Wondering about a certain bend...

[jericho60]

"Who's Cheatin Who" by Alan Jackson

2nd guitar solo (before the baritone solo starts). I've figured out what Brent Mason's playing on the I and IV, but what is that bend he's doing when he comes back to the I again?? Is he bending 2 strings at once, like a contrary motion bend?

[CountryShawn]

I'm 90% sure he uses a B bender to do this, but it can be done without it.

Just use a pre-bend.
Below, where it is noted as pb6 simply pre-bend the F (6th fret on b string) up 1 whole tone to G.
Bend it up the whole tone before picking it, then release the bend to the F as required for timing.

----7----------7---------
-------pb6---------------
------------7-------------
--------------------------
---------------------------

EDIT: I should have added that all the notes are allowed to ring together.

Cheers,

Shawn

[daves561]

Originally Posted by ye olde fretmonkey

but what is that bend he's doing when he comes back to the I again?? Is he bending 2 strings at once, like a contrary motion bend?

Huh. I just listened to this again a little more closely at half speed. You're right: when he comes back to the I, there's two strings being bent, though I argue it's unintentional. Here's the notes:

 B-bender      Unintentional B-bend
-13--------12---------------------------------------------
-15b17b15--13--13b14b13--12------12---9--10---------------
---------------14b16b14--12------12--10--11--11-10--9-----
-----------------------------14--------------12-11-10-----
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

So the first bend is straight-up B-bender stuff. But that second bend isn't, because he's on a different string set. He's clearly going for the same thing, but it's just not physically possible. On that second bend, I would say the ring finger is on the G string, which gets bent 3/4 of the way to the full step. The middle finger is on the B string, and due to physiological constraints (fewer tendons than there are fingers), it goes along for the ride, pulling almost a complete half-step to a non-desirable C#. It all happens so fast, though, it sounds okay.

Brent uses this lick a lot. Check out "Summertime Blues" where he trades with the Dobro:

 B-bender
--8------8--7--------------------------------------------
-10b12--10--8-10----------7\5-----5----------------------
---------------9b11b9^7---7\5-----5----------------------
------------------------9------7-----7\5^3-5--3b4--------
--------------------------------------------------5-3----
------------------------------------------------------5--

Notice here on the G and B strings (9th and 10th fret), he doesn't go for that minor-third bend. He plays it safer with the fourth interval, allowing his pinky and ring to anchor on the B string, while middle and index fingers do the bend on the G string.

Lots of good stuff in that lick. Thanks for bringing it up.

[gls500]

Thanks Dave!

Haven't seen you around here in a while. I always love your contributions.

[jericho60]

Originally Posted by daves561

So the first bend is straight-up B-bender stuff. But that second bend isn't, because he's on a different string set. He's clearly going for the same thing, but it's just not physically possible. On that second bend, I would say the ring finger is on the G string, which gets bent 3/4 of the way to the full step. The middle finger is on the B string, and due to physiological constraints (fewer tendons than there are fingers), it goes along for the ride, pulling almost a complete half-step to a non-desirable C#. It all happens so fast, though, it sounds okay.
.

It do have a little bit of a stink on it, don't it!

It's gonna take more poring over on my part. Sounds like I should try it with some gauge other than .011 strings.

[CountryShawn]

Oops.. when Dave quoted you I just realized I didn't read the original post close enough.

It's the return to the I stuff you wanted - in which case Dave has it notated that same way I usually play it.

Cheers,

Shawn

[bsm1392]

Originally Posted by daves561

Huh. I just listened to this again a little more closely at half speed. You're right: when he comes back to the I, there's two strings being bent, though I argue it's unintentional. Here's the notes:

 B-bender      Unintentional B-bend
-13--------12---------------------------------------------
-15b17b15--13--13b14b13--12------12---9--10---------------
---------------14b16b14--12------12--10--11--11-10--9-----
-----------------------------14--------------12-11-10-----
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

So the first bend is straight-up B-bender stuff. But that second bend isn't, because he's on a different string set. He's clearly going for the same thing, but it's just not physically possible. On that second bend, I would say the ring finger is on the G string, which gets bent 3/4 of the way to the full step. The middle finger is on the B string, and due to physiological constraints (fewer tendons than there are fingers), it goes along for the ride, pulling almost a complete half-step to a non-desirable C#. It all happens so fast, though, it sounds okay.

Brent uses this lick a lot. Check out "Summertime Blues" where he trades with the Dobro:

 B-bender
--8------8--7--------------------------------------------
-10b12--10--8-10----------7\5-----5----------------------
---------------9b11b9^7---7\5-----5----------------------
------------------------9------7-----7\5^3-5--3b4--------
--------------------------------------------------5-3----
------------------------------------------------------5--

Notice here on the G and B strings (9th and 10th fret), he doesn't go for that minor-third bend. He plays it safer with the fourth interval, allowing his pinky and ring to anchor on the B string, while middle and index fingers do the bend on the G string.

Lots of good stuff in that lick. Thanks for bringing it up.

WHAT??? YOU THINK THE BENDING OF THE TWO STRINGS WAS UNINTENTIONAL!!!! I've been bending two strings since I was 12 years old. Lots of players do it. Listen to the solo on Midnight at the Oasis by Maria Muldaur. Amos Garrett is bending two strings on the entire solo.

I have to quit reading these posts about how I do and don't do stuff on here. It makes me think stuff I don't like to be thinking..... like the guy who said I sped up my playing on Hot Wired

outta here ~Brent Mason

[bsm1392]

Originally Posted by daves561

Huh. I just listened to this again a little more closely at half speed. You're right: when he comes back to the I, there's two strings being bent, though I argue it's unintentional. Here's the notes:

 B-bender      Unintentional B-bend
-13--------12---------------------------------------------
-15b17b15--13--13b14b13--12------12---9--10---------------
---------------14b16b14--12------12--10--11--11-10--9-----
-----------------------------14--------------12-11-10-----
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

So the first bend is straight-up B-bender stuff. But that second bend isn't, because he's on a different string set. He's clearly going for the same thing, but it's just not physically possible. On that second bend, I would say the ring finger is on the G string, which gets bent 3/4 of the way to the full step. The middle finger is on the B string, and due to physiological constraints (fewer tendons than there are fingers), it goes along for the ride, pulling almost a complete half-step to a non-desirable C#. It all happens so fast, though, it sounds okay.

Brent uses this lick a lot. Check out "Summertime Blues" where he trades with the Dobro:

 B-bender
--8------8--7--------------------------------------------
-10b12--10--8-10----------7\5-----5----------------------
---------------9b11b9^7---7\5-----5----------------------
------------------------9------7-----7\5^3-5--3b4--------
--------------------------------------------------5-3----
------------------------------------------------------5--

Notice here on the G and B strings (9th and 10th fret), he doesn't go for that minor-third bend. He plays it safer with the fourth interval, allowing his pinky and ring to anchor on the B string, while middle and index fingers do the bend on the G string.

Lots of good stuff in that lick. Thanks for bringing it up.

WHAT??? YOU THINK THE BENDING OF THE TWO STRINGS WAS UNINTENTIONAL!!!! I've been bending two strings since I was 12 years old. Lots of players do it. Listen to the solo on Midnight at the Oasis by Maria Muldaur. Amos Garrett is bending two strings on the entire solo.

I have to quit reading these posts about how I do and don't do stuff on here. It makes me think stuff I don't like to be thinking..... like the guy who said I sped up my playing on Hot Wired

outta here ~Brent Mason

[daves561]

Originally Posted by ye olde fretmonkey

It do have a little bit of a stink on it, don't it!

Yeah, if you listen to it at half speed, it's a pretty harrowing couple of seconds. :)

The double-stop on the 12th fret right after the bend is "barely" made, which I put in quotes because it's obviously still good enough for a world-class recording. It's just not as cleanly picked as the rest of the double stops.

The way Brent pulls it off, however, is exactly why he's The Man in Nashville: Even after getting himself into a positionally tight spot, he comes out of it perfectly in the pocket with solid tone. The only people who catch the gaffe are the six or so nerds on telecaster.com picking it apart on a Sunday afternoon. :)

By the way, if you want to play this lick a little more reliably, and aren't afraid of a quick position change, just keep it on the B and E strings:

-13--------12---8---------7-------7---4---5---------------
-15b17b15--13--10b12b10---8-------8---6---7---7--6--5-----
------------------------------9---------------7--6--5-----
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------

Your mileage my vary, but I get better results with this version.

[bsm1392]

let me state that it was not a gaffe as you call it, a mistake, it is exactly the way I meant for it to be. I know you mean no disrespect, but you have no idea what you are talking about.

~BRENT MASON

[jericho60]

Originally Posted by bsm1392

let me state that it was not a gaffe as you call it, a mistake, it is exactly the way I meant for it to be. I know you mean no disrespect, but you have no idea what you are talking about.

~BRENT MASON

Well, I try simultaneous double-bends and contrary-motion bends but never can make them sound right...

[daves561]

.|

[CountryShawn]

Originally Posted by bsm1392

I have to quit reading these posts about how I do and don't do stuff on here. It makes me think stuff I don't like to be thinking..... like the guy who said I sped up my playing on Hot Wired
outta here ~Brent Mason

Don't sweat it Brent. This stuff is always wide open to conjecture and opinion - transcriptions and interpretations of performances are particularly good targets. LOL

Unless the person who actually played the piece is writing about it, it's all some degreee of conjecture.

Now, if it comes to be that the person who actually played the piece notices an error in the interpretation or transcription and is kind enough to offer a gentle correction, all the better.

BTW, Brent - big fan here. Keep on pickin!

Cheers,

Shawn