• From: buxton
  • Registered: 2006-05-19
  • Posts: 19

Topic: B chord blues

please please tell me if there any way i can cheat in playin a B chord (ie like the old 1123 play the bottom 4 strings for an f trick i learnt in my early days) as its like some elusive sound i will never hear at the moment  and am missing out on some of my best tunes.
oh and pleas dont say practice cause no matter how many years of practice i cant these bloody fingers any longer. im almost at the stage of strapping weights on them while i sleep!!
cheers all
j

all you need in life are shoes and a guitar
  • From: Upstate NY
  • Registered: 2007-07-17
  • Posts: 40

Re: B chord blues

Not sure if it's much easier but you can ply that same four finger trick to the B.  First fret on the high E, third fret on the B, G & D (deadening the A and low E).  Again, not much easier but it is one option.

  • From: buxton
  • Registered: 2006-05-19
  • Posts: 19

Re: B chord blues

yeah i tried that. its difficult but at least possible unlike the normal way. seriously is it just me. anybody i know who plays says they dont have a problem at all. iv even heard of people barring B,G and D with one finger which to me seems just a physical impossibilty
Am i just missing something or is it, as my mother says,me just being 'special'

all you need in life are shoes and a guitar
  • From: Upstate NY
  • Registered: 2007-07-17
  • Posts: 40

Re: B chord blues

We're all "special", noise, and barring the three with one finger is what I do so I know it's not physically impossible.  A real pita to learn, yes.  Impossible?  No.  But I look at some of the things that some fingerpickers do and I just sit back and laugh.  Guys like Tommy Emmanuel and Doyle Dykes, among many others, are just insane players.  Keep at it - you'll get there.  And remember - it's the journey, not the destination that's fun.

  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: B chord blues

Quit blaming your fingers, and practice.  Get your wrist waaay out in front of the neck.

Someday we'll win this thing...

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  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,204

Re: B chord blues

WeaserP wrote:

And remember - it's the journey, not the destination that's fun.

Now that is something worth remembering.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Roger Guppy's Website

  • Registered: 2007-08-23
  • Posts: 27

Re: B chord blues

I use one of two ways , depending on whether I really need the bass note in the chord.
The first way is as already set out above - do an "A" shape third fret and bar the high E string first fret, avoiding the low E and A strings.
Other way is where you need the bass note - do an A shape again but bar the A string second fret and deaden the high E string (this happens automatically in my experience).
If you have a flexible little finger joint you can practice flattening the top of your little finger over the strings on the third fret. gets easier after some practice.
I cant do the full barre either so I understand your frustration. Horrible, horrible chord. And B flat is even worse!

Shane

  • Registered: 2007-05-08
  • Posts: 1

Re: B chord blues

If I'm playing a song with lots of Bs in I tend to capo it up to the 2nd or 4th fret (depending on the other chords in the progression) and transpose the rest of the chords.

Alternatively I play it on the 7th fret (F shape).

  • Kahuna
  • Kahuna
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-07-12
  • Posts: 290

Re: B chord blues

Doing the F shape on the 7th fret is good on an electric.  I'm thinking the pitch will be a bit high on an acoustic.  I guess it depends on whether you're barring other chords around the same fret area.   I found that barring the B on second fret on acoustic sounds better. 



bororob wrote:

If I'm playing a song with lots of Bs in I tend to capo it up to the 2nd or 4th fret (depending on the other chords in the progression) and transpose the rest of the chords.

Alternatively I play it on the 7th fret (F shape).

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
  • Blunt but well meaning moderator
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: B chord blues

Transcribe!!!   That's my solution. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • From: buxton
  • Registered: 2006-05-19
  • Posts: 19

Re: B chord blues

all very helpful thanks but as iv turned  this into a huge circle im going back to transcribing as i always do as despite it being a classic way of cheating it always works
as the fresh prince once said. if it aint broke then dont try to fix it
cheers all

all you need in life are shoes and a guitar
  • Registered: 2006-09-06
  • Posts: 1

Re: B chord blues

your fingers do get longer as a matter of fact if you do fingerexercises every day, and yes I know it 's boring but it really helped for me,
and also if you want to barre you put your index finger on the fret and then roll it just behind the fret so you are actually pressing with almost the side of your finger.
the exercises I do are
simply playing fret 12 then 123 then 1234 then 13 then 14 on all of the strings, this makes your fingers stronger and helps stretch them furhter.

lots of fun
lorinda

  • From: BELGIUM
  • Registered: 2007-01-27
  • Posts: 3,403

Re: B chord blues

B chord: I take it with 4 fingers one on fret two small E, or barre on 7th fret and using E chord under my barre.
Best site I found, with possibilities to traspose your chord, like A: usually taken on the second fret, but you can do it also in barre on the 5th fret, using again the E chord
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  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2007-07-16
  • Posts: 282

Re: B chord blues

For what it's worth, I tend to cheat on my B if it doesn't screw up the song too much--just forget about the B string and hit the G&D with my pinky & ring finger.  Makes it real easy to hit a lot of chords from there.  When I suck it up and do it right, I'll just bare it with my ring finger...or use the F shape at 7.  And if (when) I mess up, I look down at my guitar like it's stupid or something. 
I'm being no help at all here...think I'll just be quiet now.