Pull-Off Exercise

The following Pull-Off exercise is another exercise I give to my students who want to learn lead guitar. Pull-Off's, like Hammer-on's, require that a note sounds without the string being plucked with your picking hand. Instead, the fretting hand fingers must pull off of the fretboard for the note to sound. This technique is a little bit harder to do than a hammer-on because when you pull off of the string with one of your fretting fingers, the finger that is being pulled off must pluck the string as it leaves in order for the next note to sound. It is a good idea to observe someone who knows how to do a pull-off because words don't work good enough in this particular case. Notice in the example below that I show you what fingers to use on your fretting hand. (I = Index, M = Middle, R = Ring, P = Pinky) I also show you when to pluck the string. (D = Downstroke, U = Upstroke) When you do the following exercise, start out slowly making sure that every note sounds. It is a good idea to work with a metronome on this to keep a steady pace going. Once you sound good at one speed move it up a little faster. Keep increasing the speed and pushing yourself. Have fun. 


E------------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------------
D------------------------------------------------------
A------------------------------------------------------
E-4^1--3^1--2^1--5^2--4^2--3^2--...--12^9--11^9--10^9--
  P I  R I  M I  P I  R I  M I       P  I  R  I  M  I
  D    D    D    D    D    D         D     D     D
Do this pattern on all strings.

Now practice alternating downstrokes and upstrokes like you did with Hammer-on's. After you feel comfortable with hammer-on's and the above exercise, try the following exercise that uses both hammer-on's and pull-off's. 


E--------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------
A--------------------------------------------------------
E-1^2^1--1^3^1--1^4^1--2^3^2--2^4^2--2^5^2--...--9^12^9--
  I M I  I R I  I P I  I M I  I R I  I P I       I P  I
  D      D      D      D      D      D           D
Do this pattern on all strings.


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