All Barre Chords All The Time

[Big Band Guitar]

Originally Posted by Aiello1218

So, I was thinking of how I could get better at barre chords. How about not using any other chords other than barre chords during practice? Anyone else do this or something similar? How did you get really good at transitions from chord to chord, open to barre, etc? Yes, I know, just practice.

Good method to train and strengthen your fingers.

I don't play very many barre chords any more, I can, but I find not duplicating notes and mastering 4 note chords more interesting.

[rick-slo]

Playing barre chords is the best exercise. First thing, have the guitar properly setup - perhaps lighter gauge strings.

Play Dylan's "Lay Lady Lay" ten time through. In response to an earlier thread on the same subject I wrote "Pinky Bee". You might try seeing how that goes.
Intro: http://dcoombsguitar.com/CDFive/PinkyBeeDemo.mp3
Full tab:
http://dcoombsguitar.com/Guitar%20Mu...s/PinkyBee.pdf

In any case however, don't over do it. You don't want to injure yourself.

[donlyn]

Get a 12 string and practice your barre chords on that beast. Then it will be a lot easier on a 6 string. ;-)

I tend to prefer the 'ring' of open chords (especially when playing a 12 string), but knowing barre chords gives you an extra arrow in your guitar-playing quiver. Sometimes it might provide the the right sound. Besides, depending on the material, a barre version of a chord might be the best option for where you are on the neck. Or for a quick passing chord. Sometimes a partial chord will sound best, just kind of hinting at the full chord. Knowing the appropriate barre chord can help in this, maybe just the thing to harmonize the melody or solo note(s).

Don

[Guitars+gems]

Playing the open CAGED chords with finger 2,3, and 4 has helped me. I realized that it wasn't just my first finger barre that was challenging, but also that the other 3 fingers didn't have the muscle memory. Making the open shapes without use of the first finger is helping to get those fingers to come down without me thinking about their placement, so then I can pay more attention to making the barre cleanly.

Not that I can play barres easily. I have to keep after them and I do get frustrated because they interfere with the fun of playing a whole song and staying in time.

I'll try Lay Lady Lay 10 times through today as Rick suggested.

[Casey86]

Sure barre chords are useful but not always. The pro guitarists I play with mix it up with a lot of various voicings all over the board. Three note triads vs barre chords can sound a lot better sometimes. Example maj 7th triad 1,3,7 vs a 6 note barre chord, the triad sounds way bluesier.

My point is don't get too caught up in mastering barre chords. They will get easier with a lot of playing but barre chords don't make or break a guitarist. Nobody will care but you if you are a master of barre chords, but if you play great chords they will.

[Guitars+gems]

Sheesh! I just tried the 10 times through Lay Lady Lay...it was brutal!
For one thing, there are 5 pages to that song, so I only got through it once, and it was a struggle. I'll do it once more before I go to bed tonight, and then I'm gonna try playing it twice a day for a week and see if I can improve. Really, "playing" is a very loose use of the word here. I just went through it trying to make each barre cleanly. The rebellious thought kicked in, "I'm only playing for fun and this not fun"! But it would be fun to be able to play that beautiful song. I'll try.

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Guitars+gems

Sheesh! I just tried the 10 times through Lay Lady Lay...it was brutal!
For one thing, there are 5 pages to that song, so I only got through it once, and it was a struggle. I'll do it once more before I go to bed tonight, and then I'm gonna try playing it twice a day for a week and see if I can improve. Really, "playing" is a very loose use of the word here. I just went through it trying to make each barre cleanly. The rebellious thought kicked in, "I'm only playing for fun and this not fun"! But it would be fun to be able to play that beautiful song. I'll try.

My favorite exercise after all these years is to fret each chord as hard as you can repeatedly BEFORE you begin playing the sequence. Try it. Bb on the first fret has always been my nemesis so I work on that one as a common exercise.You will develop the strength it takes.
It will get easier...honestly, it will.

[jwayne]

Originally Posted by Guitars+gems

Sheesh! I just tried the 10 times through Lay Lady Lay...it was brutal!
For one thing, there are 5 pages to that song, so I only got through it once, and it was a struggle. I'll do it once more before I go to bed tonight, and then I'm gonna try playing it twice a day for a week and see if I can improve. Really, "playing" is a very loose use of the word here. I just went through it trying to make each barre cleanly. The rebellious thought kicked in, "I'm only playing for fun and this not fun"! But it would be fun to be able to play that beautiful song. I'll try.

It's mostly

A C#m G Bm

Don't get hung up on playing the "E major / A minor" barre pattern, ie, A (E major form) barred at the 5th fret, C#m (A minor form) barred at the 4th fret, then the same pattern - G (E major form) barred at the 3rd fret, and Bm (A minor form) barred at the 2nd. That will get tired and boring (though a good practice exercise). You can do all kinds of neat stuff with that descending pattern without a barre in sight, and with lots of open strings. A good way to start is to play around with those chords without the barre and listening for strings that sound right or wrong or interesting. Lift up a finger, try including an open string (e.g. E can fit with all four of those chords), move that pinky to another fret or string. You'll come up with a lot of ideas and if you get stuck just google the chord and there will be lots more ideas! (The F#m is the trickiest.)

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by jwayne

It's mostly

A C#m G Bm

Don't get hung up on playing the "E major / A minor" barre pattern, ie, A (E major form) barred at the 5th fret, C#m (A minor form) barred at the 4th fret, then the same pattern - G (E major form) barred at the 3rd fret, and Bm (A minor form) barred at the 2nd. That will get tired and boring (though a good practice exercise). You can do all kinds of neat stuff with that descending pattern without a barre in sight, and with lots of open strings. A good way to start is to play around with those chords without the barre and listening for strings that sound right or wrong or interesting. Lift up a finger, try including an open string (e.g. E can fit with all four of those chords), move that pinky to another fret or string. You'll come up with a lot of ideas and if you get stuck just google the chord and there will be lots more ideas! (The F#m is the trickiest.)

This is good advice if you don't want to get used to playing Barre' chords.
I don't buy the "boring" part. You can learn to use a combination of arpeggios and picking individual notes that will add some spice to your Barre' chords. I do it all the time and I just did it with that particular song.
I assume you're singing along. Try releasing your grip between the chords to ease the tension and put a set of Newtone Heritage lights or mediums on that puppy. They are much easier to fret.

[Guitars+gems]

Originally Posted by jwayne

It's mostly

A C#m G Bm

Don't get hung up on playing the "E major / A minor" barre pattern, ie, A (E major form) barred at the 5th fret, C#m (A minor form) barred at the 4th fret, then the same pattern - G (E major form) barred at the 3rd fret, and Bm (A minor form) barred at the 2nd. That will get tired and boring (though a good practice exercise). You can do all kinds of neat stuff with that descending pattern without a barre in sight, and with lots of open strings. A good way to start is to play around with those chords without the barre and listening for strings that sound right or wrong or interesting. Lift up a finger, try including an open string (e.g. E can fit with all four of those chords), move that pinky to another fret or string. You'll come up with a lot of ideas and if you get stuck just google the chord and there will be lots more ideas! (The F#m is the trickiest.)

Thank you for this, but I'm not sure I understand what the bolded part means, because those chords are the song. You are right though; I enjoy those chords without the barre and it is fun to freestyle with them. Yes, that F#m is more difficult than any of the others, not sure why. I've always played it as x04222, but the barre fits in more smoothly in this progression for Lay Lady Lay. Not that any of it is smooth...but eventually. I hope.

Originally Posted by rokdog49

My favorite exercise after all these years is to fret each chord as hard as you can repeatedly BEFORE you begin playing the sequence. Try it. Bb on the first fret has always been my nemesis so I work on that one as a common exercise.You will develop the strength it takes.
It will get easier...honestly, it will.

Hi Jamie, do you mean to press my fingers down hard in the chord shape? Will that drill it into muscle memory or something? I'll try it!

I just went through the whole song again. My favorites are C#m and A, probably because they are further up the neck. So I think I'll try a capo on the 3rd. Oh, and I love the good old open E! It's like a little oasis every time I come to it!

[rokdog49]

Originally Posted by Guitars+gems

Thank you for this, but I'm not sure I understand what the bolded part means, because those chords are the song. You are right though; I enjoy those chords without the barre and it is fun to freestyle with them. Yes, that F#m is more difficult than any of the others, not sure why. I've always played it as x04222, but the barre fits in more smoothly in this progression for Lay Lady Lay. Not that any of it is smooth...but eventually. I hope.



Hi Jamie, do you mean to press my fingers down hard in the chord shape? Will that drill it into muscle memory or something? I'll try it!

I just went through the whole song again. My favorites are C#m and A, probably because they are further up the neck. So I think I'll try a capo on the 3rd. Oh, and I love the good old open E! It's like a little oasis every time I come to it!

Yes exactly. It's not only for muscle memory but for strength. The result will be the strengthening of your fretting hand. If you do this repeatedly in all the various shapes and even differing positions on the neck before you play, you will begin to notice that actually playing the chords will not require the effort it previously did and the fatigue will lessen along with it. It is no different than squeezing one of those rubber balls or a spring-loaded grip except that the exercise is very specific to what you are trying to accomplish. I suggest you do this every time you play before you approach any song with lots of Barre' chords. I guarantee you will get results within a very short time.
I can play Barre' chords for a three hour set with very little fatigue. My left hand fretting technique improved as well. Try to keep your wrist perpendicular to the neck as well...makes it a lot easier.
No bragging but I can play Barre' chords with very little thumb pressure needed, my fingers are that strong.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by jwayne

My method of learning barre chords is really the best: start young on a crappy guitar with strings 1 inch from the fretboard.

Sounds like you are describing the first guitar (Harmony) I came across up in the attic when I was a kid.
That quickly killed my interest in guitars, but hey I spent more time playing the piano that way.

[Pitar]

Originally Posted by Aiello1218

So, I was thinking of how I could get better at barre chords. How about not using any other chords other than barre chords during practice? Anyone else do this or something similar? How did you get really good at transitions from chord to chord, open to barre, etc? Yes, I know, just practice.

Some boxes of Cracker Jacks came with instant guitar player instructions. I was lucky enough to get such a prize. All it said was practice a lot.

Barre chords are not feats of strength but rather nuanced use of pressure by the index finger. Only those notes the index finger needs to fret get the pressure while the other fingers fret their assigned notes. After practicing this on a per barre chord basis the fretting hand will not become fatigued. The index finger will naturally learn the barre chord shapes and what it must do to complete them. But, it will take practice to lose the baseball bat grip and become accustomed to a light but accurate placement per chord.

[SteveBurt]

"All Along the Watchtower" is another tune which is all Barre Chords (at least, that's the easiest way to play it, for sure). Am, G, F. Easiest way is to play all as Barres, sliding the barre up and down the neck from 5 (for the Am) to 3 (the G) to 1 for the F.