Hammer-ons & Pull-offs

When you pick a note, the pick is giving the string a lot of energy for vibration. To get the hammered note to sound at the same volume, you need to put the same amount of energy in with your fretting finger.

That's really related to the speed of your hammering finger.

I'm not talking about how quickly the note follows the one before it, but the speed at which your finger smacks down on the string. The faster that happens, the louder it will be.

With pulls, they all sound wimpy at first. The trick is to 'drag' your finger sideways on the string slightly as you lift it off - that sets the string vibrating again. So unlike a hammer, it's not a straight up/down finger motion - it's at a bit of an angle. The angle varies... it can't be so much that you're also catching the string next to it; on 'inside' string pulls, like in bluegrass riffs, I'm probably at a 75º angle to the fretboard - on a rock chromatic pull on the first string, I'm closer to 45º - but there I don't have to worry about catching the next string.

So, with hammers you've got to really "hammer" your finger down and with Pulls you got to, almost finger-style pick it with your left hand.

Any tips, drills or exercises that work on strengthening the hammering hand action/muscles?

Thanks for the help, Noteboat.

Mart.

I've been slowly getting better with these over time ... particularly since my fingertips have hardened up. But, I've had to work now on really building up the speed at which I hammer on.

Pull-offs are still pretty ordinary ... I have a real tendency to hit the adjacent string. :(

Anyhoo, I can't quite remember where I found it (maybe guitar.about.com) but I have seen some exercises out there. Probably one of the most basic to begin with (and one that I've been practising with) is to simply form an Em chord then practise hammer-on's/pull-off's between the open and closed (Em fingering in place) A and D strings.

If I can find the link to the one I've used I'll pop it up for ya. :)

Ok, found em. :)

This one is from Guitarnoise itself and is the one I found pretty helpful:Nick's Tute

This one is from Cyberfret ... it has some video but it's in Realplayer form. Yuk. ;): Cyberfret

here's how I practice my hammer on's/pulloffs (forgive me if it's mentioned in one of the articles)

I start on the first string. Hammer on the first note (first finger, first fret) hammer on the second note, leaving the first finger down, with the second finger, etc. Repeat up to the fourth fret, do it on all strings. Do the same for pulloffs. Also, remember to do the fingers inbetween, for instance, do a pulloff (same applies for hammer ons) with your pinky on the fourth fret and your middle finger on the second fret, or your index on the first fret. I'm sorry if that's written in a somewhat confusing manner...dunno how else to explain it. an important thing to remember is make sure that your pinky is curved when you're do this on the higher strings (3,4,5,6), otherwise you'll be training yourself to mute out strings. Stop for a while if your hand hurts.

So, with hammers you've got to really "hammer" your finger down and with Pulls you got to, almost finger-style pick it with your left hand.Exactly.

I don't think that's necessarily the best visual. You want to snap your fingers down. If it's a hammer, it's a tack hammer not a framing hammer.

To clarify so there is no confusion.
Hammer On is done with speed, NOT how hard you hit the string, just how fast your finger comes down.
Tips;
you don't have to hammer hard, just fast.
Try to hammer as close to the fret as you can, it helps.

Pull offs, use a slight angle when pulling off and it is to a degree speed sensative (not as much as a hammer on but if you go too slow your finger will mute the string)
Pull Offs are not like fingerpicking. it is much more subtle than that. Keep in mind that when you do a pull off the string is already vibrating you only need enough side movement of the finger to keep it vibrating.
It is hard to accurately describe but most people, after a fair amount of practice, will have it all fall together for them.
I really like playing hammer pull combinations, like in David Hodge's Amazing Grace lesson.

Thanks for the advice guys, i was trying some of your suggestions today and i reckon if i stick with it, i should be less crap in no time!

Thanks.
Mart.

Thanks for the practical advice. I'm trying to learn Zeppelin's "Over the Hills and Far Away", which contains a number of hammer-ons and pull-offs. Well, back to practice!