Legato

Legato is a technique used to create fluid and fast lines using little or no picking. The technique basically involves using hammer on's and pull off's to create a smooth sound and will really put your fretting hand to the test. Players like Joe Satriani and Alan Holdsworth use this technique frequently to create some really impressive sounds.

Your fretting hand does all the work in this technique. Practice doing some simple trill exercise to gain strength in your left hand. You need to develop the muscles needed to use this technique. Make sure you stop playing and have a rest if you start to feel pain in your left hand.

You can use your right hand to mute any unwanted string noise. You should find that this technique will allow you to play some really fast and impressive lines.

Exercise 1

The best way to practice this technique is to use small repeating fragments. You need to build up stregth in you fretting hand to make this technique work.

You can practice simple patterns like the one in exercise 2 to develop your fretting hand strength

Exercise 2

If you practice simple legato exercises for a few minutes every day you will soon have a left hand capable of playing some really fast and fluid lines.