I do both ways depending where the pulling-off finger is going next

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Originally posted by chuckv97

I do both ways depending where the pulling-off finger is going next

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Chuck has it right. From a SOUND perspective, it doesn't matter. From an efficiency standpoint, I personally think that it IS more efficient to send the pulling-off finger in the direction that it's going to be used next. And playing banjo at speed needs to be efficient.

There are also pull-off variations - discussed previously here - involving which is the left-hand anchor finger and which does the pull-off - or, the way I think of it, the flick. For newer players, I find that it's usually easier to anchor the index and pull off with the ring, simply because of the way our hands are wired. Over time, it becomes easier to go middle to ring. There are those here who claim success with ring to middle.

Never tried that, but am reasonably certain that it can be done.

When I started with the banjo, the pull-off was a source of frustration. I was learning from an instruction book with a poor description of the technique. For the pull-off from the third fret to the second fret on the third string, I was doing what the description suggested; I was pulling the tip of my middle finger off the string, and it just didn't sound right. Eventually, after listening closely to my records, I figured out that, rather than pulling off, you have to actually pick the string with the tip of the middle finger. The technique is really a "pick-off", not a pull-off. I think that pick-off would be a better description, but that's already been taken by baseball.

To get a really snappy pull-off sound, I think the pull-off picking action is more effective than the push-off.

... an instruction book with a poor description?!?!?     "Say it ain't so, Joe."  

I anchor on the second fret third string with my left index finger and place my left middle finger on the third fret third string. I pick the third string and then pull the middle finger off towards my palm. I have done it this way for more years than I care to contemplate, and I just am unable do a push off, although I have tried. The pull off technique came to me by experimenting and finding the sound I wanted. Incidentally, as far as I know the terms "pull off" and "hammer on" came to us from Pete Seeger.

They didnt call Terry Baucom The King Of The Pull Off for nothing. He did it your way if im not mistaken. Saw him on stage. I thouhht the neck wpuld just snap in two from the force he put on his pull off

Push off feels really uncomfortable to me, but I know that others (including Earl) do it both ways. It’s optional.

Hi Laurence,
Yeah, I feel the same way about pull offs being mostly how I did that maneuver. But in certain songs I had to do a push off or I'd bang into another string. I just can't remember which tune....J

I very rarely do a push off and if I do it’ll probably be on the 4th string