Pull-Off Playing (incl. Hammer-Ons)Pull-Off Playing (incl. Hammer-Ons)
Autor: Naamã Felipe | Publicado: 2011-08-17T04:36:00-07:00

Pull-Off          Playing (incl. Hammer-Ons)When you see or hear the word “legato”, it usually means to           play a given passage smoothly or flowingly. When you pick a note, you           hear a certain articulation. The best way to approach a legato  passage          is with the use of hammer-ons and pull-offs. Start with  a couple of fluttering          exercises (trills) like these:1). Flutter for one full minute, nonstop between your first and  second          fingers. Keep it strong, clean and even. Then do it  between your first          and third, then the first and fourth,  fingers.2). Do the same thing except this time, flutter between your second  and          third fingers, then your second and fourth, then try  between the third          and fourth.The object is to get each pair of fingers equally strong when  trilling.          You can see that it will take some time for this to  happen cleanly, but          when it does, the dexterity and  coordination of your left hand will double.This is a great exercise for legato playing. Try it with three  fingers.          Start with A on the high E string (5th fret). Now,  hammer to a B with          your third finger; then hammer to a C with  your fourth finger. Pull off          with your fourth finger, sounding  the B. Pull off with your third finger,          sounding the A (do not  re-attack the string with the pick). Repeat the          process. Keep  this going until you can’t stand it. Do it with a metronome          and  be sure you’re in synch. After this, try every combination of fingers           you can think of.This next technique involves changing from one string to another and having          the notes sound clean without picking them.To do this, hammer the note on the preceding string with your finger.           This will cause the note to sound. Try plucking an A on the E  string as          before; hammer to the B; then hammer to the C. Pull  off back to B; then          pull off to A. After this, hammer with your  fourth finger, G on the B          string (8th fret). Then pull off to  an E on the B string (5th fret). Now          you’re where you started,  but one string over. Continue doing this to          each string in  turn. The object is to get an even, steady flow from one          string  to the next. Practice this on every fret, forward and backward.When practicing this and all other exercises, be sure to do them high           on the neck where the frets are tiny. This is good for  becoming a screamer.          Below is an example of this exercise  starting on the 5th fret and going          across the strings:
 
There are many possibilities that this technique will open up to you.          Here are some things to try:a). Try going across the strings in this manner with          every combination of fingers you can.b). Try it with a metronome and group the notes in even          16ths. Then try triplets.c). Go across the strings, diatonic to any given key          that you desire.d). Do this exercise while moving up the neck.Allan Holdsworth is a master of this playing style.