Can you play this chord?

[LiveMusic]

Yep, for Eb, x1134x and x65343 are easier. Hmmm...

[harpspitfire]

i usually play the top 3 or 4 strings when needed, i dont understand the replies with the 3x134x , unless im missing something, i tried playing that, and dont think i want to try it again

[mattbn73]

It's not a practical fingering 99% of the time. Just like playing a C or D chord as a full 6-string chord all the time... Those CAGED shapes are more like theoretical frameworks from which you build OTHER voicings. "Start me up" -type partial voicings.

[macmanmatty]

I cannot play a c chord barred up the neck as my short deformed pinkey will not allow it i can barre E, Am , A, A7th , D7th, Em , E7th, and Dm and D major chords however

[jseth]

Sure... it is just another chord to me... although, I have to say that THE SHAPE is indispensable in playing a LOT of Rock and Roll, Country, even Blues...

Just playing the top 4 strings and hammering on, pulling off of various frets is something that many brilliant guitarists do and have done... Jimi Hendrix worked out of that shape a lot, as did Robbie Robertson of The Band, just to name a few...

[man-Argentina]

Thought it was going to be a more tricky chord.

Just practice, its going to come easy and smooth at some point.

Its like when you at first have trouble remembering easy chords like Amayor, Gmayor, Dmayor, after a while its just easy to do.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by man-Argentina

Thought it was going to be a more tricky chord.

Just practice, its going to come easy and smooth at some point.

Its like when you at first have trouble remembering easy chords like Amayor, Gmayor, Dmayor, after a while its just easy to do.

Report back.

[JonPR]

Yes, I find the shape quite easy. I remember back when I was still struggling with the dreaded 1st fret F barre, I found the F shape at x-8-7-5-6-5 and thought: hey this is so much easier, I'm going to play this one instead! (Until I found it was somewhat impractical to use it alongside the normal cowboy C and G shapes....)

You don't actually need the top string, if you can mute it, so no barring is necessary. x-8-7-5-6-x is a complete F major triad (R-3-5-R). Of course it's the same notes as x-x-3-2-1-1, but I never found that one very practical: how do you mute both 6th and 5th? And whether you flatten one finger on the top two or use two fingers, it's not as easy as playing x-8-7-5-6-x.

I would never barre the whole thing (5-8-7-5-6-5), unless I really wanted the low 3rd of the chord as part of a bass line (rare, but not unknown).

For an Eb chord, therefore x-6-5-3-4-x would be my first choice, maybe barring the top 3 for second choice. x-6-8-8-8-6 would be 3rd choice.

I'm not sure I'd ever play jeff's choice of 3-x-1-3-4-x. I can do it quite easily, but I don't recall ever having any need for it. (If I did want the 3rd on the bottom, I'd probably go for the 3-6-5-3-4-3 barre.)

[rick-slo]

The OP question: "Do you play this chord... C-shape barre chord."
All types of alternatives to the full barre, but that's another story...

[MC5C]

I guess I've never played that full barre chord and I expect I never will. I can't imagine where that would be the best version of that chord to play. In fact, the only moveable shape that I play that comes out of that "C chord" box is a dominant 7th form based on C7. I play many many chords that come out of C9, of course. I guess it would be more honest to say that I almost never play 6 string barre chords.

[RustyAxe]

It sounds like you're wanting a passing chord ... in which case I'd lose the thought to play a big 6-string chord, and play only those notes which belong. You can make that c-shape an "inside chord" ... and only play the A, D, G and B strings (notes are Eb, G, G, Eb) ... yeah, you lose the third, but in a passing chord it might not be needed.

[Wyllys]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

Keep in mind too, if you don't need the G on top but DO need it on the bottom:

3 x 1 3 4 x is a very handy shape.

I use this a lot, but whatever I choose to use will be determined by what comes before, what follows and how it functions in the progression and phrasing...among other things...and it is just as likely that I might re-jigger the preceding chord voicings to let me use a more comfortable inversion of the Eb.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by Nyghthawk

I find a different fingering or capo-up to another key.

Yep. Capo three, play C. Piece of cake.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by bufflehead

Yep. Capo three, play C. Piece of cake.

True. Even when the Eb is a borrowed chord in a different key, that can be a suitable solution.
I.e., Eb can occur in the keys of G, C, or F - as well as Eb and Bb and their relative minors - but they're all easy enough with capo on 3.

The exception would be when the Eb is in the key of Ab, in which case a capo on 1 (D shape) would be easier. Or capo 4 and play it as a B7 shape. For the key of Fm, where Eb is bVII, capo 1 again.

Of course, I'm not talking jazz... I get the feeling jazz guitarists regard capos with a mix of bemusement and contempt...

[jwayne]

Second part of Borsalino requires this shape barred at the second fret, but the Maj7 version without the middle finger (DMaj7).

You also have to stretch your index finger down to the first fret on the 3rd string for a slide between the G# and A, which can be tricky for some folks.

But even if you don't have an immediate "need" to play this shaped barred, it is a good idea to practice it. Helpful exercise is to move between C A G E D shapes all barred.