Hammer-ons and pull-offs are an essential tool when playing lead guitar, particularly in rock and blues styles. Generally easier to manage on an electric than an acoustic, it is still a relatively simple thing to do. I have 8yr old students who pick it up within minutes ~ so it doesn't require great strength, unlike string bending - which most folks need to develop hand-strength in order to achieve.
This video shows you practical licks and practices to master this technique. Grab your guitar, tuneup and select play:
If you've ever looked 'under the hood' of a piano you will have noticed that the notes are sounded by a hammer that strikes the strings. A hammer-on is produced in much the same fashion ~ you use one of your fingers (likely the ring finger) to hammer on to a string, producing a sound without needing to pluck with the strumming hand.
You can play quite a few notes, at speed, if you make use of the open strings. Once you've worked through some of the examples in the video, try exploring around this blues scale, from the open position for the key of E. The asterix marks the start-fret, which will be open strings in this key:
The blue notes only really work as passing notes ~ play them briefly (moving 'through' them) rather than 'sitting on them' for any great amount of time.
Below is the backing track I used in the video:
You can download it for free here :)
Any questions? Simply let me know in the comments section below, and I'll get back to you soon :)
This video shows you practical licks and practices to master this technique. Grab your guitar, tuneup and select play:
If you've ever looked 'under the hood' of a piano you will have noticed that the notes are sounded by a hammer that strikes the strings. A hammer-on is produced in much the same fashion ~ you use one of your fingers (likely the ring finger) to hammer on to a string, producing a sound without needing to pluck with the strumming hand.
You can play quite a few notes, at speed, if you make use of the open strings. Once you've worked through some of the examples in the video, try exploring around this blues scale, from the open position for the key of E. The asterix marks the start-fret, which will be open strings in this key:
The blue notes only really work as passing notes ~ play them briefly (moving 'through' them) rather than 'sitting on them' for any great amount of time.
Below is the backing track I used in the video:
You can download it for free here :)
Any questions? Simply let me know in the comments section below, and I'll get back to you soon :)
NEXT---Anchor notes