Difference between revisions of "Legato (Hammer-on, Pull-off)"

Revision as of 17:09, 7 April 2014

Legato is a technique where the notes seem to flow into one another. It is the opposite of stacatto, where each note's attack is emphasized and sustain minimized. The primary means to achieve legato on guitar is through note-sounding techniques that do not use picking or plucking the strings.

Hammer-on

A hammer-on is a technique where you quickly fret a note with the left hand. It is most commonly used on a string that already has a sustaining note, repurposing that resonant energy to sustain the new note.

Open String Hammer-ons

fig 1
--0-h1----0-h2----0-h3----0-h4--
     i       m       r       p

Figure 1 shows some open string hammer-ons in first position. First pluck the open string. While the open string is sustaining, quickly fret the first fret. Notice the "h" in front of the fret number - this indicates to hammer-on instead of pick that note. If done quickly and accurately, you will now be sustaining the first fret's note. Repeat for all fingers as indicated in the tab. Repeat for all strings.

fig 2
--0-h9----0-h10---0-h11---0-h12--
     i       m       r       p

Figure 2 is the exact same exercise, but in 9th position. This is just to give you a different feel for hammering-on open strings higher up the fretboard.

The main points to watch are the quality, speed, and accuracy of your hammer-on fretting. If you fret right behind the fret using the tip of your finger quickly, you should have no trouble sustaining the prior note.

Fretted Note Hammer-ons

fig 3
--1-h2----1-h3----1-h4--
  i  m    i  r    i  p

Figure 3 is the same exercise, but in first position - now we're hammering-on between index and the other fingers, one at a time. The index-pinky hammer-on might be difficult right now, particularly in 1st position. Work on stretching and strengthening that pinky!

Move this exercise to different positions over the fretboard, and try it on all strings.

fig 4
--1-h2----1-h3----1-h4----2-h3----2-h4----3-h4--
  i  m    i  r    i  p    m  r    m  p    r  p

Figure 4 is our inter-finger hammer-on exercise. This covers hammering on from each finger to every other possible finger. Practice all of them, identify the ones you are worst at performing and practice those the most. Move up and down the fretboard and use all the strings.

2 Hammer-ons per String

fig 5
--5-h6-h8--5-h6-h8--5-h7-h8--5-h7-h8--5-h7-h9--5-h7-h9
  i  m  p  i  m  p  i  r  p  i  r  p  i  m  p  i  m  p

Figure 5 introduces two hammer-on's in a row, for our most common 3 note per string shapes (half-whole or middle, whole-half or ring, and whole-whole or stretch). So now you are not just carrying over a picked note into a hammer-on, but a picked note that has already been hammered-on. If your technique is good, you shouldn't have any trouble getting the pinky to sustain the note.

fig 6
-----------5-h6-h8-----------5-h7-h8-----------5-h7-h9
--5-h6-h8-----------5-h7-h8-----------5-h7-h9---------
  i  m  p  i  m  p  i  r  p  i  r  p  i  m  p  i  m  p

Figure 6 is the same as figure 5, but uses two strings.

Hammer-on from Nothing

fig 7
--h1--(x)--h2--(x)--h3--(x)--h4--
   i        m        r        p

Figure 7 displays another hammer-on technique. Here the string is muted - it has no resonant energy. Your hammer-on will supply that energy. To get a good-sounding note, you have to be accurate, fast, and strong. But don't fret the note too hard, which will cause it to go sharp. You want to hammer-on strong, but sustain the note with as little force necessary to maintain a clean fret-job. This exercise uses all fingers - try moving it around the fretboard and try all strings.

Notice the x's. In tab, these typically indicate a muted stroke - you would pick the string while muting it with the left hand to get a percussive sound. Unfortunately, tab does not have any rest notation, so I'm using (x)'s to indicate unpicked mutes. It just means mute the string, but do not pick it.

fig 8
----------h5-h6-h8----------h5-h7-h8----------h5-h7-h9
-h5-h6-h8----------h5-h7-h8----------h5-h7-h9---------
  i  m  p  i  m  p  i  r  p  i  r  p  i  m  p  i  m  p

Figure 8 is a repeat of figure 6 but uses no picking at all - every note is hammered-on. It should sound nice and smooth - much different than if you were to pick each note.