[Bodies]

All right so I'd like to learn how to play hammer ons but I just really really really cannot make the notes sound. No matter how hard I hammer on the string, the result is always either a very weak sound or no sound at all.

I have a classical guitar and I've heard that those usually have high actions so maybe that's the problem. By the time I've pressed the string down, the note's stopped ringing. Either that or I'm the one doing something wrong and muting it.

I haven't seen much hammer on instruction on this site so I was wondering if any of you guys could give me some tips? Is it even possible to play a clean sounding hammer-on on a classical guitar?

[6string]

being a classical is not the problem

maybe you have to hammer on faster?

[Bodies]

The fact that it's a classical isn't the problem, no. But maybe the action is too high?

Cause I hammer on fast enough but still, doesn't sound. Or it sounds very very weakly which is no good either. Or perhaps I just expect it to sound louder and it's not supposed to. :| Is a hammer-on supposed to sound as loud as a picked note, for example?

In any way, I know it's supposed to sound much louder than it does and it's kinda frustrating that I seem to be doing everything like I should but with no result.

[allthumbs]

Hmmm. Even with high strings the hammer on should work. What happens when yo do trills?

[Bodies]

Well, I guess in other words, that'd be "more practice".

Thanks for the replies!

[Matty22]

Perhaps your not picking the string hard enough (just a thought)
I found with my steel string, that i have to give it a slightly harder whack, to get a clear hammer on...

Matty22

[Bodies]

Originally Posted by allthumbs

Hmmm. Even with high strings the hammer on should work. What happens when yo do trills?

I don't do trills...I can't really do trills if the hammer ons don't sound, now can I? :|




And Matty22, thanks for the tip, I'll check it out tomorrow!

[allthumbs]

Originally Posted by Bodies

I don't do trills...I can't really do trills if the hammer ons don't sound, now can I? :|




And Matty22, thanks for the tip, I'll check it out tomorrow!

You missed the point. Can you do the second half of a trill, the pull off? Does the note sound. Some people find it easier to do trills than pull offs and hammer ons individualy when they first start.
When you hold a note with the index and hold the next note up on the same string, how clear is the note?
I have never heard of anyone not being able to do at least one hammer on after an hour or less. Makes me wonder about your guitar set up which is why I asked these silly queastions.

[Bodies]

Originally Posted by allthumbs

You missed the point. Can you do the second half of a trill, the pull off? Does the note sound. Some people find it easier to do trills than pull offs and hammer ons individualy when they first start.
When you hold a note with the index and hold the next note up on the same string, how clear is the note?
I have never heard of anyone not being able to do at least one hammer on after an hour or less. Makes me wonder about your guitar set up which is why I asked these silly queastions.

Well, the pull offs aren't much better, no. I mean, I can hear a note but it's so faint that it practically doesn't count. Same with the hammer ons.

However, I've worked with the hammer ons this afternoon and I've managed to make a couple sound okay. But I have to really hit down on the strings very hard. That's probably how it's got to be done anyway, I'm not sure. I've seen people do them on electric guitars and they hardly seem to have to hit the strings at all. Nevertheless, hammer ons on an electric and a classical can't really be compared, hm.

I don't think there's a problem with the guitar itself because everything else that I do sounds as it should. On the other hand, I'm still only in the beginner-intermediate stage so I don't do all THAT much yet. So basically it must be me who's doing something wrong.

[allthumbs]

It does take more force than you would think to hammer the thicker strings on an acoustic and nylon strings are going to be quieter still. Electrics are fairly easy. Players who have been at it a long time can make it look easy because their hands are so strong from practice. I'm glad you have your foot in the door now. After hammer ons on a nylon, you will be booming them out on a steel string.

[Rockerbob]

How old are the strings?

I find it's just a matter of really whacking the string with a hammer-on. Old strings won't respond as well as fresh strings.

[Bennett]

Hiya Bodies!

To perform hammer-ons effectively I've found that it's not so much how HARD you hit the string but rather how FAST.

I know this sounds like you can't have one without the other but it's more to describe the action in which a hammer-on is performed.

Basically you're looking for a quick SNAP onto the string; this can be performed with the finger starting just above the string (ie. you don't need to get a big 'run-up' to slam the finger down.

Probably the best exercise to get the hang of it is to just use the Em chord: start with the open A string then hammer on to get the B note (2nd fret). Hit the open D string then hammer on the 2nd fret for the E note. You can then reverse this to practise your pull-offs.

Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll nail it soon. Oh, and doing hammer-ons/pull-offs on an electric is a helluva lot easier so being able to perform them on a classical/acoustic will mean you'll be able to do them on just about anything.

[Bodies]

Originally Posted by allthumbs

It does take more force than you would think to hammer the thicker strings on an acoustic and nylon strings are going to be quieter still. Electrics are fairly easy. Players who have been at it a long time can make it look easy because their hands are so strong from practice. I'm glad you have your foot in the door now. After hammer ons on a nylon, you will be booming them out on a steel string.

Yea, I've noticed that on the thinner strings, I manage to make the hammer ons' sound relatively easily! However, the strings on my guitar aren't nylon. I know a classical is usually supposed to have nylon strings but I chose to put steel ones on mine to get a more "acoustic" sound. I read somewhere that steel strings aren't good on a classical guitar as they create too much tension but...at least I get the desired sound.

[Bodies]

Originally Posted by Rockerbob

How old are the strings?

I find it's just a matter of really whacking the string with a hammer-on. Old strings won't respond as well as fresh strings.

The strings were last changed around November/December of last year so that's about six/seven months now. I know I should probably be changing them more often but I can't really afford it. And yea, that's quite pathetic, considering the price. >.>

[Rockerbob]

Danger! Steel strings will destroy a classical guitar! Even light steel strings have a lot more tension than nylon.