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Legato - Guitar Wiki

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Legato
Template:Resources
Hammer-on's and pull-off's are very simple legato techniques that provide a different way to play two notes wh
known as a Trill. For more information on this take a look at Trilling.

Hammer-On
A Hammer-on is performed by picking a note then 'hammering' your finger onto another, higher note without reTo peform a hammer-on fret the 5th fret, G-String with your first finger. Pick that note, then hammer (Push down)
e|----------|
B|----------|
G|----5h7---|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|

Hammer-On more than one note


You can hammer on more than one note. Fret the 5th fret, G string with your first finger. Pick the note then hamm
third finger.
e|----------|
B|----------|
G|--5h6h7---|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|

Hammer-On tips
If you can not get the second note to ring clearly or at all, make sure you are hamming on with the fingertip
Make sure your hamming-on finger should be right next to the fret wire.
Make sure you apply enough pressure when hamming-on.

Pull-Off
A Pull-Off is the opposite to a hammer-on, this time you are pulling off a note to reduce the pitch.

Improvisation

To peform a pull-off, start with both your first and third fingers on the fretboard. Fret the 5th fret, G string with your first finger. Then, while keeping the 5th fret fretted, fret the 7th fret with your
third finger. Pick the note then 'pull' your third finger off the fretboard.
You may need to pull your finger off in a sidewards motion for the pull-off to ring clearly.
e|----------|
B|----------|
G|---7p5----|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|

Pull-Off more than one note


You can pull-off more than one note. Fret the 5th fret, G string with your first finger. 6th fret with your second finger and 7th fret with your third finger. Pick the note then pull your third finger off the 7th fret, then pull your second
finger off the 6th fret to let the note on the 5th fret ring out.
e|----------|
B|----------|
G|--7p6p5---|
D|----------|
A|----------|
E|----------|

Pull-Off tips
If you can not get the second note to ring clearly or at all, you may need to pull-off in a sidewards motion.
Make sure your fingers are right next to the fret wire.
A good pull off should sound a note(even a light one) without being plucked.

Tablature Notation
In tablature it is common for the hammer-on and pull-off to be shown by a 'H' or 'P' on the tab itself.
e|-------------|
B|-------------|
G|--5h7-7p5----|
D|-------------|
A|-------------|
E|-------------|

Exercises for Hammer-Ons


Exercise 1
Use your index finger for the 5th fret and "hammer" your ring finger on the 7th.
E------------------------------------------------B-----5-h7---5-h7---5-h7---5-h7------------------G------------------------------------------------D------------------------------------------------A------------------------------------------------E-------------------------------------------------

Exercise 2
Here is an example using open strings and hammer-ons with the index and ring finger.

3/25/2015 5:10 PM

Legato - Guitar Wiki

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http://guitar.wikia.com/wiki/Legato

E------------------------------------------------B------------------------------------------------G------------------------------------------------D-------------0-h1-h2---------0-h1-h2------------A-----0-h1-h2---------0-h1-h2--------------------E-------------------------------------------------

Exercise 3
This is pure blues magic. Try it with and without the vibrato.
E--------------5----7--5-------------------------B--------------5----7--5-------------------------G--------------5h6~~7--5h6~~---------------------D----------5-7--------------7--------------------A-----5-h7---------------------------------------E-------------------------------------------------

Exercises for Pull-Offs


Combined Exercises
Exercise 1
E------------------------------------------------B-----5-h6-p5-----5-h6-p5------------------------G-------------h7----------h7---------------------D------------------------------------------------A------------------------------------------------E------------------------------------------------^
^

Exercise 2
E------------------------------------------------B------------------------------------------------G-----4-h5-p4-----4-h5-p4------------------------D-------------h7----------h7---------------------A------------------------------------------------E------------------------------------------------^
^

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3/25/2015 5:10 PM

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