Advice with pull offs

[ianardo]

Hey guys I'm having trouble with pull offs, even on a wider nut acoustic, and any input would be appreciated

It's the fretted pull offs in between strings, I can't avoid catching the other strings, it's manageable when it's an pull off to an open string, but the fretted pull offs (if that's the name for it) have a much lower action and I haven't managed to make a sufficient sound and avoid the other strings. Are there any tips, I don't quite get the mechanics of how to pull off a pull off haha :) - I guess it's just practise right? as with everything else that's to do with guitar

[mmmaak]

I guess it's just practise right? as with everything else that's to do with guitar

Pretty much :D

(sorry for absolutely useless reply)

[jeffro]

Try pulling 'up' (away from the fretboard) more than 'over' (into the next string).

You can also mute the next string up (like the D string when fretting the A string) by flattening your finger a bit so that it rests on the string you don't want to sound.

[rick-slo]

http://69.41.173.82/forums/showthread.php?t=132733&highlight=pull

[mmmaak]

You can also mute the next string up (like the D string when fretting the A string) by flattening your finger a bit so that it rests on the string you don't want to sound.
I'll have to disagree with that. It works, for sure, but is more of a crutch than a solution. What happens when you need to play the adjacent string or let it ring (which happens quite often, at least for my playing)?

To the OP, I'm guessing you're trying to pull off at a slightly lateral angle to get a little more "bite" on the note. One thing that I forgot to mention is that having a good setup (so that the jacent string action is low enough) may help :)

[paul84]

I think damping the adjacent string is a valid classical technique (I have seen it suggested by good classical players) - when the volume of a strong pull off is needed. Sure you can't always do it as you will sometimes need to let the other string ring. I don't feel its any more of a crutch than using a thumb to fret the 6th string for example - I would learn to apply both techniques (damping and not damping) then apply whichever is appropriate.

[mmmaak]

I think damping the adjacent string is a valid classical technique (I have seen it suggested by good classical players) - when the volume of a strong pull off is needed.
No harm knowing both, of course. But if someone can do the former (without muting) they can surely do the latter.

I don't feel its any more of a crutch than using a thumb to fret the 6th string for example....
Well, coming from an avid thumb-fretter :D, I don't think it's the same since that particular technique allows many things that would be physically impossible otherwise, making it much more of an enabler than a crutch.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying "don't ever mute", but rather "learn not to at first" :)

[ianardo]

Thanks guys, great advice as always - I'll keep at it, link was useful rick ;)

[TBman]

A good exercise is to plant your middle finger on the 3rd fret of the E (bass) string and pull off the 4th fret and the 2nd fret using your pinky and index on the G string(a double pull off):

3xx4xx
3xx2xx

work on the pinky pull off first, leaving the other two fingers planted.

[paul84]

Well, coming from an avid thumb-fretter :D, I don't think it's the same since that particular technique allows many things that would be physically impossible otherwise, making it much more of an enabler than a crutch.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying "don't ever mute", but rather "learn not to at first" :)

Yes, I know you're a thumb fretter - that's why I bought it up :)

There's an interesting article here
http://douglasniedt.com/techtipslursmultipage1.html
This includes advice on 'safety stops' (muting, when pulling off) - ironically I found this link from one of Mak's earlier posts!!

Cheers
Paul

[mmmaak]

Yes, I know you're a thumb fretter - that's why I bought it up :)

There's an interesting article here
http://douglasniedt.com/techtipslursmultipage1.html
This includes advice on 'safety stops' (muting, when pulling off) - ironically I found this link from one of Mak's earlier posts!!

Cheers
Paul

That *is* ironic, Paul :lol:

Quite a collection of useful tips, eh? I'll admit I haven't even been through 10% of them. Loads of good stuff and interesting concepts.

[jeffro]

What happens when you need to play the adjacent string or let it ring (which happens quite often, at least for my playing)?

Um... don't mute it? ;)

The OP said they didn't want the adjacent string to sound, so I thought that muting it (with the 'fretting' finger BTW) might work.

[Herb Hunter]

Having read through this thread, I'm not so sure I know what a pull-off is. What is it? Is there more than one definition?

[mmmaak]

Um... don't mute it? ;)
My point was if the OP wanted to learn to do pull-offs, he should learn it the "right" (I use that term very loosely) way first without having to purposely mute the adjacent string. The deliberate muting (with either hand) can always be learned later.

The OP said they didn't want the adjacent string to sound, so I thought that muting it (with the 'fretting' finger BTW) might work.
It sure would, but I was under the impression that he wanted to train the fretting finger to do a clean pull-off rather than just treat the "symptom" of a ringing string.

[Bern]

Having read through this thread, I'm not so sure I know what a pull-off is. What is it? Is there more than one definition?

Pull-off a stunt...Herb :)
Anyway, it's pulling your finger off the string in such a way that the next fretted note or open string will ring without actually playing it with your right hand. Multiple notes can be played this way in succession as well if the notes are fretted prior, of course. It's all practice...

[Herb Hunter]

Pull-off a stunt...Herb :)
Anyway, it's pulling your finger off the string in such a way that the next fretted note or open string will ring without actually playing it with your right hand. Multiple notes can be played this way in succession as well if the notes are fretted prior, of course. It's all practice...

Thanks. That is my understanding but the talk of needing to mute other strings made me wonder if I was wrong as I couldn't envision causing adjacent strings to vibrate in the process.

I agree that one should learn how to pull-off without having to rely on muting. The way I pull-off, I use more of a hammer movement (vertical) than a plucking one (horizontal). In that way, one can quickly do an entire run from the first to the sixth string without using the right hand at all.

[mmmaak]

Thanks. That is my understanding but the talk of needing to mute other strings made me wonder if I was wrong as I couldn't envision causing adjacent strings to vibrate in the process.

I agree that one should learn how to pull-off without having to rely on muting. The way I pull-off, I use more of a hammer movement (vertical) than a plucking one (horizontal). In that way, one can quickly do an entire run from the first to the sixth string without using the right hand at all.
Hi Herb, I think I understand your confusion now. Doing an "inverse" hammer-on is indeed one way of executing a pull-off. However, a little more "bite" to the note is often desired, and that's where adding a little lateral angle to the pull-off comes into play, possibly exciting an adjacent string :)

I think it's quite possible to perform runs even with slightly lateral pull-offs. It just takes practice (there's that dirty word again!!) to get the angle right. A good setup may help too, as mentioned earlier.