What are hammer-ons and pull-offs

[warlord]

So I'm trying to learn electric guitar to so I can start a Punk band and I keep reading about hammer-ons and pull-offs could someone here please explain them to me?

 

[trancejeremy]

I though the whole point of punk was you didn't need to know how to play a guitar? (beyond 2-3 chords)

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Seems to be a guitar technicique

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hammer-on

 

[glass]

So I'm trying to learn electric guitar to so I can start a Punk band and I keep reading about hammer-ons and pull-offs could someone here please explain them to me?

Ways of changing the not being played without actually playing another note with your picking hand. Hammering-on is simply playing the note and then fretting a different note afterwards (on the same string). Pulling-off is the same thing in reverse. It is a bit more tricky, because you have to give the string a bit of a flick with your fretting finger as you pull off or you'll mute the string.


guitar-playing glass.

 

[Jesus_marley]

Is it just me or does that last explanation sound kinda dirty???

 

[MavrickWeirdo]

Is it just me or does that last explanation sound kinda dirty???

It's just you

 

[glass]

Is it just me or does that last explanation sound kinda dirty???

All part of the service.


glass.

 

[Jdvn1]

It is a bit more tricky, because you have to give the string a bit of a flick with your fretting finger as you pull off or you'll mute the string.

Though,a hammer-on will mute the string a bit too.

 

[Thunderfoot]

The technique was "invented" by Eddie Van Halen (I'm sure there are a few classical folks that will disagree with that staement, but the form used today was his unique creation). The whole point is to increase the speed of notes that is heard by the listener without increasing the number of "picking" motions made by the player.

In the years when guitar picking was done with the fingers only, this technique was unnecessary becuase you individually plucked each string anyway. (qv Chet Atkins for the most effective method) Eddie created the style after single-handed picking (ie using a pick held by two or more fingers to strum the strings) had became the norm, but the speed of the music was continuing to increase.

To hear its evolution listen to Eddie's guitar solos (Eruption, etc) on Van Halen's first three albums in order. then contrast that with basically any other guitar hero from a period before that (Hendrix, Clapton (w/ Cream), Harrison, who ever) you can hear a marked difference in style and speed.

The way to build that speed is to find a series of three to six notes that sound good in arpeggiated progression (a chord w/ the notes played individually in order) and then repeat the tap - pull -tap - pull progression over and over until your speed is absolutely blazin' then put band-aids on what is left of your bloody fingertips until the calouses form from repeated use.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Yeah...I'll disagree that EVH "invented" the hammer-on. Its been around a while- I've encountered some classical guitar exercises and songs that use it, and Jimi Hendrix and Roger Fripp definitely used it in rock before EVH did.

However, EVH definitely lifted the technique into prominence- before him, hammer-ons were primarily used to accent a short passage or to do something visually showy. EVH, OTOH, would play long, virtuosic solos and passages entirely with hammer-ons.

Some other guitarists to check out for expansive use of this technique would be jazz great Stanley Jordan and metal shredder Michael Angelo Battio- both use somewhat personalized versions of the technique with great flair.