Getting Started with Hammer-Ons, Pull-Offs, and Bends

Lesson #520 • Oct 11, 2023

Add to My Favorites

Adding to my favorites…

Added (View All Favorites | Remove)

Added (removing…)

Lesson Discussion

Lesson Description

I got a recent question from Song Notes member Alan, who asked for general tips when it comes to learning tricky “articulation” bits such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, and so forth. I recorded this casual Q&A reply, where I talk through each of these techniques and give some general advice for each. To be clear, these are all techniques that can take a while to get comfortable with. Sometimes they come easier, while in other circumstances they’re quite difficult. Fear not, as I’ll walk you through how to think about & practice them, big-picture.

0:00 Lesson Summary
2:32 Hammer-Ons
8:38 Pull-Offs
18:45 Bends

The Question that Inspired This Video

Special thanks to Alan for sending this in via the Song Notes community forum.

Hi David, Back again. Do You have any place where you specifically go into articulation. I would love some tips on more effective ways to hammer-on, pull-off, bend, and so forth. It seems particularly challenging with an acoustic guitar. Thanks as always!

Other Lessons I Reference

Here’s the playlist of suggested lessons that I reference at the beginning of my video. Click any lesson below to view my video tutorial, as well as all other lesson resources.

Hammer-On Practice with G and Cadd9 (feat. "Southside of Heaven")

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!

Donate

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Recently Added

Featured Courses

Guitar for Beginners

A guide to getting started with guitar! Everything you need to know to begin your journey. Choosing a guitar, other gear you'll need, fretting notes & chords, learning your first songs, and more.

14 lessons

View

Beginner Chord Guide

A guide to the must-know chords you'll need when getting started with guitar! The quickest way to learn major chords, minor chords, the chords in each key, and more.

22 lessons

View

Reading Music for Guitarists

Learn to read tabs, chord charts, fretboard diagrams, strumming patterns, and more! This course explains how to understand all of these must-know notation styles.

6 lessons

View

Blues Starter Kit

A guide to must-know elements of beginner blues guitar! I'll walk you through the essential topics, showing you fun things to play along the way.

18 lessons

Fingerstyle & Travis Picking

Practical Music Theory

Walk Ups & Walk Downs

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Interactive fretboard map! See the patterns behind every scale in any key.

View

Capo Captain

An easy way to calculate key & chord combinations, for any capo location!

View

Key Master

See and hear the notes, chords, scales used in each of the most common keys.

View

Blank Tabs

Free PDF templates to download, print, and write out your own guitar tabs!

View

Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!

Recent Lessons

Feb 13-20, 2026

Save Your "Favorite" Lessons, with Custom Collections!

The biggest new feature I've added in years! Build a list of your "Favorite" lessons, organized into custom collections of your choosing. Tons of requests for this... hope you enjoy!
February 4, 2026

Sing & Strum "Piano Man" by Billy Joel

Learn how to play Billy Joel's 1973 classic on your six string! This lesson includes plenty of practical ways to simplify some of the tricky piano chords, to suit a range of skill levels.
Jan 26, 2026

Member Q&A: January 2026

Here's a round-up of the video Q&A I made for Song Notes members over the last few weeks. Plenty of handy practice tips included!
Jan 16, 2026

Melodic Fingerstyle Fun with "Piano Man"

Learn to play the melody to "Piano Man" in a rich, fingerstyle arrangement that includes additional chord tones for harmonic depth. Simplified version included!
Jan 8, 2026

2025: All My Lessons in One Place!

Here's a mega-list of all the lessons I made in the past year! I've grouped them by category, to help you dial into the playing style you're looking for.
Dec 19, 2025

"Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues

Learn how to play this 1987 Christmas classic from The Pogues, featuring Kirsty MacColl. This isn't one I knew of until a few years back, when several Song Notes members sent it in. It's now one of my all-time favorites, and I'm excited to share it with you today.
Dec 12, 2025

"The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire begins this all-timer of a Christmas tune... which I'll teach you to play! My lesson includes a simplified arrangement, as well — for those of you who want to avoid barre chords.
Dec 4, 2025

"If I Needed You" by Emmylou Harris & Don Williams

After many member requests, I'm happy to share my step-by-step lesson for this fingerstyle classic from Townes Van Zandt (taught in the style of Emmylou).
Nov 21, 2025

Learn to Play "Hey Joe", Step-by-Step

Let's dive into this classic from the 1960s! I teach an acoustic version inspired by Billy Roberts, who first recorded this song in 1962 (a few years before Hendrix). Tons of fun!

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage

Getting Started with Hammer-Ons, Pull-Offs, and Bends

Lesson Discussion

Lesson Description

The Question that Inspired This Video

Other Lessons I Reference

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Browse Related Lessons

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Featured Courses

Guitar for Beginners

Beginner Chord Guide

Reading Music for Guitarists

Blues Starter Kit

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Capo Captain

Key Master

Blank Tabs

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Recent Lessons