Module: Technique & Control
Add expressive articulation to simple melodic lines.
Lesson objectives
A hammer-on is a note you play without plucking. You fret it so firmly that the string sounds on its own. A pull-off is the reverse - you snap a finger off the string to sound the lower note underneath. Both let you play two notes from one pick stroke, which makes melodic lines smoother and more expressive.
These aren't advanced techniques. They show up in beginner-level songs regularly. Learning them now means you can play more music with fewer limitations.
Pluck an open string. While it's still ringing, press a finger firmly onto a fret. The string should sound again - a second note from the same pick stroke. If it doesn't, your hammer was too soft or too slow. The motion is a firm snap down, not a slow press.
Try it on the A string: pluck the open string, then hammer your index finger onto the 2nd fret. You should hear two notes - open A, then B. Practice until both notes are clear and similar in volume.
A pull-off is the reverse. Fret a note, pluck the string, then pull your finger sideways and slightly downward off the string - like you're lightly plucking the string from above. This sets the string vibrating again, sounding the open note (or a lower-fretted note if your other finger is already there).
Try it: place your index finger on the 2nd fret of the A string. Pluck the string, then pull your finger off sideways-downward. The open A string should sound. The pull, not the pluck, makes the second note happen.
The main challenge with both techniques is volume. Hammer-ons and pull-offs are quieter than picked notes. Practice each technique in isolation until the second note is clearly audible - then work on matching the volume of the two notes in a phrase.
A useful check: record yourself playing a phrase with articulation. If the articulated notes disappear in the recording, strengthen the motion.
On the A string, play this four-note phrase repeatedly: open A (pick) - hammer to 2nd fret - pull off back to open - repeat. That's two notes from one pick stroke in each direction. Start slow. Make the hammer and pull-off sound as clear as the picked notes.
Once you have that, try the same pattern on the E string. Then on C. Each string has slightly different resistance, so each requires a small adjustment.
Next up: Speed Control and Clean Repetition
