Barre Chords.

[samjoseph]

After learning most of the open chords i am moving to barre chords. Does anyone have any tips for practicing and learning barres? Also, does anyone know any simple songs to strum while learning these? maybe with a mix of open chords thrown in just to help me practice progressions.

[RussB]

You can use the barre chords and open chords interchangeably as opposed to specific barre chord songs

[freedomfarm]

Like RussB had said, just mix it up a bit with songs you are already playing. When I play songs in open chords, I still always use a Barre "F" because I like the sound better. Same with a "B" or "B flat." I think those two (or three) chords just sound better Barre vs. the open versions of them.
Hey . . . nice guitar you have there, if it's set up, the barre chords will be a easy!

[Rod Neep]

One of the most important things when making a barre chord is arm and wrist position.

1. Rotate your elbow down and under the neck

2. That enables you to position your thumb directly under the centre of the back of the neck.

3. In turn, that enables you to get a much stronger "clamp" between your thumb and the forefinger.

That clamping action should be not only using the forefinger! Other fingers forming the chord can add clamping pressure too! The thumb is strong enough to balance the force of all fingers.

After a while, it starts to come naturally, and you find that it isn't a "death grip" situation in order to make a good barre chord.... it is the balance between the pressure of the thumb and the other fingers.

Where possible, change your fingering.... for example, imagine an open Em chord..... move that up to make a Gm chord with the barre on the third fret.
And here is the "cheat".... use your second finger on top of your forefinger so there is double pressure on the barre, and use the fourth finger and pinky to fret the other notes.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by samjoseph

After learning most of the open chords i am moving to barre chords. Does anyone have any tips for practicing and learning barres? Also, does anyone know any simple songs to strum while learning these? maybe with a mix of open chords thrown in just to help me practice progressions.

Hi sam...

Barre Chords are not a strength technique. Here are three 1 minute videos I made for students and friends which may help to get you started...

Where is the Pressure? - CLiCK

Barre From Above and Behind - CLiCK

Barre from Front - CLiCK

Hope these help you at least begin...

As for a helpful beginning technique, play just the E chord (frets 1-2) with fingers 2-3-4 on your fretting hand and gently slide them up to frets 6-7, and play the E shape (''A'' chord) then move the E shape up to frets 8-9 and play a ''B'' chord. This is where your fingers will end up when you position the barre at the 5th fret for A and the 7th fret for B.

[BluesBelly]

Hi Sam,
Jump over to the PLAY section of the forum. There are posts there with lots of information to help you out.

Blues

[rick-slo]

There have been dozens of threads on barre technique. Check the Play section of the forum.

[Ed C.]

The first thing for barre chords is to have your guitar set up as low as you can and have a good angle on the guitar neck.

I'd work on some nice C-F-G songs. Sometime using a Barre G sometimes open. Work your way to some E-A-B songs.

Work on positioning so it takes the least amount of force on your hands. Fretted right and well, your hand does not need a death grip.

Good luck.

[delaorden9]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi sam...

Barre Chords are not a strength technique. Here are three 1 minute videos I made for students and friends which may help to get you started...

Where is the Pressure? - CLiCK

Barre From Above and Behind - CLiCK

Barre from Front - CLiCK

Hope these help you at least begin...

As for a helpful beginning technique, play just the E chord (frets 1-2) with fingers 2-3-4 on your fretting hand and gently slide them up to frets 6-7, and play the E shape (''A'' chord) then move the E shape up to frets 8-9 and play a ''B'' chord. This is where your fingers will end up when you position the barre at the 5th fret for A and the 7th fret for B.

Very useful short videos. @samjoseph take a look
thanks to @ljguitar

[samjoseph]

Originally Posted by freedomfarm

Like RussB had said, just mix it up a bit with songs you are already playing. When I play songs in open chords, I still always use a Barre "F" because I like the sound better. Same with a "B" or "B flat." I think those two (or three) chords just sound better Barre vs. the open versions of them.
Hey . . . nice guitar you have there, if it's set up, the barre chords will be a easy!

i think it is set up well, and i envy your collection. i have an unrelated question. if i dont have a pin or button by the neck for a strap, can i get one installed? and is it a bad idea for the guitar....or what are my options with that?

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by samjoseph

i think it is set up well, and i envy your collection. i have an unrelated question. if i dont have a pin or button by the neck for a strap, can i get one installed? and is it a bad idea for the guitar....or what are my options with that?

Hi Sam...
Yes they are added all the time. I've installed probably 75 or 80 for students and friends over the years.

A guitar shop should do it for under $10. If you take it to a tech, have him/her refer to this diagram from the Seagull site. You can email him the link…

http://seagullguitars.com/strap%20pi...stallation.pdf

That way it will be installed without hitting any of the neck hardware (it's a little different than other guitar necks). If your Seagull doesn't have a tail pin, they can install those as well. When I had an S-6, I installed mine in the more conventional off center position, but used this chart to avoid hitting hardware.

It doesn't hurt anything.

[samjoseph]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Sam...
Yes they are added all the time. I've installed probably 75 or 80 for students and friends over the years.

A guitar shop should do it for under $10. If you take it to a tech, have him/her refer to this diagram from the Seagull site. You can email him the link…

http://seagullguitars.com/strap%20pi...stallation.pdf

That way it will be installed without hitting any of the neck hardware (it's a little different than other guitar necks). If your Seagull doesn't have a tail pin, they can install those as well. When I had an S-6, I installed mine in the more conventional off center position, but used this chart to avoid hitting hardware.

It doesn't hurt anything.

thanks for the quick reply! ill be checking into this shortly.

[saxonblue]

Hi samjoseph,

A good easy song is "Sitting on the dock of the bay" where you can just slide an E7 shape bar chord up & down the fretboard, chromatically at times starting with a G7 (or on the 3rd fret)*.

You can add some extra nuances later on like hammering on/off 6ths & sus4ths etc. at key moments but that can wait until you have the bare bones of the song nailed.

Cheers Mick

*PS: I have no idea if that's the correct tableture or key for that matter, it doesn't matter much for the purposes of this discussion.

[joehempel]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi sam...

Barre Chords are not a strength technique. Here are three 1 minute videos I made for students and friends which may help to get you started...

Where is the Pressure? - CLiCK

Barre From Above and Behind - CLiCK

Barre from Front - CLiCK

Hope these help you at least begin...

As for a helpful beginning technique, play just the E chord (frets 1-2) with fingers 2-3-4 on your fretting hand and gently slide them up to frets 6-7, and play the E shape (''A'' chord) then move the E shape up to frets 8-9 and play a ''B'' chord. This is where your fingers will end up when you position the barre at the 5th fret for A and the 7th fret for B.

Even after playing 5 years this is still great for me to watch

[Mellow_D]

Originally Posted by Rod Neep

One of the most important things when making a barre chord is arm and wrist position.

Where possible, change your fingering.... for example, imagine an open Em chord..... move that up to make a Gm chord with the barre on the third fret.
And here is the "cheat".... use your second finger on top of your forefinger so there is double pressure on the barre, and use the fourth finger and pinky to fret the other notes.

I have a question regarding the cheat. I do that when making the first form of the Fm7. But that cheat makes it impossible to play the second form of the Fm7, as pictured below. Any suggestions?