Legato Part One
Possibley the most usefull of all techniques on the guitar, but too often the least understood. Legato (also known as "finger tapping") is a technique where we dont pick the notes, but we "hammer on" to the note with our fingers. We can use the fingers of either hand, it doesn't matter, what does matter, however, is that we get a smooth, fluid sounding note that, even with a ridiculous amount of gain, will sound clean and clear.
The word "legato" comes from the italian verb "lagare", which translates as "to tie" (the actual word "legato" means "tied"). This means, in a musical context, that there should be no gap between the notes. This creates a very smooth sound.
The first exercise just uses the fretting hand:
At first, you should play this exercise on the higher frets (as here, the 10th fret), and as your hand becomes more accustomed to the stretch you can move your way down to the first fret (where the frets are wider apart). Remember, you dont pick the notes, just hammer your finger onto the string (indicated in the TAB by the "H" underneath). This requires alot of finger strength to do properly, as the only thing you should be moving to get this effect is your fingers!
Here is how it sounds:
Exercise 1
When you listen to the audio example, remember that none of the movement comes from the arm or the wrist, and your hand should be with your palm parallel with the side of the neck, and your fingers parallel to the frets themselves. Also this exercise should be played as slow as possible, because at slower speeds it gets harder to make the notes sound out and this gives your fingers more of a workout! So play it as slow and clear as you can while still making the notes sound.
DO NOT MOVE YOUR PALM SIDEWAYS!
Moving your palm so that your little finger is further away from the fretboard will only make things harder for you. So many people do it, and all it acheives is that your hand gets into an awkward position for reaching the notes, your wrist becomes tense and twisted, and your third and forth fingers struggle to reach the notes! Your hand should stay in the position I described, with each finger about the same distance from the frets, and each note you hammer on should be produced by just a finger movement.
This technique is, unfortunately, almost impossible at first. However, if you give it time and patience, its one of the best ways there is at increasing the strength and dexterity of your fingers. If that doesnt sound great enough, you should read my article on hand mechanics about my guitar technique and why finger strength is so important in playing the guitar.
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