Would some fellow SRV/Hendrix/Mayer/KWS fans explain how to rake into bends consistently?

[Anonymous]

Would really appreciate any advice on this issue. I can’t figure out how to pull this off successfully without muting the string to be sounded, or without ringing out muted strings to some degree.

Keep this in the context that I actually do a lot of non-bend raking like backwards rakes over chords, and left hand string muting (think SRV shuffles like Pride, and especially Cold Shot). That’s coming along.

However, raking into bends consistently just isn’t happening. I have seen some artists use their first finger as a mute, but I’m interested in the SRV style where the mute from the rake comes purely from the right hand. To add complexity, my degree of success changes across the different fretboard radiuses.

I’ve tried to approach it methodically before asking for help. Moreover, I can’t even find a single decent video on the issue (for right hand only string rakes), and I’ve spent a lot of time experimenting with little to show for it. Gaaaa.

Thanks in advance if any of you have any advice or techniques you could recommend.

[GnLguy]

There is only 1 bit of advice that is needed here and its a concept that we, as humans, hate to hear.

Patience.

Keep doing what you are doing with the rakes with out the bends, do them in both directions. Spend time every day to practice them with bends but in extremely slow speeds. What will happen, is that you will have an Ah-hah moment when everything will click and you will have that technique in your bag of tricks

I see comments/questions on the forum like this that are fueled by frustration and I remember the days that I was in the same condition due to my frustration with my playing.

It finally dawned on me that when I heard people like SRV, Clapton, etc etc doing all of these neat tricks with their guitars, they had been doing those neat things for 20-30 years. No wonder they could do it and it seem so effortless.
I was working on some finger picking examples found in Acoustic Guitar magazine that were parts of songs by Christopher Parkening. I worked and worked for several practice sessions and I couldn’t even come close. It dawned on me that these were examples by one of the greatest classical guitar players in America, a person that had practiced hundreds of hours in addition to his performances.

From that point on, I accomplished what I could in my practice time and made myself accept that. I always made goals and set them very reasonable.

OK enough of Guitar Practice Philosophy for today.

[Anonymous]

I appreciate your thoughts and get your point loud and clear. I’m going to take it to heart. Your approach is true for so many things I’ve experienced in life that it strikes me as sage advice. We beginners are an anxious, annoying lot; big trees don’t grow overnight.

Thanks for resetting my brain — I lose perspective occasionally, but I’ve minimized it to under 10 times per day.

[GnLguy]

@A. Minor wrote:

I appreciate your thoughts and get your point loud and clear. I’m going to take it to heart. Your approach is true for so many things I’ve experienced in life that it strikes me as sage advice. We beginners are an anxious, annoying lot; big trees don’t grow overnight.

Thanks for resetting my brain — I lose perspective occasionally, but I’ve minimized it to under 10 times per day.

Glad it helped.

We’ve all been there at some point and looking back, our frustration actually slowed our progress.

I’ve struggled with effective vibrato, especially on a bent note. My highest definition of effective vibrato is BB King. Again – how long has BB been doing his vibrato

I came across some instruction that was very good on how to approach it and I worked on it until my fingers were very sore with practice. I noticed the frustration rising in me so I began to practice vibrato mixed into part of my practice instead of scheduling X amount of time. Practice a new lick and find ways to use vibrato, etc.

Next thing I knew, I realized that I was beginning to gain ground on that technique and I was finding new ways to perfect my vibrato. Vibrato on bent notes, vibrato on high E & B strings with my index finger only.

Do I have vibrato as good as BB’s? No – and that’s OK. I will keep working on it until it is no longer a struggle.

[ChordGuy]

I think Stevie got alot of that from Hendrix. Jimmy always kept a strong rythym even while muting strings. Often the rakes come on the backbeat or 2 and 4. They both mute with the left hand alot more that you may think.
Practicing playing staight 4’s or a shuffle rythem while trying different muting tecniques may help you.
You will find some work better for down stroaks and others for up.
Found this, seem pretty good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJyRiUbYDEo

Gordo

[Alan B]

If you watch the lesson ChordGuy is linking to on the previous post then go onto the main site mentioned you can purchase lessons on raking and muting in the style of SRV, KWS, Hendrix etc. – they are very detailed lessons. I have been working through them for the past six months. At 58 My fingers are struggling a bit But it’s well worth it.

hope that helps

Alan

[Alan B]

Aminor, For some reason I am unable to send PM’s from my iPad although I can read yours. I would take up the offer from your original instructor.

good luck, Alan

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to thank everyone for their replies. All of your advice is appreciated. Couldn’t respond until now due to a browser error that prevented me from logging into the site. @Alan — I’m about a decade your junior but I can relate re the fingers and arthritis.

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