# Guitar/Hammer-ons, Pull-offs, and Trills

Hammer-ons and pull-offs are two closely related techniques. They are
used to play *legato*, that is, in a smooth manner, and are also used to
help the guitarist to play faster. They are most commonly used in
electric guitar work, but can be used in acoustic tunes as
embellishments.

## The hammer-on

![](Hammer_on.gif "Hammer_on.gif") Hammer-ons can be done anywhere on
the fretboard, but for the beginner it is easiest using an open string.
To quickly learn, strike an open E on the first string. While the note
is still ringing, quickly and firmly press a finger on the third fret.
If done properly, a G note should be sounding.

Quickly pressing your finger down and raising the note without hitting
the string again is called \"hammering on\". Without electric
amplification, the hammer-on tends to be quieter than regularly struck
notes, especially if you haven\'t practiced it! Because the strings are
closer to the fretboard, hammer-ons are easier to execute on an electric
guitar. However, this doesn\'t make them less common on an acoustic
guitar, where they are used frequently to embellish open
chords

The hammer-on can just as easily be played with fretted notes: just play
the note normally and hammer onto another (higher-numbered) fret on the
same string. If you practice hammer-ons, eventually you will be able to
move each finger smoothly and independently.

## The pull-off

![](Pull_off.gif "Pull_off.gif") The pull-off is the opposite of the
hammer-on. Again, using the E string, hold it at the third fret. Strike
the string and while the note is still ringing, release the fretting
finger. If done properly, the G should be followed by an open E. If the
note doesn\'t ring out properly, try hitting the G harder and releasing
faster.

Like the hammer-on, the second note tends to be less loud than the
first. To help alleviate this, a slight sideways motion of the fretting
finger while pulling off will add extra vibration to the string, and
give you some extra volume. Often it is hard for a beginner to
accomplish, and the sideways movement helps greatly.

A pull-off looks like this:

    D|---7p5--5p4--4p2--2p0--|

## The trill

A trill is two alternating notes, such as an A and A#. Only the first
note is struck; the rest are rapidly hammered-on and pulled off

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