Don't Freak Out Over Barre Chords (or mastering)

[Griff]

One of the most common questions in this particular area of the forum is about the barre chords in lesson 1 of BGU.

Don't sweat it if the barre chords don't sound perfect every time... as you'll soon see they won't get used much anyway.

The main purpose behind the first couple of lessons is to setup the primary chord shapes we'll use for the rest of the rhythm lessons, but you'll rarely play them verbatim.

My recommendation is always: if you can play it by memory basically along with the CD and make only little mistakes (those that don't cause you to have to stop) then you've got it good enough for now and it's okay to move on.

As you continue through, you'll continue to build technique and when you come back to those earlier lessons it will surprise you how much better they sound even though you haven't played them in a while.

 

[Chief Tag]

I have been playing an acoustic and have not used a pick very often. It seems that the picks that I may using are to stiff. It seems that I'm having a difficult time with the strum. Is there something that I'm missing? The down strum seems to be okay but the up strum seems to hang up because of the pick.

 

[HotLks]

Holding a pick is like holding an egg. Securely but gently. Securely at the finger tips. Gently at the wrist. Keep you wrist loose so that the wrist and the forearm are free to change angle so that when you pick up, the pick is actually angled down a bit. When you pick down, the pick is actually angled up a bit. This prevents the pick from getting "caught" on the strings and allows it to slide over the strings. Think of a spinning bicycle wheel. You can glide a screwdriver over the spokes as they pass by if the screwdriver is angled away from the approaching spokes. The screwdriver will immediately get stuck in the spokes if you put it to the spokes straight in or pointing opposite the travel direction of the spokes.

Pivot at the wrist and forearm held loosely and you will have success.

See you down the road!

 

[Al Holloway]

I have heard it is impossible to have to heavy a pick. Just need practice once you get it the heavy picks give a better tone.

Cheers

Al

 

[Norfolk Bill]

i have always used dunlop .75 mm just cant get on with thick uns ok for lead but rhythm no way, especially funky type stuff.
One tip if the wider part is not grippy enough scour it with a knife or rough sand paper alternatively if its fairly thin use a paper punch to put a few holes through it

 

[mountain man]

I was using a med heavy to heavy pick for acoustic and a heavy stainless steel, Al, or brass for electric. I used a penny for years, the cheapest pick around!! No problems playing a strumming rhythm at open jams. No problem with hybrid picking either. I recently started using a plectrum again just for grins. You can use anything, even just fingers.

 

[AngieDavis]

One of the most common questions in this particular area of the forum is about the barre chords in lesson 1 of BGU.

Don't sweat it if the barre chords don't sound perfect every time... as you'll soon see they won't get used much anyway.

The main purpose behind the first couple of lessons is to setup the primary chord shapes we'll use for the rest of the rhythm lessons, but you'll rarely play them verbatim.

My recommendation is always: if you can play it by memory basically along with the CD and make only little mistakes (those that don't cause you to have to stop) then you've got it good enough for now and it's okay to move on.

As you continue through, you'll continue to build technique and when you come back to those earlier lessons it will surprise you how much better they sound even though you haven't played them in a while.

Does the cd have a lesson to teach you the barre chord

One of the most common questions in this particular area of the forum is about the barre chords in lesson 1 of BGU.

Don't sweat it if the barre chords don't sound perfect every time... as you'll soon see they won't get used much anyway.

The main purpose behind the first couple of lessons is to setup the primary chord shapes we'll use for the rest of the rhythm lessons, but you'll rarely play them verbatim.

My recommendation is always: if you can play it by memory basically along with the CD and make only little mistakes (those that don't cause you to have to stop) then you've got it good enough for now and it's okay to move on.

As you continue through, you'll continue to build technique and when you come back to those earlier lessons it will surprise you how much better they sound even though you haven't played them in a while.

does the cd teach how to play the barre chords

 

[MikeS]

You will learn about barre chords, but what you will really learn is that you really don't need them, especially if you are playing in a band.
Sure you should learn how to play them cleanly, but once you have that mastered, you will most often not use them.

 

[sdbrit68]

weirdly, I have an easy time with 6th string barre chords, but the fifth string ones always gave me problems

 

[Pegasus]

Hi all,
Until I realised that the only part of a barre chord that was "difficult" was positioning the index (barring} finger so that all the 6 strings sounded. I could position my fingers on separate strings for open chords, so I just had to learn the barre component. For me, with short fat fingers, I found that placing the base pad index finger, of the fretting hand, on the first and second strings, aligned the other pads on the other strings and with the I was able to play all the strings cleanly. Locate the barring finger, relative to the fret, as you would a capo. Thumb on the back of the neck between the index (first) and second fingers. You can make your life easier if you practise on a guitar with a low action and light strings (9's). The pressure required to produce a barre chord should only be a little more than for an open chord. I practised random 5 and 6 string barre chords on the 3rd, 5th and 7th frets for a few minutes a day until I felt competent. There are many songs eg Run to Paradise by the Choir Boys, that sound so much better when Barre chords are used so I suggest that you persevere.
Good luck and Merry Xmas, Ross

 

[Griff]

Does the cd have a lesson to teach you the barre chord

does the cd teach how to play the barre chords

The beginning course goes over it at length and has several examples for practice. BGU does a little at the beginning, but it assumes you have some comfort level already.