Few tips as a beginner

[TBman]

Originally Posted by JonPR

How did you mute 5 and 6, or did you just avoid them?
(same question for the x x 3 2 1 1 F shape )

I just didn't play them. We were kids, if we hit too many strings and it didn't sound right we just sang louder,

[MarkoMarkus]

Originally Posted by TBman

I just didn't play them. We were kids, if we hit too many strings and it didn't sound right we just sang louder,

hahahahaha sounds about right to me!

[SprintBob]

In addition to a good setup, you can try some lighter gauge strings like 11-50's or 10-47's. You'll lose a bit of volume but it makes learning and being successful with barre chords that much easier. When you get consistent you can go up a gauge and work from there (even though there are plenty of players who enjoy these lighter string sets and play nothing else). I'm working on a song right now that requires a partial barre with some tricky finger work in front of the barre and I'm struggling to get clean notes with 12-54's. I'm going to go down to 10-47's on one guitar just to work on getting my mechanics down on this song.

[YamahaGuy]

Not trolling here, and I'm sure people will cringe, but here goes:

Capo 7th fret and play G C D and Em

Or work at the Bm. It will come. Make sure your action is low at the nut.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

Not trolling here, and I'm sure people will cringe, but here goes:

Capo 7th fret and play G C D and Em

That's what Don Felder did with Hotel California. He wrote it in E minor - no barre chords anywhere - but Don Henley wanted to sing it in Bm. So the capo (for the 12-string guitar) went on fret 7. Same shapes, no barres.

Originally Posted by YamahaGuy

Or work at the Bm. It will come. Make sure your action is low at the nut.

Yes! Obviously the Eagles could play barre chords! Those opening arpeggios are just a whole lot easier - and sound better - incorporating open strings. The capo is not a cheat.

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by JonPR

That's what Don Felder did with Hotel California. He wrote it in E minor - no barre chords anywhere - but Don Henley wanted to sing it in Bm. So the capo (for the 12-string guitar) went on fret 7. Same shapes, no barres.
Yes! Obviously the Eagles could play barre chords! Those opening arpeggios are just a whole lot easier - and sound better - incorporating open strings. The capo is not a cheat.

It also keeps the voicing the same. In some songs, that may be important.