In another post I covered ascending slurs, so I figured it would be good to cover the opposite.

Descending slurs, or pull offs, can be a bit tricky as well. Unlike ascending slurs, pull offs require control to make sure the second note does not stick out.

A good way to think about pull offs is that they are rest strokes with the left hand. The finger does not just lift up off the string, that produces a weak sound if any happens to come out. Instead it’s about pulling the finger down off the string–really it’s like plucking the string with a left hand finger. To complete the motion, the left hand finger should come to rest against the next string.

Some other general tips:

• All fingers of a pull off group must be down at the start of the slur, so if you’re slurring from 2 to 1, both fingers must be on the string. Don’t try to synchronize so 1 comes down right as 2 pulls off.
• Try different hand positions. Some work better than others. For my pull offs to sound good, I have to be in a position with the palm of the hand more parallel to the neck.
• Relax! these are easy, it should feel effortless.
• Avoid pulling the string down too far. The finger should just glide right off, don’t do a bend.
• Watch the string on which you come to rest. It’s really easy to get some stray noise and cause that string to sound.

Did you enjoy this article? Check out Question on Scales .

About the Author

Christopher Davis founded The Classical Guitar Blog in 2008. He is currently pursuing a Masters degree in guitar performance. In addition to his studies, Chris is an active teacher and performer based in Middle Tennessee. Connect with Chris on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and the Classical Guitar Network.

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