Legato is an Italian term meaning „to connect smoothly.“ Guitarists use hammer-ons and pull-offs (as well as the occasional slide) to make these kinds of connected sounds. Other musicians (flutists, violinists, trumpet players, etc.) think that most classical guitarists have very uneven legatos: The plucked note is louder than the sound of the note hammered on or pulled off to. However, the uneven sound of the legato is perfect for executing jazz and pop music phrasing.

Most classical guitarists don't even realize that their legatos are uneven; they just accept it as part of their sound. To counter this, we need to attack the note lighter and make the legato stronger. The attack to the fingerboard must be very strong and relaxed. For pull-offs, the concept of follow-through is very important: Your fingers must have a uniform curve so that you are playing on your fingertips in order to get a strong sound. In other words, hand positions have to be perfect in order to play strong legatos.

Practice only a few of the different legato exercises listed below on any given day. Play them up and down any string by shifting positions one fret at a time. Use rest strokes, alternating your index and middle fingers in your right hand. Make sure that your hands stay balanced („thump-to-pressure“) while doing these hammer-ons and pull-offs. Be aware of any extra build-up of tension in your left hand. Take time to relax between each series. As always, practice these very slowly, making all the movements happen very quickly.

This phrase is a great way to develop the evenness of the legato strumming without your right hand.

Flamenco music makes use of every legato technique possible. In the next two examples, lighten up the sound in the right hand to even out the sound of the legato. Most flamenco players will hold the F note on the fourth string, third fret while playing the other hammer-ons and pull-offs that move towards that note. You might try adding a capo to the second or third fret to help if these are tough to play. Many flamenco players use a capo all the time.