Legato Question!

[Majestic]

(duplicated from my post over at the VHLinks....I need advice!)

This is mindless playing, but you can see he's demonstrating sounding notes with ONLY his left hand:

Legato Exercise:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ArQB-RfGWw&search=guitar%20legato

My question is this:

How do you sound legato lines when traveling UPWARDS from a lower string to a higher string? :banghead:

I've seen Kotzen demonstrate a basic "4-1-2-4-2-1" approach while descending from higher strings to lower, but I can't identify what this guy (or others) is doing to "ascend" from lower strings to higher strings without picking.

My pulloffs are very articulate, and I'm able to sound the "pinky note" on the next lowest string AFTER completing the line demonstrated above, which is all you need, because then you could mindlessly repeat the line again.

I'm trying to figure out how to get BACK UP to the higher string without picking. I'm almost certain this guy (and others) aren't hammering with their first finger to play the first note on the next highest string.

Does my question make sense?

Basically, I've figured out how to "start" my legato lines with a "hard pinky hammer" followed by a plucky pulloff, but can't figure out how to "start" a line with any other finger. Trying to get a good "rolling" sound while starting from the B string, and hopping up to the E string, for instance.

How do I do it? :banghead:

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Legato Question!

In my experience when "legatoing up" the hammer on is usually simply appllied with such force as to sound the note.... this is why it´s called a hammer-on and not a Feather-on

 

[Majestic]

Re: Legato Question!

My question is, how do you travel UPWARDS from one string to a *higher* string? Are people using their pinkies for that too? Are they actually using their first finger? The middle one?

When going DOWN strings, the pinky is the logical choice, and sounds fluid because it's the next lowest note in the scale. When going upwards, using the pinky to start off the next string feels a bit odd. It also doesn't sound right to me, so I'm assuming I'm playing the wrong patterns.

 

[y2stevo]

Re: Legato Question!

Well it will depend on what pattern you are playing obviously. Like if the pattern was to start every string while ascending with the pinky then obviously you would hammer down with the pinky, But likewise if you are playing a pattern that begins using the 1st finger then you would hammer with the 1st finger.

The only possible way that i can think of from sounding a not is either Hammering on, or picking it, So the guy HAS to be either hammering or picking the note.
and if it's the first finger he is hammering with you'll need to take some time to develope that move, For me at least the hammering with the 1st finger doesn't seem natural.
But like everything you used to not be able to play the more you practise it the more natural it will feel

 

[nuntius]

Re: Legato Question!

You hammer on.. first finger if it's in the right place.. though you can use any finger

Practice doing this lick


1 - 3 - 5. Start on the low E, then A.. and work your way to the top E string.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Legato Question!

download some videos of allan holdsworth and study him- he picks like 1 note in 100, and he effortlessly changes and skips strings.

 

[Majestic]

Re: Legato Question!

You guys looked at the amazing video in the link, right? :eek13:

He's on par with Holdsworth, trust me. He never touches the guitar with his right hand once.

I'm just talking about patterns. Maybe the guy truly *is* maneuvering to the next string by hammering with his first finger.....it just seems odd.

I've seen Satriani, Petrucci, Vai, etc. do it. I just don't get how they ascend (or float back n' forth, up & down). Maybe the first finger is the secret.

 

[nuntius]

Re: Legato Question!

Yeah, it's Toni Lloret, he posts occasionaly on another board I frequent.

Trust me, he's hammering on with his first finger.

I think you might be keeping your first finger on the fretboard while fretting notes above it on the same string? That would make it hard to go up a string

 

[Majestic]

Re: Legato Question!

You know what? I do.

So I need to break that habit? Or else just accept picking the first note on the next highest string?

Some of my problem is the neck I'm playing. It's got a very round fingerboard with very short frets, so my fingers are constantly rubbing on the wood. My skin sort of "mushes" into the wood and doesn't get a good grip on the string to sort of "pluck" it during pulloffs, or slam it during hammerons.

Still, I've not mastered the technique even at half speed, so I can't blame the neck/frets.