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How often do you use Hammer-on's on the bass?

Whousedtoplay

Whousedtoplay

May 18, 2013
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#1
How often do you use Hammer-on's/Pull-off's on the bass?
What tells you to play Hammer-On/Pull-Off instead of playing each note normally - with your right hand?

I don't have questions when you play written notes with the hammer-on sign, but what about when you create a new bassline?

Do you have your own rules about it or it comes naturally to you?
 
#2
Personal preference and the sound you're going for? I don't hammer on particularly hard, so I tend to use them more as a grace note or passing tone with economy of motion so that I don't have to move my plucking hand twice as fast for notes that are more flavour.

However, I do love the sound of making chords with hammerons, especially in jazz.
 
#3
All the time. Here's one I just did with a lot of hard hammer ons to force a sustain without the pluck of the attack...


I use it whenever it feels right, which as I get older seems to be more and more.
 
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#5
Depends on the feel I'm going for with the line. If its in unison with a guitarist, ill play it how they play it with regards to articulation. If I'm making up a bass line it really just depends on how it feels I guess. I find that most of the time I don't really think about it actually.
 
#8
Constantly but yeah I barely ever think about it, prefering to concentrate on what I play rather than how.
I often use hammers with octaves to avoid string skipping.
When I go from a fretted note to an open string, i do it with a pull off which avoid the open string sounding too obnoxious.
Basically I do it when I find it easier or better sounding than plucking.
 
#11
When I play the slap bass, usually I don't have any issues with Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs.
I'm talking about H' and P's without slapping.

Almost all my exercises include 2, 3, or even 2-string-4-fret Hammer-On's and Pull-Off's, that interact with open strings. (One of my personal advice for any beginner bass player, “Befriend the Open Strings”)
I fully understand and advocate the importance of Hammer-Ons and Pull-Offs for any bass players, (it helps develop your rhythmic dexterity, left/fretted hand/finger muscles, etc...)
but...

All those beautiful H's and P's (especially Pull-Offs) tend to disappear in the live band “noise”, unless you are playing solo with the volume up. Also, while performing live, the chances of properly articulated/heard H's and P's depend a lot on your bass' string “freshness”, tone, EQ and effects.


When recording in the studio, I have some kind of mental block of playing Hammer-Ons/Pull-Offs.
I can hear that dynamic difference of the notes involved in H's or P's; therefore, if it's not a solo part, I “must” play each and every note with both my hands.
 
#12
Bassist4Eris said:
No rules; it just happens naturally. The longer you've been playing, the less you'll have to think about these things.
Click to expand...

Indeed. I don't know any bassist in any genre you can name doesn't use them regularly. I do them about as much as anybody, but I don't think "I should do a hammer-on/pull-off here" It just happens naturally. Don't sweat it, you can overthink this kind of stuff, and that will stifle fluidity.
 
#13
C.Linton said:
Indeed. I don't know any bassist in any genre you can name doesn't use them regularly. I do them about as much as anybody, but I don't think "I should do a hammer-on/pull-off here" It just happens naturally. Don't sweat it, you can overthink this kind of stuff, and that will stifle fluidity.
Click to expand...

perhaps but I think virtuoso guitarist Al Di Meola say he doesn't use them or sweep picking among other techniques he is just such a physical freak that he can cleanly pick every note he puts out.
 

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