To play a bend:
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Fret the note with your ring finger and also put your index and middle fingers on the same string.
The additional fingers act as support.
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Pluck the string.
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If you’re playing the E- or A-string, push the string up towards your face. Your hands look something like this:
If you’re playing the g- or C-string, pull it down toward the ground.
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Bend the string until you reach the target pitch and hold it.
Bring your thumb over the top of the fretboard to give you some extra leverage.
Bends are a tricky prospect on the uke. Unlike on steel-stringed instruments, the nylon strings don’t take kindly to being bent. Bending notes to get them in tune can be a trial.
In tab, bends are shown as a curvy arrow with a number at the top. The number refers to the number of steps the note increases. So when a bend has a “1/2” at the top, you need to bend by half a step (one fret higher). When the tab says “Full” at the top, that’s a bend of a whole step (two frets):
In standard notation, a bend is shown as a pointed line between the note being bent from and the note being bent to:
When you’re practicing bends, try playing the note you’re aiming for before attempting your bend to get a better idea of what note you’re shooting for.