User manual

Guitar bends
The guitar bend is a technique commonly performed on electric guitars, where the performer
pushes a string out of its normal alignment. Bending the string tightens it, which produces the
characteristic pitch uctuation.
In addition to guitar bends, where the player bends the string after playing a note, Dorico SE
supports guitar pre-bends. Guitar pre-bends require the player to bend the string before playing
the note, so there is no change in pitch at the start of the note.
Performing a guitar bend often also involves sustaining the bent pitch before allowing the string
to return to its natural position and un-bent pitch. In
Dorico SE, these actions are called a “guitar
bend hold” and “release” respectively.
A phrase containing guitar bends, a guitar bend hold, guitar pre-bends, and releases, shown on both a
notation staff and tablature
Guitar bends
Guitar bends indicate that the performer should bend the string after playing a note,
so that the pitch increases while the note sounds. In Dorico SE, guitar bends join two
notes: the start pitch and the pitch at the peak of the bend.
On notation staves, guitar bends are notated using an angled line between the
noteheads at the start and end. On tablature, guitar bends are notated using an
upwards-pointing curved line with an arrowhead at the top, with text or a number/
fraction above the arrowhead to indicate the bend interval. The fret number of the end
note is hidden automatically.
Guitar bend on notation staff
Guitar bend on tablature
Sequences of consecutive guitar bends are notated as bend runs on tablature.
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Dorico SE 3.1.10