barre chords

[Compact Diss]

ok so these are very very frustrating for me--anyone else have this experience learning these? My teacher and I are working on "Tears in Heaven" by Clapton and this has brought me to these type of chords--I asked my teacher if the song was too advanced for me but he said no--after my lesson I come home and do research on the stuff he has given me--the barre chords have opened up all new things. The note names on each string and so on, I've known EBGDAE but other than that I didn't know the individual fret notes and so on. practice practice practice-

[Tedster]

They're tricky. A lot of people have trouble keeping their index finger flat. And double barre chords can be horrible to learn. My recommendation, start easy, with partially barred chords. Remember your open F? That's about the simplest, barring your first finger across the E and B strings at the first fret. Then DMaj7...barring across the E, B, and G strings at the second fret. But, take it slowly...then work up to your regular barre chords. Some people physically can't play them. I knew a guy who had had an injury from an electric saw who cut a tendon a long time ago who couldn't.

 

Fun fact: John Lennon, at least early on, didn't seem to have been able to play double barre chords. Old film clips show him sliding the E shape barre chord up and down the neck, when going to the double barre would have been more convenient.

[D_dup3]

You weren't really clear as to what's giving you difficulty...other than perhaps the note-recognition.

The toughest part for me as a beginner was building the callus all along the finger rather than at just the tip.

 

Remember: the position on the 1st (or 6th) string gives you a marker for pitch for the most common barre forms ("E" or "F" shapes); & the 5th string for the next most common form ("A" shape).

[KARL FISHER]

The biggest thing is to not get frustrated! It just takes a little time and practice. The next thing you know, you'll realize, wow, I did'nt even have to think about forming that chord. It's kind of like learning to ride a bike. It's only difficult in the beginning...after that, look out! Have fun and PATIENCE. And never fear submitting a post and asking for help.

 

Karl (skynfan)

[Dave da Dude]

Yeah, I agree. Just keep practicing. Some day you'll wonder why it was so hard!

 

Just today I went to show my thirteen year old how hard it was for me to do the stretch between 3rd & 5th frets and then 3rd & 7th frets on 5th and 6th strings and you know what? It wasn't so hard. And I've only practiced it three times!

 

Dave

[whitefang]

I've always had a bitch of a time playing anything other than the "E" position while Barring. If "double Barring" means what I think it does, I usually do that. But mostly, I use the lazy "thumb over the neck" mauever instead of a barre.

 

And, I've seen Clapton play that tune several different times on tapes and such. Didn't notice him using too many barre chords on that. Wonder what your teacher's up to?

 

Whitefang

[Compact Diss]

I have no clue what he's up to-but if it leads to me playing the guitar-I'm happy--I've already seen lots of progress--I appreciate all the help everyone-just venting I guess

[Dave da Dude]

Venting is necessary. Then you can settle down and practice again. It's a cycle, and it's a natural reaction to the frustration of learning something that seems so impossible at the time.

 

Hang in there. It will all be worth it.

 

Dave.

[SoundWrangler]

Most people don't know that barre chords are named after Martin Barre, guitarist for Jethro Tull, who invented this technique...

[jsj]

Originally posted by SoundWrangler:

Most people don't know that barre chords are named after Martin Barre, guitarist for Jethro Tull, who invented this technique...

NOT!

[Dave da Dude]

Hey Compact Diss,

 

See other post by Nollykins, "I'm back after much ... stuff". There's some good advice there, something said triggered something I remembered about barre chords, curve your index finger, also as said "up there", you're only really pressing on three strings, 1st, 2nd & 6th.

 

Once you learn the (any) barre chord it opens up a whole new world, majors, minors, 7th's, etc for ANY chord! Just move up and down the fretboard and move your other three fingers "around a little".

 

Different threads, words, thoughts trigger different memories (expecially when you're old enough to fart dust, like me).

 

Dave

[Compact Diss]

I'm doing a lot better with it--just another matter of repetition, playing the chord over and over until it's right. I cramped up my hand last night but it's all part of the game. I'm not playing it 100% yet but it's moving along even if slowly...practice practice practice----

[Sylver]

Originally posted by whitefang:

But mostly, I use the lazy "thumb over the neck" mauever instead of a barre.

 

Nothing lazy about that! A lot of people associate the thumb over chord with Hendrix, but all those jazz/swing old timers were using them for years before Jimi. When there is a lot of voice leading and chord changing going on, it's a lot simpler to use your thumb that to completely change your grip, especially when playing inversions that skip stings.

[baronedo]

I suggest you merge into barre chords as a variation to two popular Open chords that you know as follows:

 

1. The Open E chord: Think of your 6 string (i.e. low E) as being the locator of the root position for this chord. On an open E the 6th string is not fretted and is "open". Now move this shape up one fret with your index finger barring the 1st fret. The 6th string Root locator is now and F note and hence the barred chord is an F chord. Learn the various fretboard notes along your low E string (and high E string for that matter) and as you move this shape, your index finger with barre the Root, which is the note that names the chord. This is commonly called a 6th String Root barre chord.

 

2. The Open A Chord: Similarly play the open A chord and notice that the Fifth string in now the Root locator. Move this shape up by barring the 5th string Root locator fret with your index finger (one fret up and it becomes an A# or Bb chord). I also fret the other 3 notes as a barre with my 3rd finger but some people play each of these notes separately - it's personal preference. Again, learn the notes along the fifth string and the index finger barre which become the Root location for any given chord of this shape. This is commonly called a 5th String Root barre chord.

 

After you have learned the above simple major barre chords, you can then learn their related dominant seventh, minor, minor sevenths, major sevenths, and other barre chords which build off of the above barre chords. Also, pick up a good chord book that has a section on Moveable Chords - which is a fancy name for Barre chords.

 

One word of encouragement: It will take awhile to develop your finger strength and dexterity to cleanly play chords, particularly barre chords. This in NORMAL so don't get frustrated. I speak from experience as I started and gave up on the guitar on two occasions as I was a bass player and couldn't get the hang of the guitar chord fingering. Finally, I told myself that if millions of others could do it, so could I. One day it clicked and was like riding a bike and today I am a pretty accomplished player. Stay determined and don't let the normal frustruation overwhelm you.

[D_dup3]

Hey, Lancer, thanks for "condensing" my post into such concision!

[Dave da Dude]

Hey Lancer,

 

I liked your explanation. It just so happens that I JUST figured that out yesterday. I've been playing barre chords for twenty-five years and it took a book (The Roots of Rock 'n' Roll, Sokolow) to show it to me. I played the barre with the root at the 5th, but it hadn't occurred to me that barre chord based on the root on the 5th string was from the 'A' on the 2nd fret, duhhh...

 

In my defense, I had figured out that the barre chord with the root on the 6th string was based on the 'E' on the 1st fret (from "Walk, Don't Run", Play Along With The Ventures,... yeah I know "Who?", "What?"). It goes (I never play this, only the lead, so the book below reminded me), A, G, F, E (Ohhhh), repeat, repeat, rep....

 

Sometimes it takes a longer, more detailed explanation to make it sink in for some of us hard heads.

 

BTW, the book I'm using is pretty good. First song is "Walk, Don't Run" (which I already know and like), also has "Suzie Q", "No Particular Place to Go", a couple of others and some good practice routines (for me at least, I'm trying to "expand my horizons") like the boggie run I mentioned a couple of times (my hand hasn't cramped yet, I'm not practicing long enuff).

 

Babble, babble, .......

 

Sorry.

 

Dave.

[baronedo]

Dave,

Another good song to learn for chord change is Hey Joe by Hendrix. You can play it with Barre chords, Open chords or a mixture of Barre and Open chords. I mix it up for variety. The repetitive Chord progression is as follows and the measure marks are notated with "|":

 

|: C G | D A | E | E :

[Dave da Dude]

Hey Lancer,

 

Thanks for the info. I'll have to try that out. I'm not much of a Hendrix fan , but NOT because I don't think he's an awesome guitarist , I just don't care for the over-the-top, screechin', banshee-like leads he does. His talent is awesome, just not my style.

 

Dave

[baronedo]

Dave,

Take another go at listening to Hendrix' playing on Hey Joe. He plays with the guitar clean and mellow on this particular song -- no screeching or feedback. The Wind Crys Mary is another nice mellow number by Hendrix.

 

I understand that we all have personal preferences and yes, some of Hendrixs stuff is definitely hard and driving but he also was a master of playing lovely chordal melody type guitar ala Curtis Mayfield. I have played some of Hendrix' softer stuff like Hey Joe, The Wind Crys Mary, and Little Wing on acoustic guitar for some unplugged sets and they went over very well.

 

P.S. BTW, the term heavy metal was derived from a music review done after a Hendrix concert wherein the reporter said that during some of Jimi's performance it sounded like heavy metal falling from the sky.

[Dave da Dude]

Lancer,

 

Thanks for the recommendations for listening to the "softer" Hendrix. I know I'm missing something, but just can't get by the rest. I like the (SOME of the) guitar work on "Watchtower" for instance, but just get lost when he goes over the top.

 

Also, thanks for the BTW on the "Heavy Metal" thing. Is that for real? Or is that like Fornication Under Consent of the King?

 

Dave

[SoundWrangler]

Originally posted by Lancer:

...Another good song to learn for chord change is Hey Joe by Hendrix...

Not to mention anything by Martin Barre!

(OK, OK, I think I've finally got that out of my system. BTW, you probably also didn't know that Marshall amplifiers were named after Jimi --James Marshall-- Hendrix? And that Gibson guitars were so named because their curves were reminiscent of the Gibson Girls from the turn of the century? And Fenders, because with electric volume you could "fend off" an entire horn section?)