Skip to practice
FretShuffle

Guitar warmup exercise

Legato ladder

Balance hammer-ons and pull-offs through progressive two- and three-finger legato cells.

Choose a level

Exercise difficulty
Beginner variation

Two-finger hammer-on and pull-off

How to play it

  1. Fret note 5 with finger 1, pick once, then hammer finger 2 onto fret 6.
  2. Pick fret 6 once and pull off cleanly back to fret 5.
  3. Repeat with finger pairs 1–3 and 1–4 only while the hand stays relaxed.
Read this pattern in words

On the B string pick fret 5 with finger 1, hammer to fret 6 with finger 2, then pick fret 6 and pull off to fret 5. Repeat with frets 5 and 7.

Focus points

  • A clear second note without another pick attack
  • A small pull-off motion along the string
  • Even volume between the two notes

Common mistakes

  • Hitting the higher fret with excessive force
  • Pulling the string far enough to bend it sharp
Make it easier
Use only fingers 1 and 2 on the B string.
Make it harder
Move the same pair across three adjacent strings.

Put it into a routine

Continue with a balanced 10-minute beginner warmup, or browse the complete catalogue to choose another technique.