, pedal steel-style bends characteristic of country guitar.

Finger ready to pluck note little finger is fretting.

Expanding String Bending Licks Up an Octave

To add variation, we can move these string bending ideas up an octave to strings 1, 2, and 3 while using the same techniques:

• Move the Bend Up an Octave: Apply the same interval-based bends on higher strings. For example, bend the 2nd degree to the Major 3rd on the B string (12th fret, bending to the 14th fret).

• Hybrid Picking on Higher Strings: Continue hybrid picking between the bent note and the 5th degree interval (12th fret E note) on the high E string, maintaining the same melodic phrasing.

• Resolve Licks on Higher Octave: Release the bends and resolve to the root note on the higher octave for a fresh, bright sound.

These variations bring a new dimension to your country playing, maintaining the same expressive bending and picking techniques across different octaves.

Bending Lick Around Root 6 A Dominant 7 Chord

This bending lick is centred around the root 6 A barre chord and adds the flavour of an A dominant 7 chord.

• Bend from G to A: Start with the G note (8th fret, B string) and bend it up a whole step to A. Use your middle finger, supported by the first finger, for control and stability.

• Hybrid Pick: While holding the bend, use hybrid picking to pluck the C# note (9th fret, high E string) with your little finger.

• Pick and Release: Pick the bent A note again, then release it back down to G.

• Minor to Major Hammer-On: Perform a hammer-on from the Minor 3rd (C) to the Major 3rd (C#) on the G string, adding that classic Country sound!

• Resolve to A: End the lick by resolving to the A root note, completing the phrase.

This bending lick creates a distinctive dominant 7 sound and incorporates the dynamic mix of bending, hybrid picking, and minor-to-major transitions characteristic of country guitar playing.