What Are Pull-Offs?
Pull-offs are a super common guitar technique that adds additional flavor to your playing. They are often used alongside hammer-ons as part of the legato technique.
Musical Example:
For a sample of what this can sound like in a musical context, check out the intro to “The Spirit of Radio” by Rush.
Featured Lesson
To learn the basics of pull-offs check out this lesson by Nate Savage from Guitareo.
Important takeaways from the lesson are:
- Playing a scale “legato” style (with hammer-ons and pull-offs) (0:30)
- The technique behind a pull-off (2:15)
- “Picking” the note with your pull-off finger (2:40)
- Pairing the pull-off with a simultaneous hammer-on (3:10)
- Mixing hammer-ons with pull-offs exercise (3:30)
Acoustic Guitar Pull-Offs
Tony Polecastro of Acoustic Life shows the pull-off technique with an acoustic guitar.
Heavy Pull-Offs
Alex Skolnik of Testament showing his hammer-on and pull-off technique.
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