[JAMKC]

Originally Posted by raysachs

So I started this thread about 2 1/2 weeks ago. And since that time, every time I sit down to play I start with a group of 6-7 songs that heavily feature the Bm chord, trying the method that Gene (Capefisherman) recommended a few pages back. I identified my "problem fingers" as the ring finger and pinky that land on the G and D strings, 4th fret as the problems - they were the last to arrive and often missed their landing(s).



So taking Gene's advice, I've been focusing on putting these two fingers in place first and letting the middle and pointer fingers fall into place. As he suggested, it was awkward at first, but I've been making a LOT of progress with this. After just a very short couple of weeks, I'm nailing the chord about 99% of the time. At first I had to skip singing just to focus on landing the chord. Then it started coming more and more consistently, then more and more in the flow and on time. Now I'm singing and still hitting it pretty much every time.



I'm not at the point where the chord comes as unconsciously and blindly as most of the chords I play, basically without thinking about them at all. I still have to anticipate when this one is coming up and I'm still mostly looking at the fretboard when I play it. So I'm not all the way there yet. But after 40 years of problems with this recalcitrant chord, I'm making really substantial progress with it. I'd guess that it won't be too long before I'm playing it less and less consciously and then it'll just be another chord. I could sort of tell as soon as I started working with this approach that it was gonna be the ticket and I'm way more convinced now given how much progress I've made with it in such a short time.



So to anyone having trouble with one or two chords that just don't come easily to you, I highly recommend Gene's approach. At the very least, it's worth a try - it may not work for everyone, but it seems to be working for me and it may work for anyone...



-Ray

Ray, while I can tell you are further along as a player than I, my issue with Bm is identical. This thread gives me a plan to work on and some good alternative options.