Hammer-ons and Pull-offs

I always say that it is better to work smart rather than hard. Why do things the "regular" way when there are shortcuts that make life a whole lot easier. Hammer-on and pull-offs are perfect examples of shortcuts that allow guitar players to play various notes in a fast manner, without having to burn out the strumming hand. Normally, every note that you want to be play must be held down with one hand, while the other strums the string. However, if the notes are close enough, then the strumming action may be less crucial, and in some cases completely obsolete.

Hammer-ons are note successions that go higher up in scale. For example, if my finger is on the 5th fret of the high E string, and I want to play the 7th and then 8th fret on the same string, it is possible to play those three notes by strumming the string only one time. After strumming the 5th fret, the next finger "hammers-on" the 7th fret, while another finger hammers-on the 8th afterward. If the fingers are accurate and apply enough pressure, the contact with the the next fret will create a new wave of vibration, allowing that note to play. If done in quick succession, then it is possible to play all three notes by simply strumming once on the original note.

Similarly, the pull-off method can be used to minimize excessive strumming. However, when learning how to use hammer-ons and pull-offs, I remember having more difficulty with pull-offs. This is because the pull-off method requires the fretboard hand to do all the work in terms of hitting notes and creating vibration. When pulling-off, it is basically a mirror image of a hammer-on. The difference is that when the first note is struck, the finger on the highest fret has to pull-off and to one side. The pulling off to the side is important because it allows the string to continue ringing.Otherwise, the lower note is softer than the original, and it does not sound as clean. It is easier said than done.

Once a guitarist gets the hang of hammer-ons and pull-offs, faster solos can be achieved. The strumming hand can only go so fast, but the fingers have way more speed. If done correctly, HO and PO's are an invaluable asset to any guitarist's arsenal.