Barre Chords

Ray_UK

Blues Newbie
Yep... the longer the better!  ;D

When I first started trying to get my elbow in I did it like his demonstration, so I made the barre with my elbow right out  [really exagerated] & then slowly brought it in so I could see & feel how it worked.

[This method doesn't work for fast playing as you take off & fly round in circles  ;)  ]
 
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Emilio

Guest
We all know what you are going through and it will be well worth the effort in the end.
All the others have given you some great advice. The only thing I would as is...Take it nice any easy
Just 10 minutes per day should do it. You will soon build your hand strength and get technique sorted.
 

wgabree

Blues Newbie
Good advice Emi!  Yes, one day it will just snap into place and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about :p
 

SunnyOne

Blues Newbie
Good advice Emi!  Yes, one day it will just snap into place and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about :p
oh, i thought when you wrote this, that you meant you were having trouble with them.
 
M

MandyC

Guest
Just starting on this section.
It's not so much my wrist that hurts but my thumb. The chords aren't sounding too bad but I think I may have the guitar in the 'vulcan death grip'. If I loosen my grip though, the barred notes sound more muffled.
Any suggestions?........
I know, practice, practice practice.
Anyone do thumb transplants?
 

Ray_UK

Blues Newbie
Hi Mandy - I found my grip relaxed a bit as soon as I got the barre finger rolled round towards the head a bit by bringing my elbow tight into my side.

I can still kill Klingons with it though :)
 
M

MandyC

Guest
Has its advantages
I don't have to ask Bob to open jars for me anymore ;D
 
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Lame_Pinky

Guest
Mandy are you playing unplugged when practicing barre chords or a you plugged in ?It will make a difference especially when starting out on your barre's & after all there is a specific reason why they are called electric guitars - wonder what that is though  :-?
Seriously , when playing barre's unplugged it will seem like you have to hold harder put more pressure on to get clean sounding strings when you are plugged in however, it seems that you don't need that amount of pressure.
This is not necessarily cheating I don't think but getting an overdrive pedal will make it much easier on the grip,hands & thumb whilst giving you a clear sounding barre ( within the boundries of the overdrive) you don't need the o/drive turned up so high that a fly landing anywhere near your strings will sound like an earthquake !This could just help you over the frustrating part of the ' muffled,dampened ' strings while building up strength & fluidity of playing your barre's.
Just a thought  :)

LP
 

kgarkie

Been living the blues.
Practice on an acoustic, you can't hide your mistakes.  If you can play barre chords on an acoustic and get them to sound even half way decent, an electric will be a piece of cake.  There's a lot more string tension on an acoustic to deal with.  Get your index finger next to the fret, it'll help hold the string down.  Cheat, don't play the whole chord.  You learn that in BGU.  :cool:

And like everyone else, I'll say it:   Practice. 
 
M

MandyC

Guest
Hi guys, thanks for all the advice.
I did a bit of twanging before I started the course but virtually no chords at all so they are a real weak spot at the moment. Need to get a lot better at them before going back to BGU.
Usually practice unplugged (especially when both of us are playing different stuff)
Keeping close to the fret and bringing my elbow in and the neck at 45 degrees all helps (sounds like an exercise class). Will be better when my index finger toughens up a bit!
I'll attack Bob's acoustic at some point too.
I remember when I tried the acoustic out before I got the Pacifica and I couldn't play a thing on it because it hurt so much. Played Mary's lamb on it the other day and it sounded cool
 
M

MandyC

Guest
Perfect practice.
Lenny Kravitz - Flyaway (with overdrive, distortion and anything else you can throw at it!!!) :)
 
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b0b_b4rk3r

Guest
Hey LP...something like this then.... :)

http://www.4shared.com/audio/5B0mnOs_/Fly_away_-_Bob_B.html


Bob
 
M

MandyC

Guest
Flyaway - think that's:
ABCEGD all maj 6th string Barres.
Been practicing straight down 6th ave, neck at 45degrees, less of a death grip, elbow tucked in.
Every little helps
Barres starting to sound clean (even unplugged)
Hoorah!!!!! :) :) :)
arm's a bit numb tho
 
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Lame_Pinky

Guest
Now you can look forward to the 5th string barre chords.

LP
 

Steve_M

Blues Newbie
I have been pracrising the 6th string barres and they are improving day by day - even the speed in changing chords.
The problem I am having tho' is that I am finding it very difficult to cleanly barre the D string in the G7 chord (or any of the '7' chords) when using my index finger for the barre - it just 'thunks' away.  I dont have the same problem when fretting the major/minor barre chord using my pinky on the D string.
I have tried altering the position of my index finger - rolling it towards the nut  - elbow in - neck up etc but it seems that I cannot make it ring true unless I really choke the life out of the neck between index finger and thumb. Even then its not that good and my wrist/thumb scream in protest soon after. I dont think its the strings lining up with the creases/joints in my finger - but I will it check later.
I guess its a technique or practise thing - and I will be back to the 'book' later this afternoon.
Roll on the 5th string barres    ;D ;D ;D  No pain - no gain  :-/

Cheers

Steve
 
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Lame_Pinky

Guest
That would be one of 2 things Steve , either the crease in your index finger is right on the 4th (D) string or the bottom of your ring finger is touching it.Sometimes when we take awy the pinky to play the 7th the ring finger eases a little as there is no longer support from the pinky, work on " lifting " it up a bit just enough to clear the string.
If its the crease on you index then perhaps rolling it to the side - towards headstock -& get more of the side of your finger or even raise/lower your finger so that the crease is not directly on the string.

LP
 
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