How to Play Hammer-ons for Guitar

Adding hammer-ons to a line, scale or lick can bring any musical phrase to the next level. Many great players such as Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and others have used this technique extensively in their solos. Learning to play hammer-ons with the proper technique will greatly your accuracy and add a new emotional dimension to your playing.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

How to Play Hammer-ons for Guitar

1. Place the left-hand index finger on the first fret of the first string.

2. Pluck the first string with a pick or right-hand index finger.

3. "Hammer" down the left-hand ring finger onto the third fret of the first string. Do not re-pluck the string.

4. Practice playing hammer-ons on different string, frets and with different left-hand finger combinations.

Tips & Warnings

• Keeping the second finger close to the string will make it easier to be accurate with a hammer-on. In sheet music, or tablature, a hammer-on is indicated by an arching line between two notes with an "H" written over it.

Resources

• Resources for Guitar Players