Bends, Slides & Vibrato

Scales tell you which notes to play; these techniques decide how they sound. Start with bends: push the string up (or pull it down) until the pitch rises a half- or whole-step. The secret is a target — fret the note you are bending to, listen, then bend until the pitches match. An out-of-tune bend is the fastest way to sound like a beginner; an in-tune one is the fastest way to stop.

Slides connect the pentatonic positions you mapped in the last step — pick once, keep pressure on the string, and glide to the destination fret. Vibrato is a slow, even, controlled wobble on a held note: rock the wrist, not the fingertip, and keep the pulse regular. It is the single most recognisable signature of a confident player. Finally, chain hammer-ons and pull-offs into fluid legato phrases where only the first note is picked.

Practise each technique on its own over a slow loop, then combine two at a time — slide into a note, bend it, release, pull off. When a phrase sings, write it down or rebuild it in the solo builder so it joins your permanent vocabulary.