The Hammer-on
A "Hammer-on" refers to the technique of sounding a note without actually picking the string with the pick. The sound is produced by striking the string with one of the left hand fingers. As an example, hold a D chord and then, keeping the second and third fingers in position, lift the first finger off the third string.
Pick the open third G note then bring the first finger down firmly and quickly to its position on the 2nd fret (the A note) without picking the string again. This action should produce the A note quite clearly. After the hammer-on has been completed, strum the D chord.
In music notation, what you have just played can be written as such:
The hammer-on is indicated by the curved line and small "H" between the two notes in question. Remember that the second note (A) is not picked; its sound is produced entirely by the first finger "hammering-on" to the string.
The hammer-on is most effective when used in conjunction with strumming and bass note picking.
Be very careful with the timing of the hammer-on. Both the G and A are eighth notes, and each should have an equal time value when played, regardless of the hammer-on technique.
The hammer-on is extremely popular and can be played with virtually any chord shape. It can also be played with any finger holding a note of the chord. The following exercise uses the hammer-on in conjunction with the 3 principle chords in the key of D; D, G and A7. For the D and G chords, the hammer-on is played by the first finger; for the A7 chord it is played by the second finger.
The combinations of hammer-ons, bass note picking and bass note runs are virtually endless, so you should experiment as much as possible. The following studies, in the keys of D, A minor and C, make use of these techniques, together with a wide range of chord shapes.
"A Minor Blues" features a new chord shape for Am (bar 16). Be sure to hold all bass notes where bass note picking is involved.
Take special note of the chord fingerings in bars 2 and 12, which are designed to maintain a smooth bass line. You may need to practice some of the hammer-ons separately (e.g., bar 2) before playing the whole piece through.
