Module: Technique & Control
Add expressive articulation to simple melodic lines.
Lesson objectives
A hammer-on produces a note without a pick stroke. A pull-off does the same in reverse. Both techniques let you string multiple notes from a single pick, which smooths out melodic runs and gives phrases a more fluid, connected sound.
On guitar, these are foundational. They show up in everything from basic riffs to lead lines. Getting them clean now pays off across every style you explore later.
Pluck a string, then press a finger firmly onto a higher fret while the string is still ringing. The fretting motion should produce a clear second note without picking again. The key word is firm - the finger snaps down, it doesn't drift down.
Try it on the B string: pluck the open string, then hammer your index finger onto the 2nd fret. You should hear open B, then C#. If the second note is faint or silent, your hammer was too soft or arrived too late. The motion is a percussive snap, not a slow press.
Fret a note, pluck the string, then pull your finger sideways and slightly downward - like a subtle sideways snap. This motion sets the string vibrating again and sounds the open string (or a lower fret if another finger is already holding it).
On the B string: place your index finger on the 2nd fret. Pluck the string. Pull your finger off sideways-downward. The open B should ring clearly. The pull is not a lift - it's a snap.
The natural next step is combining a hammer-on and pull-off into one motion: pick - hammer - pull. One pick stroke, three notes. This combination is the basis of trills and ornamental figures.
Practice on the B string: pick open B, hammer to 2nd fret, pull back to open. Repeat without picking again until the phrase breaks down. Then pick and repeat.
Articulated notes are quieter than picked ones by default. This is the main thing to work on after learning the basic motion. Practice phrases where articulated notes sound as present as picked ones - if they disappear, the hammer or pull needs more force.
Next up: Speed Control and Clean Repetition
