By Ken Volpe
This is Lesson #15 in a series on Guitar Improvisation. Last week in Lesson #14 we worked with bending notes on the A and D strings.
So far we have been bending notes within Form #1 of the A-minor Pentatonic Scale. I’d like to give you a few new bends within some of the other scale forms of the A-minor Pentatonic Scales.
Practice the following 1-step bends, using your ring finger.
From Form #2:
Bend on the B-string at the 10th fret
Bend on the E-string at the 10th fret
From Form #3:
Bend on the G-string at the 12th fret
Bend on the B-string at the 13th fret
From Form #5:
Bend on the B-string at the 3rd fret
Bend on the E-string at the 3rd fret
Once you are comfortable playing the above bends and the bends from Lesson #13 and #14, transpose these bends to other keys. Let me be more specific. This week’s bends in the key of G-minor Pentatonic would be as follows:
From Form #2:
Bend on the B-string at the 8th fret
Bend on the E-string at the 8th fret
From Form #3:
Bend on the G-string at the 10th fret
Bend on the B-string at the 11th fret
From Form #5:
Bend on the B-string at the 13th fret
Bend on the E-string at the 13th fret
Helpful hint: Be aware that bending notes from 3rd to 5th fret area is more difficult. Be careful to avoid finger strain.
I have given you a good jumpstart in regards to common bends over the past few weeks. There are certain points on the fretboard within each scale form that are your “go to” or should I say “ideal” notes to bend. These bends exist in countless Blues, Rock and Jazz solos.
In next week’s lesson we will wrap up our work on note bending. I’ll see you all at the next lesson.
Contact Ken: [email protected]
Comments