Guitar 5: Make it sing
Hammer and pull
New signs in the tab
- 5h8: hammer-on. Pick fret 5, then slam a finger onto fret 8. Do not pick again.
- 8p5: pull-off. Pick fret 8, then flick that finger off so fret 5 sounds.
- 5/7: slide. Pick fret 5 and slide the same finger to fret 7.
- 7b9: bend. Pick fret 7 and push the string up until it sounds like fret 9.
- 7~: vibrato. Hold the note and wobble it with small quick bends.
One pick per string. The second note comes from the fretting hand only.
e|-------------------|-------------5h8---| B|-------------------|-------5h8---------| G|-------------------|-5h7---------------| D|-------------5h7---|-------------------| A|-------5h7---------|-------------------| E|-5h8---------------|-------------------|
Pass: the hammered note is as loud as the picked one.
Put both fingers down first. Pick, then flick the higher finger off, slightly sideways.
e|-8p5---------------|-------------------| B|-------8p5---------|-------------------| G|-------------7p5---|-------------------| D|-------------------|-7p5---------------| A|-------------------|-------7p5---------| E|-------------------|-------------8p5---|
Pass: the second note rings clear on all six strings.
Guitar 5: Make it sing
Slide and bend
Keep the pressure on while you slide. Use the ring finger.
e|-------------------|-------------------| B|-------------------|-------------------| G|-------------5/7---|-7/5---------------| D|-------5/7---------|-------7/5---------| A|-5/7---------------|-------------7/5---| E|-------------------|-------------------|
Pass: you hear the note arrive, not just a scrape.
First play fret 9 on the G string and remember the sound. Then bend fret 7 up to match it. Ring finger bends, index and middle help push. Same on the B string: 8 up to the sound of 10.
e|-------------------------|-------------------------| B|-------------------------|-10----8b10--10----8b10--| G|-9-----7b9---9-----7b9---|-------------------------| D|-------------------------|-------------------------| A|-------------------------|-------------------------| E|-------------------------|-------------------------|
Pass: the bent note matches the target note five times in a row.
Guitar 5: Make it sing
Shake and combine
Hold A on the D string, fret 7. Small, even wobbles in time with the click. Let it ring four beats.
e|-------------------------| B|-------------8~----------| G|-------7~----------------| D|-7~----------------7~----| A|-------------------------| E|-------------------------|
Pass: the note sings for four full beats without dying.
Slide, hammer-on, bend, pull-off, vibrato. One note per click, then let the last A ring.
e|-------------------------------| B|-------------------------------| G|-------------7b9---7p5---------| D|-------5h7---------------7~----| A|-5/7---------------------------| E|-------------------------------|
Pass: every technique is clear and the line sounds like one phrase.
Tip
These five moves are the difference between playing notes and playing guitar. From now on, add at least one of them to every exercise you repeat.