• From: NY
  • Registered: 2007-10-05
  • Posts: 40

Topic: Barre chord guidance

I have begun to successfully play the e-shaped bar chords, namely F - which I am totally jacked about!!!!  However to make this change in the context of a tune is a bit clunking & chunking.

Are there any tips and tricks that I can use to help me move from open chords (C, G, D) to the F barre chord.  I know the short answer is practice, practice, practice and I have picked some songs, where there is a "sprinkling" of the F chord in it to practice it

I was just wondering if the veterans had an inside track on finger changing technique (i.e. put the barre finger down first, then the E-shape, or vice versa).

Anything would be helpful to get my fingers trained to make this move more graceful.

Thanks much,
P.J.

Acoustic: Yamaha F-310, Washburn WD-32SW
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2007-07-16
  • Posts: 282

Re: Barre chord guidance

I always thought the G to F was tricky, but the C to F or G barre wasn't so bad.  So on all the C G F songs out there, I play the C open (or play it at the 8th fret with the E shape if you want to make it really easy).  From the C your ring finger stays in the same place, so just plunk down your pinky & middle finger, slap the barre down and slide it up to the third fret....sounds confusing as I type this, but just practice (there's that word again), it really isn't bad.  Then just slide down to the first position for your F.  Same thing if a song goes from an E to an Am to an F.  The Am to F was always tricky for me, so I just play the E with my middle, ring and pinky, go up to the 5th position for the Am, just lifting your middle finger and barre it, and then just put it back down and slide down to 1 for the F.

I used to HATE barre chords...wouldn't even try to play a song with an F or a B in it, but now a lot of times I don't even switch between open and barre--it's just easier moving up and down the neck.  I was working on playing a D at the 10th fret last night which is new for me...so just keep practicing!

  • Registered: 2007-05-23
  • Posts: 43

Re: Barre chord guidance

Also...

Please note that the barre on the first fret requires more strength than playing it at higher frets. For me, it's easiest around the 5th fret, so maybe practicing the changes there will be easier for you.

For the last six months or so, I have played with really heavy strings in order to get more power in my fingers, and it's worked out quite well. Tough in the beginning, and it took a while to make it sound ok, but I can already feel the result whenever I pick up an acoustic guitar with "normal" or "light" strings.
Having more power allows for more relaxed playing and more concentration on the movements.
Maybe when the next set of strings are due and you have a few extra bucks, try out a really heavy set for a few days.

Cheers,
nc

4 Reply by SuperMatt (edited by SuperMatt 2008-03-19 20:49:00)

  • Registered: 2007-03-07
  • Posts: 17

Re: Barre chord guidance

I usually place the fingers first, then the bar, and you can kind of "bounce" the barring finger so it's only really pinching when you strum. Don't lift it off, just release the pressure a bit. This takes a little practice, but reduces the hand cramps by a great deal, and kind of gives you a stronger rhythm in your strum.