Bend
A bend means pushing or pulling a fretted string perpendicular to its length to increase its tension, and therefore its pitch, without moving to another fret. A "whole-step" bend makes the note sound as if it were played two frets higher, without ever fretting there.
The real challenge isn't pulling the string, it's stopping at the right spot
Anyone can make a note's pitch move by pulling a string; what separates an accurate bend from a sloppy one is landing exactly on the target pitch and not beyond it — a "whole-step" bend that overshoots or undershoots sounds immediately off, even to a listener who couldn't explain why.
The technique sheet whole-step bend calibration works on exactly that accuracy, comparing the bent note to the same note simply fretted two frets higher.
Bend, slide or vibrato: don't mix them up
A slide changes pitch by sliding the finger along the string — so by changing fret; a bend keeps the finger on the same fret and works purely on tension. Vibrato is a steady oscillation around a held note (a series of tiny back-and-forth bends), whereas a bend aims for one fixed target pitch and stops there. All three are practised separately before being blended into one phrase.
Practical tips and common mistakes
- Push with several fingers at once: the ring finger backed by the middle and index. A whole-step bend on the ring finger alone lacks strength and drifts out of tune.
- The rotation comes from the wrist and forearm, not just the finger joint: bending "with the finger" tires quickly and caps how far you can reach.
- Hear the target pitch before you bend: play it fretted two frets higher first, keep it in your head, then reproduce it with the bend. It's the only reliable way to stay in tune.
- Mute the thinner strings next door with the underside of your fingers: bending upward, the ring finger slips under them and makes them ring out by accident.
- A bend on a thick string (G, low E) takes far more strength than on the B or high E: adjust your push rather than forcing everywhere with the same motion.