A hammer-on is fretting a note and then hammering a higher fret with another finger, without picking again, so the second note sounds from the hammer, and a pull-off is plucking a string and then pulling a finger off to a lower fret, so the lower note sounds. Both let you play two notes with one pick, and they make the playing smooth and legato.
What are hammer-ons and pull-offs?
A hammer-on is fretting a note and then hammering a higher fret with another finger, without picking again, so the second note sounds from the hammer, and the first note is picked, and the second is hammered, and the two notes are played with one pick. A pull-off is plucking a string and then pulling a finger off to a lower fret, so the lower note sounds, and the first note is picked, and the second is pulled off, and the two notes are played with one pick. Both let you play two notes with one pick, and they make the playing smooth and legato, because the notes flow into each other, without a pick attack on the second note. Hammer-ons and pull-offs are legato techniques, which means the notes are connected, smoothly, without a gap, and they are used in rock, blues, and many other styles, to make fast runs, and to make the playing sound fluid, instead of choppy. A hammer-on goes up, to a higher fret, and a pull-off goes down, to a lower fret, and the two are often used together, hammer-on then pull-off, to play three notes with one pick, and the pattern is the trill, which is the rapid alternation between two notes. The C major guitar chord and the G major guitar chord are the chords most players first hammer-on and pull-off on, and the metronome keeps the beat steady.
How hammer-ons and pull-offs work
A hammer-on works by fretting a note, picking it, and then hammering a higher fret with another finger, quickly and firmly, so the string is pressed down, and the note sounds, without being picked. The hammer must be quick and firm, because the string is already vibrating, and the hammer must stop it, and start it vibrating at the new fret, and the note will sound, if the hammer is fast and hard enough, and the finger lands close to the fret wire, so the string is held down firmly. The hammer-on is written as h in tablature, between the two numbers, so the player knows to hammer, not to pick. A pull-off works by fretting two notes, picking the higher one, and then pulling the finger off, sideways, so the string is plucked by the finger, and the lower note sounds, without being picked. The pull must be sideways, not straight up, because the finger must pluck the string as it leaves, and the pluck is what makes the lower note sound, and if the finger is lifted straight up, the string will not be plucked, and the lower note will be silent. The pull-off is written as p in tablature, between the two numbers, so the player knows to pull off, not to pick. The D major guitar chord and the A major guitar chord are the chords the techniques are built on.
Worked example — a hammer-on and pull-off on the 1st string. Fret the 1st string at the 5th fret, with your index finger, and pick it, and the note is A, because the 1st string at the 5th fret is A. Now hammer the 8th fret, with your pinky, quickly and firmly, without picking, and the note is C, because the 1st string at the 8th fret is C, and the hammer-on has played two notes, A and C, with one pick. Now pull off, pulling the pinky sideways, so the string is plucked, and the note is A again, because the index finger is still on the 5th fret, and the pull-off has played a third note, A, with the same pick. The pattern is A, C, A, played with one pick, hammer-on then pull-off, and the notes are smooth and legato, because only the first was picked. The fretboard note finder shows the notes at any fret.
How to practise hammer-ons and pull-offs
Practise hammer-ons and pull-offs slowly, with a metronome, until each note is clear and the notes flow, and then increase the speed, one step at a time.
- Practise a hammer-on on the 1st string, from the 5th fret to the 8th fret, picking the first note, and hammering the second, without picking, until the second note is clear.
- Practise a pull-off on the 1st string, from the 8th fret to the 5th fret, picking the first note, and pulling off to the second, sideways, until the second note is clear.
- Practise the hammer-on and pull-off together, A, C, A, with one pick, on the 1st string, and listen for the notes to be smooth and legato.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major and add a hammer-on or pull-off to the melody, on the 1st string, and listen for the playing to sound fluid.
- Practise with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the techniques are clean at the current tempo.
Common mistakes
- Hammering too softly — A hammer-on that is too soft will not make the second note sound, because the string is not pressed down firmly, and the note will be silent, or weak. Hammer quickly and firmly, landing close to the fret wire, so the string is held down, and the note sounds clearly.
- Pulling straight up, not sideways — A pull-off that is pulled straight up will not pluck the string, and the lower note will be silent, because the string was not plucked. Pull the finger sideways, so it plucks the string as it leaves, and the lower note will sound.
- Picking the second note — A hammer-on or pull-off plays two notes with one pick, and picking the second note defeats the purpose, because the notes will not be legato, they will be picked, and the playing will be choppy, not smooth. Pick only the first note, and hammer or pull off the second.
Quick reference
This table compares hammer-ons and pull-offs side by side, so you can see the differences at a glance. The hammer-on goes up, and it is hammered, while the pull-off goes down, and it is pulled off sideways, and both play two notes with one pick, and both make the playing smooth and legato.
| Technique | Direction | How to do it | Tab symbol |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hammer-on | Up, to a higher fret | Hammer quickly and firmly | h |
| Pull-off | Down, to a lower fret | Pull sideways, plucking the string | p |
Use the table to practise the techniques: hammer up, pull off down, pick only the first note, and listen for the second note to be clear, and the notes to be smooth and legato. When you can hammer-on and pull-off cleanly, on any string, you can play fast runs, and the playing will be fluid.
Frequently asked questions
What is a hammer-on?
A hammer-on is fretting a note and then hammering a higher fret with another finger, without picking again, so the second note sounds from the hammer, and the two notes are played with one pick, and the playing is smooth and legato.
What is a pull-off?
A pull-off is plucking a string and then pulling a finger off to a lower fret, so the lower note sounds, and the two notes are played with one pick, and the playing is smooth and legato.
What is the difference between a hammer-on and a pull-off?
A hammer-on goes up, to a higher fret, and it is hammered, while a pull-off goes down, to a lower fret, and it is pulled off, sideways, so the string is plucked. The hammer-on adds a note, and the pull-off reveals a note.
How do I make a hammer-on loud enough?
Hammer quickly and firmly, landing close to the fret wire, so the string is pressed down, and the note sounds clearly. A slow or soft hammer will not make the note sound, because the string is not stopped, and started, firmly enough.
Can I hammer-on and pull-off on any string?
Yes. Hammer-ons and pull-offs work on any string, and on any fret, because they are techniques, not chords, and the notes are the frets, and the fingers are the hammers, and the playing is the same, on every string.