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  #1  
Old 10-25-2014, 09:38 PM
Raebrek Raebrek is offline
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Default Bar chording by a fool.

I was playing something this morning. Something that had me go from f#7 to bm to em to bm. I have noticed before that I never hit the last bm listed here incorrectly. So I thought about it while I played. Sometimes my bm can be sloppy or forced. When I play that last bm I noticed I was putting my fingers down and then barring the fret maybe this is the way it should always have been done. In practice I note I usually bar and then put my fingers down.
So now I am making a conscious effort to put my fingers down first and then bar the fret all the time because it seems to work better and sound clear consistently every time.

Your thoughts/experiences to shared?
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  #2  
Old 10-25-2014, 10:05 PM
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Do what works. I put the index and other fingers on at the same time. However, if I were to divide the finger placement timing on the Em to Bm chord change I would place the index last because it sounds better and, to me, seems less awkward.
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Old 10-26-2014, 01:20 AM
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Pre planning the change can help.

For instance, when you play the Eminor, (which I assume you are playing in the open position and not up at the 7th fret), try using the third and fourth fingers of your left hand (instead of the normal 2nd and 3rd fingers). That *should* make the transition to the Bminor bar chord on the second fret a little easier. The third and fourth fingers just have to move up two frets and down to the next pair of strings.

Alternatively, look at different voicings - perhaps play the Eminor as a bar on the 7th fret?? Then the transition to the Bminor is pretty easy, as you can stay on the 7th fret and play the Bm bar chord there without removing your first finger bar at all?
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  #4  
Old 10-26-2014, 03:55 AM
billder99 billder99 is offline
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Even after nearly 5 years of playing daily, I still hit about 50% of barre chords slightly sloppy. When pros would get sloppy, Vince Lombardi would say "basics, basics, basics" and no one was a better teacher... so, back to basics. Guitar Rule #1 is "go slow to go fast", thus the most basic element of learning and improving... even this intense level of focus has failed to make my barre chords perfect, but I keep on trying and believing and refuse to accept the sloppiness. Bit by bit, I continue to improve. This is definitely a long term game.
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Old 10-26-2014, 04:31 AM
scottishrogue scottishrogue is offline
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Cool Barre chording

Many of us have picked up little "tricks" along our journey, such as you just described. I made a conscious decision to form most of my open chords with fingers 2, 3 & 4, and because of this, barre chording became much easier, due to muscle memory. I also roll my index finger slightly when I form barre chords, which allows me to apply slightly more pressure, resulting in clean, clear notes.

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Old 10-26-2014, 06:57 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottishrogue View Post
Many of us have picked up little "tricks" along our journey, such as you just described. I made a conscious decision to form most of my open chords with fingers 2, 3 & 4, and because of this, barre chording became much easier, due to muscle memory. I also roll my index finger slightly when I form barre chords, which allows me to apply slightly more pressure, resulting in clean, clear notes.

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PS We'll be in your city this week for a few days (seeing grandkids). 10-26-14





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Old 10-26-2014, 07:15 AM
scottishrogue scottishrogue is offline
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Cool Barre chording

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PS We'll be in your city this week for a few days (seeing grandkids). 10-26-14
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  #8  
Old 10-26-2014, 07:45 AM
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Practice and time should lead to simultaneous transition, at least that's how it evolved for me where all fingers of the shape fret at the same time. Having said this, if I'm trying to play an unfamiliar or seldom played chord shape, then the process can likely be as the OP described until muscle memory eventually kicks in.
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Old 10-26-2014, 09:06 AM
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If it isn't a really fast tune, you could get away with putting down the barre first, starting with the bass B and then lay down the rest of the chord, but the time of all this happening is within an instant, the rest of the barre and the rest of the fingering really go down at the same time. Just getting the bass note first gives you that extra split second to play the rest of the chord. (old guy posting so take this with a grain of salt. )
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Old 10-26-2014, 10:05 AM
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Default barre

I'm in the same boat: The quality of my barre is significantly better if I put fingers first, however, there are times that it makes sense to use the barre first.
As with many things on the guitar, there are NO UNBREAKABLE RULES.
Got to 'go with the flow'.
Nonetheless, practice is the ONLY method to change or confirm anything.
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Old 10-26-2014, 11:45 AM
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there are NO UNBREAKABLE RULES.
Hi Kapuna...

A lot of things guitarists call rules, aren't...






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  #12  
Old 10-27-2014, 02:28 PM
Raebrek Raebrek is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
If it isn't a really fast tune, you could get away with putting down the barre first, starting with the bass B and then lay down the rest of the chord, but the time of all this happening is within an instant, the rest of the barre and the rest of the fingering really go down at the same time. Just getting the bass note first gives you that extra split second to play the rest of the chord. (old guy posting so take this with a grain of salt. )
I should make an exception. If I am playing a piece that is mostly bar chords then the bar stays and just changes positions. I guess I only meant when changing from open to bar chords. I guess I mucked that up a bit.
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  #13  
Old 10-27-2014, 02:29 PM
Raebrek Raebrek is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ljguitar View Post
Hi Kapuna...

A lot of things guitarists call rules, aren't...






Is there a rule for that? 😄
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