Allen Hinds: 8 legato ideas to build fluid, fiery solos
Allen Hinds shares 8 fretting hand legato ideas that improve articulation, open different routes through scales and turn compact motifs into soloing vocabulary. Legato connects notes with hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides, and Hinds treats each pattern as material to explore rather than a lick to copy exactly.
Build legato
Start with accurate articulation. Land each hammer-on close enough to the fret for a clear note, and actively pluck the string during each pull-off without pulling it sharp. Practice with a clean tone so weak notes remain exposed.
Use A Dorian as the working scale: A, B, C, D, E, F sharp and G. Play a pick, pull-off, hammer-on and pick motif, then move it through the scale. The F sharp gives the scale its Dorian character.
Move that motif to the 3rd string while skipping the 2nd string. The string skip adds a wider interval, and you can alternate it with the original version when improvising.
Build a jumping pattern between the 3rd and 5th strings. Play a downstroke, hammer-on and pull-off on the 3rd string, then pick, pull off and hammer on the 5th string. Use a slide to shift the pattern up the neck.
Try 4 note groupings built from pick, hammer-on, pull-off and hammer-on. Move them through the A Dorian scale, then practice a line that descends in pitch while moving up the fretboard with 2 notes per string.
Add chromatic sequences using pick, pull-off, pull-off, hammer-on, then a picked note on an adjacent string. Extend the motif into longer phrases and use half step slides to carry a phrase into its final notes.
Take the slide and stretch pattern across all 6 strings with a downstroke, slide and pull-off. Once the notes ring clearly, change the rhythmic subdivision, groove or time signature. You can also move the idea into another key, including A major.
Finish by doubling notes across the 2nd and 3rd strings with fretting hand stretches. Begin slowly and keep both notes even before attempting the demonstrated speed.
(Compiled)