#1
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Index finger strengthening
What are some good index finger excercises I can do to make barre chords less of a pain? Specifically the lower half that would cover the G string.
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Martin D-14 Custom Shop Martin DX-175th |
#2
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Doing barre chords - increases strength and technique (if you carefully consider what you are doing) all at once.
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Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
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#3
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This is what I have been doing And I am seeing results but didn't know if there was something that I could do when not playing guitar.... Like using one of those stress balls or something
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Martin D-14 Custom Shop Martin DX-175th |
#4
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Index finger strengthening
Bruce Lee performed push-ups using his fingertips. That should help.
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#5
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Practice, practice and more practice.
To strengthen any muscle in your body for a specific task, exercise it doing that task. At the same time you will improve your muscle position memory for chords and your playing skills. |
#6
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Hey Rockguy,
Here's what I did years ago--it was the old timey way. Practice the full barre with the force of your other three fingers backing up your index. Make sure that each note frets cleanly. You'll get a sense of where your thumb has to be for an effective clamp. Devote some of your practice time each day to this. When it feels right, then practice the full barre with just index, middle, and ring. Then, just index and middle. Then, just index. It worked for me.
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Peace, Jimmy Optima dies, prima fugit |
#7
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I am no expert but it seems to me that being able to play a barre chord is much more a function of overall grip strength than just index finger strength.
If so, I would think that any of those grip-handle-squeezy-things (a technical term) would do the job. Or you could just not play barre chords - I try not to. It's fun finding alternate voicings and so on. Of course I am a 95% fingerstyle player so, YMMV.
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000 12-fret by Danny Davis, Constructed! Build Thread: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=343091 Ibanez AC240 Yamaha AC1R Epiphone AJ220S "It's folk music so.... you can kind of do what you want." - David Hamburger, Blues Genealogy. |
#8
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This is something I invented years ago for myself......
I take a new, thick rubber band and wrap it around my fingers and open it up like a tulip and close for 50-100 reps....I then progress to 2 or 3 Rubber Bands
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* www.stevealtonian.com **************************** Breedlove American C25 SME--Neumann KMS 105---Fishman Loudbox Performer---KORG PA 4X--Tascam DP 24 **************************** God, My Guitar, & Me |
#9
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The biggest thing for me when playing barre chords is placement of the index more than strength. You have to find the right spot where the strings are not lining up with one of your finger creases, especially the G string. The sweet spot will also change as you move up the fretboard. Like others have said, The best practice/strengthening is to just keep playing the barre chords.
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#10
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#11
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I agree with just practicing the task at hand. For what it's worth, I remember finding them impossible when I began playing. It's a long time ago but I think it took me a year or two to be able to nail them cleanly and efficiently.
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