A hammer-on sounds a higher note on the same string with the fretting hand. A pull-off sounds a lower note. In the exercises here, you pick the first note and use the fretting hand to sound the next one.
Use the first, high E string in standard tuning for the written exercises below. It is the thinnest string. Check the tuning before starting.
Hammer-on: open string to the second fret
- Pick the open high E string and let it ring.
- Place your index finger onto that string just behind the second fret wire, with a quick, controlled movement.
- Let the fretted note sound without picking the string again.
If the second note is weak, check where the fingertip lands and whether it stays on the string. Pause and adjust the movement instead of hitting harder and harder.
In text tab, 0h2 means play the open string, then hammer on to fret two on that same string. The tab-reading guide explains the string lines and fret numbers. Symbols vary between scores; some use a curved line or a hammer-on label, so check the key.
A separate tab example:
Listen to a hammer-on:
Pull-off: fretted note to an open string
- Fret the high E string at the second fret and pick it.
- As the finger leaves the string, use a small plucking movement to keep it sounding.
- Let the open string ring without picking it again.
This is written 2p0: pull off from fret two to the open string. No other finger needs to hold a lower note when the destination is open.
For a pull-off between two fretted notes, prepare the lower note first. For example, hold fret two with the index finger and fret four with the ring finger on the same high E string. Pick the fourth-fret note, then pull off with the ring finger while the index stays at fret two. This is 4p2.
A separate tab example:
Listen to a pull-off:
Put the movements into a counted phrase
Try each pair without clicks first. Once the movements feel manageable, count four evenly spaced beats. On the same high E string, play this phrase:
| Count | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Pick the open string. |
| 2 | Hammer on to fret two. |
| 3 | Pull off to the open string. |
| 4 | Stop the sound by lightly touching the string, then rest. |
Pick only on count one. The fretting hand sounds counts two and three. In text tab, the note sequence is 0h2p0; the table supplies its rhythm.
The metronome can mark those four beats when you are ready. Listen for three distinct notes with the intended spacing. Keep attempts short, release unnecessary tension and stop if playing causes pain.
If you play electric guitar, comparing a clean sound with your usual driven sound can help you notice different details. The distortion practice lesson explains what to listen for.