Guitar Dictionary Category
Picking & Fretting Technique
What Is a Hammer-on?
A hammer-on is a fretting-hand technique that sounds a higher note by bringing a finger firmly onto a string that is already vibrating. The second note is produced without another pick stroke, creating a connected or legato sound. Hammer-ons appear in blues, rock, folk, country, metal, classical guitar, chord embellishments, and melodic ornamentation.
How to Play a Hammer-on
- Fret and pick the lower note.
- Keep that finger in place.
- Bring another finger down quickly onto a higher fret on the same string.
- Land just behind the fret wire so the second note sounds clearly.
The movement should be small and decisive. Slowly squeezing the second finger onto the string usually produces a weak note. Lifting the finger too high before the motion wastes time and can make the hand tense.
Hammer-ons from Open Strings and Fretted Notes
A hammer-on may begin from an open string, such as 0h2, or connect two fretted notes, such as 5h7. In guitar TAB, the letter h commonly appears between the fret numbers. The notation 5h7 means pick the fifth-fret note and hammer the second finger onto the seventh fret without picking again.
Open-string hammer-ons require the new finger to create nearly all of the second note’s energy. Between two fretted notes, the lower finger must remain stable so the string keeps vibrating while the higher finger lands.
Rhythm Is Separate from Force
A hammer-on must land at its written rhythmic position. Beginners often pick the first note and hammer the second immediately, even when the two notes should be even eighth notes. In that case, count 1 and: pick on 1 and hammer on the “and.” The finger still lands firmly, but it waits for the correct subdivision.
Force determines whether the note speaks; rhythm determines when it speaks. These are separate skills and should be practised separately when necessary.
How Loud Should the Hammered Note Be?
The second note should be clear enough to continue the phrase. It does not always need to match the picked note at exactly the same volume, but a disappearing note indicates poor contact, an inaccurate landing, or insufficient finger speed. Compare the two notes and reduce unnecessary pick volume rather than trying to strike the fretboard excessively hard.
A Practical Eighth-Note Exercise
On the third string, play the fifth fret with the index finger and hammer onto the seventh fret with the ring finger. Use a metronome and count:
1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
Pick every numbered beat and hammer every “and.” Repeat the exercise with 5h6, 5h7, and 5h8 so different fingers learn to produce a clear note at the same rhythmic distance.
Hammer-on versus Pull-off
A hammer-on moves to a higher note by adding a fretting finger. A pull-off moves to a lower note by releasing a finger with a slight plucking action. Combining the two techniques creates slurs, trills, ornaments, and longer legato phrases.
Why Hammer-ons Matter
Hammer-ons allow the fretting hand to create articulation independently of the picking hand. They make phrases smoother, add rhythmic decoration to chords, increase note density without extra pick strokes, and help transform scale patterns into expressive riffs and melodic ideas.
Kalymi Tip
Beginners often rush a hammer-on when it appears within a line of even eighth notes. The finger must land firmly enough to sound the second note, but the physical force of the hammer-on should not change its rhythmic placement.
Count the subdivision carefully. For example, if the picked note falls on the beat and the hammer-on falls on the “and,” the two notes should remain evenly spaced. Do not play the hammer-on immediately after the picked note simply because the fretting-hand movement feels fast.
Use enough force to make the hammered note clear, but do not confuse force with speed. A strong hammer-on can still arrive at exactly the correct rhythmic moment.
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Reviewed by
Brent C. Robitaille,
music educator and founder of
Kalymi Music.