This exercise is from the Core Skills section on developing Speed Techniques. As usual, check out the normal speed audio first.

So far we have focused mainly on hammers. Now let's work on the other main legato technique - Pull offs. This is a mirror of our first legato exercise, except this time using pull offs to descend down across the strings.

Here we use pull offs in 3's along each string. Notice that each string is initially picked (you can't avoid picking altogether when using legato techniques). But notice that each pick is an upstroke. Now, when you get really fast at this exercise you should notice that you are actually doing more of a controlled strum up the strings with your picking hand. In a way this is like sweep picking. The advantage to legato techniques is that you don't always have to alternate pick each note. While your fretboard hand manages the pull offs your picking hand has more time to shift from string to string.

Do it as we show here, using the upstrokes per string. Don't be tempted to alternate pick each string. Because when it gets to full speed, the upstrokes will actually work out to be easier and faster!

Just like hammer ons, you don't have to linger on strings with supporting fingers to play fast pull offs. In other words, you don't have to have all 3 fingers on the string and pull off between each one (like we show the first time). That is the beginner way. Instead, you can do it like we show on the rest of the 5 strings after that: As soon as one finger performs the pull off, place the other finger behind it for the next pull off. Remove it as soon as the next note is played. There is a tiny overlap between fingers arriving / leaving the string in order to get the pull off working, but nothing more than that. All your fretboard fingers should be constantly moving through this exercise. Do it this way and you can get very fast, fluid pull offs.

Like our previous exercises, focus on getting the timing right. It is important that each note lasts the same amount of time.