AROUND THE BENDS, PART 5

More bending techniques on the high E string

LET’S CONTINUE OUR examination of multiple string bending techniques on the high E string, using the E minor pentatonic scale (E, G, A, B, D) as our point of focus. The first column in this series (see GW

February 2021) had us beginning with bending techniques on the B string based on E minor pentatonic, with each subsequent lesson moving higher up the fretboard while broadening our scale study from the fivenote E minor pentatonic scale to the sevennote

F#, C#, E Dorian mode (E, G, A, B, D).

Last month, we switched back to E minor pentatonic to look at string bending on the high E string, starting on the lower part of the fretboard. Let’s now start on the 5th-fret A note and explore various bending concepts as we ascend the board while remaining diatonic to (within the scale structure of) E minor pentatonic. These examples are based on using two string bending approaches for each note in the scale: bending up to it from a lower note, and bending down, or back, to it by first pre-bending that note higher then releasing the bend.

In FIGURE 1, the A note on the high E string’s 5th fret is bent up a whole step to

Bb,

B, released a half step to then pre-bent up to B again, followed by a whole-step bend and release. The phrase concludes by

Bb, descending the E blues scale (E, G, A, B, D). So right here, three bending techniques are used from the A note: 1) bending it up a whole step, 2) releasing the bend byba half step, dropping the pitch from B to B , and 3) silently pre-bending the A note up to B before picking it. FIGURE 2 reiterates the bending, partial releasing and pre-bending approaches used while fretting the A note.

The next higher note in E minor pentatonic is B. As demonstrated in FIGURE 3,

we first fret the note normally, followed by a

Bb, series of quick half-step bends from one fret below. The end of bar 1 through most of bar 2 is based on E blues-scale phrases, and

Bb-to the figure ends with reiterations of the B half-step bends and releases.

Now let’s bend down to B by repeatedly fretting the note and bending it up one and a half steps, to D, as shown in FIGURE 4. Bar 3 of this phrase makes use of what’s known as the “B.B. box,” a fretboard pattern named after blues guitar great B.B. King. The B.B. box is generally identified by the use of minor pentatonic notes on the B and high E strings combined with a major 6th (in the

# key of E, that’s C ) on the G string.

In FIGURES 5-9, I move up to each successive higher note in E minor pentatonic, creating melodic phrases by bending up to and back down to each note.

Guitar World Associate Editor Andy Aledort is recognized worldwide for his vast contributions to guitar instruction, via his many best-selling instructional DVDs, transcription books and online lessons.