Hammer-on

Sounding a note by dropping a finger of the fretting hand onto the string, with no pick stroke, so the string's momentum alone produces the note.

The technique belongs to the legato family, and its sound is softer and more connected than a picked note, which is exactly why it is used for smooth lines. Volume depends on arriving with enough energy and speed, so a weak hammer produces a note that is too quiet or that does not sound at all. Since the string is already vibrating, a hammer-on also inherits whatever tone the previous note had.

Example: a descending run played with a series of hammer-ons and pull-offs, and no pick at all, gives the fluid legato sound typical of modern lead playing.

Hammer-on

See also