Whether you realize it or not, musicians who play different instruments employ a number of the same techniques. For example, violinists and trumpet players both use vibrato while pianist and flutist can both play a trill. However, there is one technique that seems to be unique to the guitar and that is string bending.
Although no one is quite sure who invented or first started to bend strings as a technique, it does appear in the electric blues of the 1950's. B.B. King is said to have poplularized the technique in his attempt to imitate the sound of slide guitar.
While there are a variety of ways or types of string bends players use, the technqiue will be defined as the act of pushing up or pulling down on string in order to change the pitch of a note.
In next month's post I'll start to dig into how to teach students to bend!
