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Hammer-on

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A hammer-on is a playing technique performed on a stringed instrument (especially on a fretted string instrument, such as a guitar) by sharply bringing a fretting-hand finger down on to the fingerboard behind a fret, causing a note to sound. This technique is the opposite of the pull-off.

Passages in which a large proportion of the notes are performed as hammer-ons and pull-offs instead of being plucked or picked in the usual fashion are known in classical terminology as legato phrases. The sound is smoother and more connected than in a normally picked phrase, due to the absence of the necessity to synchronize the plucking of one hand with the fingering on the fingerboard with the other hand; however, the resulting sounds are not as brightly audible, precisely due to the absence of the plucking of the string, the vibration of the string from an earlier plucking dying off.

The technique also facilitates very fast playing because the picking hand does not have to move at such a high speed, and coordination between the hands only has to be achieved at certain points. Multiple hammer-ons and pull-offs together are sometimes also referred to colloquially as "rolls",^{[citation needed]} a reference to the fluid sound of the technique.

A hammer-on is usually represented in guitar tablature (especially that created by computer) by a letter h.

A rapid series of alternating hammer-ons and pull-offs between a single pair of notes is called a trill.

The term hammer-on was first invented and popularized by Pete Seeger in his book How to Play the 5-String Banjo. Seeger also invented the term pull-off.^[2]^[3]

In the Banjo tutor book "Ellis's Thorough School For 5 String Banjo" published prior to 1900, the term 'Hammer on' is used to describe the action of performing an embellishment called 'the Shake'. The description is "The Shake, which is marked 'tr', is played in the following manner. Strike(pick) the first note only with the right hand & the remainder of the passage with the 2nd finger of the left hand, by 'hammering on' the string while it is vibrating". In the same tutor book, the action 'pull off' is termed the 'snap'. ^[4]

References

[edit]

^ Traum, Happy (1974). Bluegrass Guitar. Oak Publications. p. 25. ISBN 978-0-8256-0153-8.
^ PBS Documentary Give Me the Banjo
^ Erbsen, Wayne (2010). Southern Mountain Banjo. Mel Bay Publications. p. 24. ISBN 978-1-60974-047-4.
^ Ellis, Herbert J. (1898). Ellis's Thorough School for the Five Stringed Banjo (PDF). J.A. Turner. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-11.

v t e Guitar techniques and strums
Carter Family picking Chanking Chop Fingerstyle Guitar harmonics Hammer-on Palm mute Picking Pick slide Pull-off Rasgueado Ska stroke Tapping

v t e Guitar shredding
Techniques	Alternate picking Economy picking Hammer-ons Hybrid picking Legato Pull-offs String skipping Sweep picking Tapping Tremolo picking Wide intervals Pick tapping
Genres	Classical Bluegrass Country Flamenco Power metal Hard rock Heavy metal Instrumental rock Jazz Jazz fusion Neoclassical metal Progressive rock

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A hammer-on is a fundamental technique on string instruments, particularly fretted ones like the guitar, where a player plucks a string for the initial note (open or fretted), then sharply taps or "hammers" a finger onto a higher fret on the same string to sound the subsequent note without additional plucking.^[1] This method produces a smooth, connected sound often described as legato, allowing notes to flow seamlessly with minimal interruption.^[2] In guitar tablature, it is conventionally notated with the symbol "h" between fret numbers, such as 5h7, indicating a transition from the fifth to the seventh fret.^[1] The technique relies on precise control and strength in the fretting hand, typically spanning one to three frets for optimal tone and volume, though wider intervals are possible with advanced finger reach.^[1] Hammer-ons enable efficient execution of rapid passages, reduce reliance on the picking hand, and add expressive articulation to melodies, making them indispensable for fluid phrasing.^[3] They are commonly paired with the complementary pull-off technique to create trills or extended legato runs, and their application extends to bass guitars, banjos, and ukuleles, though they are most iconic in guitar playing across acoustic and electric variants.^[2]^[3] Hammer-ons appear ubiquitously in diverse musical genres, from blues and rock—where they contribute to soulful bends and solos—to folk, classical, and jazz, enhancing both technical speed and emotional depth in performances.^[3] While the precise origins of the technique trace back to traditional string playing predating modern notation, its formalized terminology emerged in mid-20th-century instructional contexts, solidifying its role as a cornerstone of instrumental education.^[1]

Fundamentals

Definition

A hammer-on is a fundamental technique on string instruments in which the player produces an initial note by plucking or bowing a string, then sounds a subsequent higher-pitched note by forcefully tapping (or "hammering") a finger onto the string at a higher position or fret, without re-plucking or re-bowing the string.^[1]^[2] This left-hand (or fretting-hand) action relies on the transfer of energy from the initial vibration to excite the string against the new contact point, producing a legato effect where the notes connect smoothly.^[1] The technique is distinct from plucking, picking, or strumming, as it eliminates the need for right-hand involvement after the first note, allowing for fluid note transitions primarily through fretting-hand control.^[2] The term "hammer-on" originates from the descriptive action of striking the finger down with sufficient force to generate audible vibration, a nomenclature first coined by folk musician Pete Seeger in his 1948 instructional book How to Play the 5-String Banjo.^[4] Prior to this, similar techniques were referred to more generally as slurs in classical music contexts, but Seeger's terminology popularized the specific phrasing for fretted folk and popular string instruments like the banjo and guitar.^[4] In musical notation, hammer-ons are typically indicated in guitar tablature by the symbol "h" placed between the fret numbers of the connected notes (e.g., 5h7), signaling the player to hammer the second note.^[1] In standard sheet music, they are often represented by a curved slur line connecting the notes, emphasizing the smooth, unpicked transition.^[2] This technique presupposes a basic understanding of string vibration, where the initial pluck sets the string in motion, and the hammer-on alters the vibrating length to produce the new pitch.^[1]

Acoustic Principles

In the hammer-on technique, an initial pluck or excitation sets the string into vibration at its fundamental frequency, determined by the vibrating length

L

, tension

T

, and linear density

\mu

according to the formula

f = \frac{1}{2L} \sqrt{\frac{T}{\mu}}

f=2L1μT

. This vibration propagates as transverse waves along the string, producing the audible pitch. When the fretting finger is sharply brought down behind a higher fret, it shortens the effective vibrating length, thereby increasing the fundamental frequency and raising the pitch. The kinetic energy from the finger's motion is transferred to the string upon impact, exciting additional vibrational modes without significantly damping the existing oscillation, allowing the note to sustain through continued resonance.^[5]^[6] The finger force plays a crucial role in this energy transfer, requiring sufficient velocity to displace the string against its tension and initiate clear vibration. The force needed to fret the string fully is given by $F = T \sin(\theta)$ , where $\theta$ is the angle of string deflection, which varies with the string's action (height above the fretboard). Insufficient force results in weak or buzzing tones, as the string fails to contact the fret solidly. Compared to directly picked notes, hammer-ons impart less initial energy, leading to shorter sustain durations due to the partial damping from the fretting impact and reduced amplitude excitation. Amplitude post-hammer-on decays more rapidly, with the rate influenced by the string's damping coefficient, which increases for higher-frequency strings.^[5]^[6] Clarity and tone quality in hammer-ons are further affected by string tension, gauge, and material properties. Higher tension requires greater fretting force but supports clearer notes by minimizing unwanted overtones, while thicker gauges (higher $\mu$ ) provide longer sustain due to slower energy dissipation. For instance, steel strings exhibit faster amplitude decay than nylon due to their higher stiffness and Young's modulus (approximately 177-188 GPa for steel), resulting in brighter but shorter-lived tones. Lower-mass strings show more pronounced amplitude drops post-hammer-on, emphasizing the need for precise energy transfer to maintain tonal integrity.^[5]^[6]

Execution

On Fretted String Instruments

To perform a hammer-on on fretted string instruments such as the guitar or bass, the player first plucks an open string or a note fretted by one finger using the picking hand, then immediately hammers down another fretting finger onto a higher fret on the same string with sufficient force to produce a clear tone without replucking.^[1]^[2] This technique transfers vibrational energy from the initial note to the hammered one, sustaining the sound through string oscillation against the fret.^[7] The execution begins by fretting the starting note (if not open) with the index or another finger of the fretting hand (typically the left hand for right-handed players), then plucking the string with the picking hand (right hand). Immediately after, a second finger—such as the middle, ring, or pinky—hammers perpendicular to the neck onto the target fret, usually 1-3 frets higher, applying a sharp, controlled tap directly behind the fret wire to avoid buzzing, ensuring a smooth legato connection. Practice starts with simple intervals like the 5th to 7th fret on the fourth string, using a metronome to maintain even rhythm and timing.^[1]^[2]^[7] On electric and acoustic guitars, hammer-ons are optimally executed on frets 1 through 12, where longer vibrating string length provides better sustain and tonal clarity compared to higher positions.^[2] Electric guitars facilitate louder hammered notes due to amplified sustain, while acoustics demand more precise force to overcome lower natural volume. For leverage, the fretting hand's thumb is positioned behind the center of the neck, providing stability and power without wrapping over the top.^[1]^[8] On bass guitar, the technique follows the same steps but requires greater force due to thicker strings and higher tension, ensuring the hammered note activates fully against the fret.^[7] Hand positioning remains similar, with the thumb behind the neck for added leverage against the instrument's wider neck profile. Common challenges include achieving volume parity between the picked and hammered notes, particularly in legato runs on guitar, where one must attack hard from above to ensure even volume and avoid weak notes. This demands a quick, firm attack to preserve string energy without over-hammering, which can cause intonation issues. Additionally, instruments with shorter scale lengths (e.g., 24.75 inches on some guitars) require less fretting force for hammer-ons due to reduced string tension, making the technique easier for players with smaller hands or on models like Gibson Les Pauls.^[7]^[9]^[10]^[11]

On Non-Fretted Instruments

On non-fretted string instruments such as the violin, the hammer-on technique is adapted as a left-hand action where the player bows the initial open or stopped note and then sharply presses a finger onto the string to produce a higher pitch, often functioning as a grace note without a separate bow change. This method, known as "the hammer-on" in Scottish fiddle traditions, creates a quick ornamental note by leveraging the ongoing bow vibration to excite the shortened string segment.^[12] On the harp, an analogous process involves plucking the open string with one hand to initiate vibration, followed by pressing the string against the neck or an extension with a finger or thumb from the other hand to shorten its effective length and raise the pitch by a semitone. This fretting technique, rooted in historical harp practices, allows for accidental notes in diatonic tunings without retuning.^[13] Precise pitch control in these adaptations depends heavily on the performer's developed ear training to perceive intervals and muscle memory to place fingers accurately, as the absence of frets requires constant adjustment for just intonation rather than fixed positions.^[14]^[15] The force applied is generally lighter than on fretted instruments, particularly on the harp where lower string tension permits a gentler press to alter pitch without excessive strain, contrasting the firmer action needed on higher-tension fretted strings like those of the guitar.^[16]^[17] Limitations include shorter sustain for the altered note compared to initial excitations, as the pressing action can partially dampen vibrations on non-fretted strings; however, hybrid applications appear in classical violin bowing techniques for ornamental effects.^[12]

Musical Applications

In Melody and Solos

In melody and solos, the hammer-on technique facilitates legato phrasing, allowing guitarists to connect notes smoothly without picking each one, which is particularly effective for ascending scales and rapid runs. This approach creates a fluid, vocal-like quality that enhances the seamlessness of lead lines, enabling players to execute complex phrases at speeds unattainable with alternate picking alone.^[18]^[19] Prominent examples appear across genres, such as the intro riff in Jimi Hendrix's "Purple Haze," where hammer-ons contribute to the song's distinctive, psychedelic flow through seamless note transitions.^[20] In blues, B.B. King's style often incorporates hammer-ons within scales to add expressive bends and slurs, emphasizing emotional depth in single-note lines.^[21] Similarly, in speed metal, Yngwie Malmsteen's neoclassical solos feature hammer-on/pull-off combinations in minor arpeggio sweeps and descending runs, driving the high-velocity intensity of tracks like those on Rising Force.^[22] The benefits of hammer-ons in this context include increased playability at high tempos, such as 16th notes at 200 BPM or faster in shred-oriented passages, by reducing the physical demands on the picking hand.^[22] Additionally, they provide emotional expressiveness through dynamic control, as the force and placement of the hammered note allow for variations in volume and timbre, mimicking vocal inflections for greater musical nuance.^[23]^[24]

In Rhythm and Accompaniment

In rhythm and accompaniment, hammer-ons serve to integrate additional notes seamlessly into chord voicings and riffs, enhancing the harmonic texture without interrupting the flow of ensemble playing. Guitarists in jazz comping often employ hammer-ons to add extensions to dominant chords, creating a richer, more colorful support for the soloist while maintaining rhythmic drive.^[25] This technique leverages the natural sustain of the string to blend the extension smoothly into the chord's decay.^[2] Accompaniment techniques frequently incorporate silent hammer-ons to produce ghost notes, where the fretting hand hammers lightly onto the string while muting it partially with the palm or adjacent fingers, creating percussive accents that fill rhythmic space subtly.^[26] In guitar playing, this is achieved by damping the string immediately after the hammer, resulting in a muted thud that adds texture to chord strums without overpowering the harmony. Combining hammer-ons with palm muting further refines the groove; for example, on an Am7 chord, a palm-muted strum followed by a hammered note on the B string produces a staccato bounce ideal for mid-tempo rock or blues accompaniment.^[27] In folk strumming patterns, hammer-ons decorate open chords to infuse melodic interest into rhythmic support, as seen in John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads," where a hammer-on from the open G string to the 2nd fret within a G-to-C progression adds a lilting, narrative quality to the accompaniment.^[4] This technique, common in roots music, allows a single guitarist to imply bass lines or inner voices while strumming steadily for group sing-alongs. Funk bass lines utilize hammer-ons extensively for walking bass patterns, enabling smooth chromatic or scalar transitions that propel the groove without plucking every note. Professional bassist Ryan Madora demonstrates this by hammering whole-step intervals, such as from C to D in an A minor pentatonic line over a D7 chord, which maintains forward momentum and syncopation in ensemble funk contexts.^[28] Similarly, in greasy funk grooves, hammer-ons from the flat 7th to the root (e.g., C to D) create fluid resolutions that enhance the walking line's interactivity with the rhythm section.^[29]

History and Evolution

Origins and Early Use

The hammer-on technique, historically referred to as an ascending slur in left-hand articulation, emerged in the 16th and 17th centuries within the traditions of lute and vihuela playing in European Renaissance and Baroque music.^[30] A key documentation of the technique appears in Gaspar Sanz's 1674 treatise Instrucción de música sobre la Guitarra Española, which provides explicit instructions on left-hand slurs, including hammer-ons, as essential ornaments for melodic phrasing on the Baroque guitar. Sanz integrates these into rasgueado and punteado styles, advising performers to use them for embellishment and to mimic vocal inflections, thereby establishing them as standard elements in Spanish guitar pedagogy of the era. His examples, drawn from popular dances and songs, demonstrate how hammer-ons enhanced rhythmic vitality and emotional depth in courtly and theatrical music.^[31] By the early 19th century, the technique gained prominence in classical guitar precursors through Fernando Sor's etudes, such as those in Op. 6 No. 3 and Op. 60 No. 22, where hammer-ons were systematically explored to build legato and finger independence. Sor's studies, composed around 1815–1830, treated slurs as foundational exercises for tonal control and phrasing, influencing subsequent generations of guitarists in European conservatories.^[32] In parallel folk traditions, hammer-ons appeared in Appalachian banjo playing via the clawhammer style, which developed in the 18th and 19th centuries among rural Southern communities and incorporated African-derived plucking motions adapted to fretted strings. This technique allowed for percussive yet melodic rolls, preserving rhythmic drive in old-time music. The spread to American blues occurred through the banjo's influence on early guitarists, as European fretting methods merged with African string traditions on instruments like the akonting, fostering hammer-ons as a core expressive tool in Delta blues by the late 19th century.^[33]

Modern Developments

The hammer-on technique rose to prominence in 20th-century blues, particularly during the 1930s Delta blues era, where Robert Johnson integrated it into his intricate fingerpicking patterns to evoke raw emotional depth in acoustic performances. This approach influenced subsequent blues artists like B.B. King, who employed hammer-ons to enhance the expressiveness of their solos. By the 1960s, the advent of electric guitar amplification revolutionized the technique's application in rock music, enabling louder, more resonant hammer-ons that cut through amplified ensembles, as pioneered by Jimi Hendrix in his fusion of blues-rock with distortion and feedback. In the late 1970s, innovations in hammer-on execution emerged through Eddie Van Halen's development of two-handed tapping, an advanced extension that used the picking hand for additional fretting to achieve unprecedented speed and fluidity, most notably in the 1978 track "Eruption."^[34]^[35] Van Halen drew inspiration from earlier players like Jimmy Page and Steve Hackett but refined the method for rock contexts, popularizing it despite not inventing the core concept.^[36]^[37] The 1980s saw further technological advancements with digital effects pedals, including compressor sustainers like the Boss CS-2, which evened out volume dynamics and extended note decay, allowing hammer-ons to sustain more naturally and blend seamlessly with picked notes in electric guitar setups.^[38]^[39] In contemporary music, hammer-ons remain essential in metal shredding for executing rapid legato phrases and wide-interval runs, as utilized by guitarists such as Joe Satriani and Greg Howe in high-speed solos.^[18] The technique has also integrated into world music fusions, including jazz fusion and cross-cultural guitar styles that blend Western rock with global rhythms, exemplified in modern instructional contexts.^[40] Since the 2000s, online platforms have democratized hammer-on instruction, with resources from sites like JustinGuitar offering structured exercises for beginners and intermediates, alongside programs from Berklee Online emphasizing its role in diverse genres.^[41]^[42]

Variations

Hammer-On Combinations

Hammer-on combinations extend the basic technique by incorporating multiple sequential or integrated actions, allowing musicians to produce fluid, rapid note sequences without additional picking. On fretted string instruments like the guitar, these combinations leverage the initial pick or pluck to initiate a chain of hammered notes, enhancing speed and expressiveness in performance. Double hammer-ons involve two consecutive hammers from an initial fretted or open note, such as striking the open string and then sharply hammering onto the fifth fret followed by the seventh fret on the same string, all without intermediate picking. This method promotes economy of motion, enabling faster scalar passages by minimizing hand movements and relying on finger strength for clean articulation. Triple hammer-ons extend this further, chaining three hammers in succession—for instance, from open to third, fifth, and seventh frets—to create ascending runs that mimic picked lines but with greater legato quality. According to guitar instructional resources, these sequences are particularly effective for building velocity in lead playing, as they train the fretting hand to generate sufficient force for each subsequent note to ring clearly. Beyond pure sequences, hammer-ons can combine with other techniques to add nuance and dynamics. For example, a hammer-on can transition directly into a slide, where the hammered note is immediately slid to a higher or lower fret, producing a seamless glissando effect useful in blues and rock solos. Similarly, integrating a hammer-on with a bend involves hammering onto a note and then bending the string for pitch variation, enhancing melodic contour without interrupting the flow. In arpeggio playing, hammer-on combinations facilitate fluid sweeps across chords, such as hammering notes on adjacent strings in sequence to simulate a harp-like cascade, which is common in fingerstyle and classical guitar adaptations. These integrations allow for more complex phrasing while maintaining the core principle of left-hand initiation for unpicked notes. Practicing hammer-on combinations requires targeted exercises to develop the necessary finger independence and strength. Chromatic runs, such as ascending from the open string through consecutive frets using double or triple hammers, are standard drills that build endurance and precision, starting slowly with a metronome to ensure each note sustains audibly before increasing tempo. Focus on equal volume across hammered notes by using the minimum force needed for resonance, often incorporating alternate fingerings to avoid fatigue in extended sessions. Instructional guides emphasize gradual progression from single to multi-hammer patterns to achieve clarity, particularly on higher strings where tension is lower. The pull-off technique serves as the inverse of the hammer-on, where a player lifts a finger from a higher fretted note on a string to produce a lower-pitched note without using a pick, relying instead on a slight pluck or snap of the string with the departing finger to generate the required vibration.^[1] This contrasts with the hammer-on's downward force, as the pull-off demands precise control to "hook" the fingertip against the string for tonal clarity and volume, often requiring more finger strength to avoid muting the subsequent note.^[3] Trills involve rapid, alternating applications of hammer-ons and pull-offs between two closely spaced notes, typically a semitone or whole tone apart, to create an ornamental fluttering effect in melodies.^[43] In standard musical notation, trills are marked with "tr" above the principal note, distinguishing them from slower legato phrases, and they emphasize even timing and minimal string noise for a clean, vibrating sound.^[44] While tremolo can refer to similar rapid repetitions, in fretted string contexts it more commonly denotes alternate picking on a single note rather than the pitch alternation of a trill, though both build on legato principles for expressive speed.^[43] Tapping expands the hammer-on concept into a two-handed approach, where the fretting hand hammers notes as usual, but the picking hand's fingers tap additional frets to sound notes without traditional plucking, enabling polyphonic lines and faster passages.^[45] Popularized by Eddie Van Halen in his 1978 instrumental "Eruption," this evolution from single-hand hammer-ons allowed for innovative solos blending melody and harmony, though precursors appear in earlier players like Jimmy Page.^[34]^[35]

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Hammer-on

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Hammer-on

Fundamentals

Definition

Acoustic Principles

Execution

On Fretted String Instruments

On Non-Fretted Instruments

Musical Applications

In Melody and Solos

In Rhythm and Accompaniment

History and Evolution

Origins and Early Use

Modern Developments

Variations

Hammer-On Combinations

References

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