How to Play Pull-Offs on Guitar

In today’s lesson, I’m going to show you how to play pull-offs on guitar in a way that sounds clear, clean, and rhythmically solid. We’ll go over how to practice them, how to make them sound better, and – most importantly – how to actually use them in your playing.

Just like hammer-ons, pull-offs are often taught as a technique, but not always shown in a musical context. So we’ll fix that! Stick around until the end of this page where I walk you through three types of pull-offs, with examples from real songs to help make it stick.

What Is a Pull-Off on Guitar?

A pull-off is when you pluck a note with your fretting hand instead of your picking hand. It sounds simple, but making it sound good takes a bit of technique.

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3 Types of Pull-Offs (With Examples)

1. Closed-Position Pull-Offs

These happen when both notes are fretted. A perfect example? The first few measures of the guitar solo in Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.

Try this:

• Place your ring finger on the 7th fret of the G string.
• Pull off to the index finger on the 5th fret.

Tips:

• Use the tip of your finger for better accuracy.
• Flick your finger slightly downward instead of lifting it off.
• Match the volume of your pull-off to your picked note.

🎯 Pro Tip: If your pull-offs sound too quiet, it’s totally normal at first. Practice for just a couple of minutes a day and you’ll be amazed at the progress.

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2. Pull-Offs to Open Strings

These are super fun and sound great in riffs and melodies. One of the most iconic examples is Thunderstruck by AC/DC.

At first, I would try it with the E minor pentatonic scale.

E Minor Pentatonic Scale (Open Position)

e|--------------------------0--3---
B|---------------------0--3--------
G|----------------0--2-------------
D|-----------0--2------------------
A|------0--2-----------------------
E|0--3-----------------------------

Focus on:

• Staying relaxed
• Being accurate
• Using small, efficient movements

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Using Pull-Offs Rhythmically

Pull-offs don’t always have to be flashy. They can be:

• Grace notes (quick and subtle)
• Rhythmic notes (quarter or eighth notes)

💡 Remember: Pull-offs are a tool. Use them to enhance your musical expression, not just as a flashy trick.

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Practice With Me

🎯 To make your life easier, I’ve put together a worksheet with all the TABs from this lesson. You can grab it on my Patreon page.

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Want to Go Deeper with Lead Guitar?

If you’re ready to dive deeper into lead playing, including pull-offs, slides, bends, vibrato and all the tools that make solos sing…

👉 Check out my The Complete Lead Guitarist

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Thanks for following along with this lesson!

Have a fun time practicing, and I’ll see you soon!
-James