String bending is what makes lead guitar sing, and in this lesson we cover the 3 common bends you'll encounter in solos. Getting these right means bending in tune and using technique that won't strain your hand.

The foundation is the handshake grip:

• come into the neck like you're shaking hands

• thumb over the top

• pivot around it

Your three fingers work together as what Paul Gilbert calls "one giant finger" to give you the strength needed for clean bends.

Main Learning Points:

• Whole step (two fret) bend: fret 8 to the pitch of fret 10

• Half step (one fret) bend - bluesy flavour by going into the blues scale

• The blues curl: that quarter-tone wiggle that opens Purple Haze

• Vibrato technique using the wrist motion, not finger wiggling

• Why the thumb position over the neck is essential

• Using lighter gauge strings (9s or 8s) for easier bending

• How to check your pitch and avoid bending out of tune

• Muting techniques to prevent unwanted string noise

These techniques take some finger strength to develop, but even five minutes a day for a week will build the calluses you need.