Essential Techniques
Chords and scales get you notes; techniques get you music. Hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides, and bends connect notes smoothly and add expression—the difference between plinking and phrasing.
Every example below is playable in Music Buddy. Use the Tab toggle to see exact fret numbers. These are single-note exercises—no Chords toggle needed, but turn it on if you want to reference a backing harmony while you practice.
Hammer-Ons
A hammer-on sounds a higher note by fretting firmly with a left-hand finger—without picking again. In ABC notation, H marks the hammer.
X:1
T:Hammer-On Exercise (Open to 2nd Fret)
K:E
M:4/4
L:1/8
E E>^F E E>^F | E E>^F E4 ||
Pick the open E, then hammer onto F (1st fret). Repeat on the A string:
X:2
T:Hammer-On on A String
K:A
M:4/4
L:1/8
A, A,>^B, A, A,>^B, | A,4 z4 ||
Pull-Offs
A pull-off is the reverse: pick once, then flick a higher finger off to reveal a lower fretted note—or an open string.
X:3
T:Pull-Off Exercise (3rd to Open String)
K:G
M:4/4
L:1/8
d d>^B, d d>^B, | d4 z4 ||
Fret the 3rd fret on the high E string, pick, then pull off to open e. Combine hammer-ons and pull-offs for legato:
X:4
T:Hammer-On and Pull-Off Combo
K:A
M:4/4
L:1/8
e>^c e>^a e>^c e>^a | e4 z4 ||
Slides
A slide moves from one fret to another without lifting the finger. In ABC, a hyphen - connects the starting and ending notes.
X:5
T:Slide Up (5th to 7th Fret)
K:A
M:4/4
L:1/8
a-a c'-c' | a4 z4 ||
Slide from fret 5 to 7 on the high E string, then back down:
X:6
T:Slide Down (7th to 5th Fret)
K:A
M:4/4
L:1/8
c'-c' a-a | c'4 z4 ||
Bends and Release
A bend raises the pitch by pushing or pulling the string. Start with a half-step bend—one fret's worth—from C toward C#:
X:7
T:Half-Step Bend and Release (C to C#)
K:Am
M:4/4
L:1/4
c ~c c | c4 ||
The wavy line ~ suggests the bend; match the pitch of the target note by ear. A whole-step bend from G to A:
X:8
T:Whole-Step Bend (G to A)
K:Em
M:4/4
L:1/4
G ~A G | G4 ||
Practice bends on the B and G strings first—they are easier under the fingers than the low strings.
(Bernth)—finger placement, wrist motion, and tuning the bend by ear.
Putting Techniques Together
A short phrase mixing hammer-on, slide, and bend—take it slowly:
X:9
T:Technique Combo Phrase
K:E
M:4/4
L:1/8
E>^G G-a b ~c' | b4 z4 ||
Practice tip: Practice each technique in isolation until it is clean, then combine. Legato only sounds good when every note speaks clearly—no buzzy hammer-ons or weak pull-offs.
Further viewing
- (Creative Guitar Studio)—half-step and whole-step bends with target-note practice
- —pitch accuracy, multiple-finger support, and vibrato at the top of the bend
Next: fingerpicking basics—Travis picking and PIMA finger labels.
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