Technique 202 - Hammer-Ons And Pull-Offs

Hammer-ons and pull-offs are essential techniques in developing your style and sound on the guitar. Both of these are used by every great guitarist, and they are very simple to execute - although it does take some strength building. 

Hammer-ons mean you pick a note, and while it is ringing, “hammer” on a higher pitched note without picking again, thus raising the pitch but not creating a separate attack. 

A pull-off is the opposite: you pick a higher note, and “pull off” with your finger to a lower note that is already fretted. Again, you don’t pick twice. It’s a single attack.  When doing this, it’s good to not just pick up the finger, but really pull to off to the side a little, so you get a little “snap” of the string. 

Additionally, these techniques can be combined, where you might hammer-on to a note and then pull-off immediately, yielding 3 notes with one attack. This combined technique was made famous by guitarists like Jimi Hendrix who could seemingly create an endless “flutter” of notes. 

Practice hammering on and pulling off of notes in your major and minor pentatonic scales. 

One more cool thing to practice: use these as an exercise. 

Pick a finger set, and try and go up and down each string until exhaustion:

• First and second 
• First and third 
• First and pinkie
• Second and third
• Second and pinkie
• Third and pinkie