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Bar chords
After years of avoiding them I have committed myself to learning bar chords.
I'm working on the E shapes first I have a 12 fret parlor and a 14 fret Taylor GC I'd guess that the larger GC should be easier to learn on due to string tension?? I have mediums on the Taylor, should I switch to lights or maybe extra lights while I lear the bar and build up strength? I am open to any tips Thanks
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Eastman AC522ce Gold Burst Eastman 605 Mandolin |
#2
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You can start with learning the fret board. Learn the natural notes (A, B, C, D, E, F & G) on the 6th. and 5th. strings to start. These are your "root notes".
Look here... http://www.justinguitar.com/en/TB-007-NotesOnNeck.php And here... http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-172-G5-powerchord.php Here he's showing you "power chords" or "fifth chords", basically half of a barre chord. Once you're able to identify and play the fifth chords work on playing the full barre chord. The other notes not shown/listed on the "Notes on Neck" diagram are sharps/flats. They're called "accidentals". Here's some info... http://www.justinguitar.com/en/TB-006-NoteCircle.php and... Justin has some great lessons for free. You should take a look. www.justinguitar.com http://www.justinguitar.com/en/BC-00...nersCourse.php Justine's website should keep you busy for a while.
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15 Gibson LG-2 American Eagle 03 Yairi DY62C 89 Yairi DY39 16 Alvarez AD610CESB Mid 80's Alvarez 5009 classical 63 Yamaha No100 classical 89 Gibson Les Paul Standard 04 Gibson Les Paul Supreme 84 Ibanez AS200AV 75 Gibson L6S 05 Gibson SG Special Peter Townsend 95 G&L Legacy |
#3
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I'm genuinely curious how you've been able to play for years without playing bar(re) chords. I've seen several posts over the course of a couple of years that tell me you aren't the only one. I can see how you'd do an F or Bmin, but what about say an F#min? Are you just playing the bottom three strings?
I had this illusion early on that if I learned to play barre chords I'd be "good." Turns out that it is possible to be able to play barre chords and still be no good. I have an adequate chord vocabulary at this point (~2.5 years in) but I'm far from being a musician. I know it's possible but I've not really looked at alternatives. I'd like to hear how you (or others) who play around using barre chords. Thanks! Last edited by motojunky; 12-28-2015 at 11:25 PM. |
#4
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Denise Martin HD-28V VTS, MFG Custom Taylor 358e 12 string Martin 00L-17 Voyage Air OM04 Breedlove Oregon Concert 1975 Aria 9422 |
#5
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If you are a finger style player bar chords tie up too many fingers and leave far too few options for adding non chordal notes to your playing. This can limit your ability to play melodies. I used a capo without bar chords for decades. I knew my bar chords and could play bar chords, but like the gentleman with an accordion, I didn't. About five years ago I did a complete revision of how I play acoustic guitar and, amongst other changes, adopted a 'no capo no alternate tunings' policy. As a result I now have to play more bar shapes. Some are partial bars, some are complete. Some are based on the standard E and A shapes and some on the G and C shapes. I don't hold them down for bar after bar, like a rhythm player would. It might just be for one or two beats. If you want to avoid bar chords experiment with capo position and key. You may never completely eliminate them but you can cut them down to a minimum, especially if you can 'thumb over'. |
#6
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Barre chords? Hell, man, I play bluegrass....
I always maintain that the biggest obstacle to mastering barres is failure to have the guitar set up properly. Especially the action at the nut. An amazing number of folks don't even understand that the action on an acoustic can be adjusted, and if they do they think it's a matter of "filing down the saddle" and that's about it. If the action at the nut is correct, the effort required for good barre's is greatly reduced. You can check this quickly by applying a capo. Is the instrument much easier to finger with the capo in place? If so.... You need an adjustment. |
#7
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Prefer not to understand
Barre chords are like anything else on the guitar, they improve with practice until they become simple.
Probably not fearing them is the best idea. I've always learned to play by working on songs I want to master. If one is too difficult to play, move on to another and come back to it later. Patterns tend to be related, so often you learn something in one place and find it transfers to making something else easier. Then after a while, you will be able to play everything. What I mean by the title is that I prefer not to understand how they are supposed to be difficult. It's like anything else you encounter, and you do it the best you can as you build strength and experience. Enjoy the music you are creating and you will find the technique follows. I suppose it is also helpful to know how to practice. Strive for perfection with ease.
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Martin OM-18 Authentic 1933 VTS (2016) |
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To be clear, I'm not looking to avoid them personally - I'm just curious what goes into playing without using bar chords. My guitar is set up well and I can play them just fine - or at least as poorly as open chords.
To the OP, the setup advice is key. Prior to having a good setup, I would tune down a step and capo at the 2nd fret to make bar chords playable. There are a few tutorial videos on YouTube that can give you technique help. I found a couple of songs that could be played with all (or mostly) bar chords and just stuck with it. Good luck! |
#9
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Here are three short (one minute) videos I made years ago for students and friends. They help harness some of the essentials for learning barre chords. If a guitar is setup properly, the barre chord doesn't require much strength. It's not a squeeze maneuver… Where is the Pressure? - CLiCK Barre From Above and Behind - CLiCK Barre from Front - CLiCK Hope these help… |
#10
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I don't think this is true at all. Learning chords in different positions and inversions makes one a better player ... period. Can one "get by" without barre chords? Sure ... but a capo will never replace knowing and using barre chords.
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#12
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I never barre and have a number of alternatives. Examples from 1st to 6th string: "F" - Index finger on strings 1 & 2 (1st fret) 2nd finger on 3rd string (2nd fret) ring finger on 4th & 5th strings (3rd fret) Thumb on 6th string (1st fret) "Fm" -Index finger on strings 1, 2, & 3 (1st fret) ring finger on 4th & 5th strings (3rd fret) Thumb on 6th string (1st fret) "Bb" - Index finger on 1st string (1st fret) Ring finger on 2nd & 3rd strings (3rd fret) 2nd finger on 4th string (3rd fret) Thumb on 5th & 6th string (1st fret) "Bbmin- Index finger on 1st string (1st fret) 2nd finger on 2nd string (2nd fret) Ring finger on 3rd & 4th strings (3rd fret) Thumb on 5th & 6th string (1st fret) Move any/all of these shapes up the fingerboard to desired chord name.
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Rick Ruskin Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA |
#13
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Thanks to all
I'm going to keep at it and I'll give everyone an update in a week or so.
Nice answers folks as always from this forum
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Eastman AC522ce Gold Burst Eastman 605 Mandolin |
#14
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@ljguitar.
Thanks, helps me as well. I'm trying bar chords and it's getting somewhat easier. I realized that I was angling the fretboard upwards to see where my fingertips are and that made it harder for bar chords. Now I angled it so I don't see, if any, fretboard and much easier to bar.
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Acoustic-Electric: Yamaha FGX800C, Jim Dandy. Seagull S6. Electric: Schecter C1+, Aria Pro II Fullerton. |
#15
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Breedlove and Mystery, just take your time as you form the barre chord shapes you're practicing, no need to place a deadline on what you want to accomplish.
And practice as much as possible, the more you do, the quicker you'll become proficient at playing barre chords. Ljguitar has some nice videos, especially the overhead view. See how he's holding the guitar and where his thumb is on the back of the neck? I remember how much I hated the "F" barre chord when I first started, and it took a good while before I could play it proficiently.
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15 Gibson LG-2 American Eagle 03 Yairi DY62C 89 Yairi DY39 16 Alvarez AD610CESB Mid 80's Alvarez 5009 classical 63 Yamaha No100 classical 89 Gibson Les Paul Standard 04 Gibson Les Paul Supreme 84 Ibanez AS200AV 75 Gibson L6S 05 Gibson SG Special Peter Townsend 95 G&L Legacy |