• sinner
  • Junior Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 3

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

none taken Guitarpix, funnily enough I do use it for fingrpicking and the trick doesn`t work for all barre chords I still have to barre its just the easiest way I have found for playing an F and any other chord that looks like an F but played on different frets, that is at least until I get halfway up the fretboard, then I`ll switch to the barre I tend to hold the notes with whatever finger I find to be the easiest for me and not always how it says in the chord books, with some chords anyway, but your right in that it is something that has to be practiced repeatedly, barreing that is, not the hooking of the thumb, thats just my personal preference LOL

  • Registered: 2008-03-06
  • Posts: 2

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How long has it been since you had your guitar set up? I have noticed any guitar is much easier to play on all the chords when it is well set up.

  • From: Minnesota
  • Registered: 2007-10-20
  • Posts: 114

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree with guiterpix that one should learn barre chords instead of "cheating" (I still do cheat from time to time still, especially on A shaped barre chords). One thing that I found that helped me when I learn barre chords was to actually play the same shape on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th fret (F#, G barred, G#). It seems like it's more difficult to form the barre so close to the nut, so I built up hand stength and confidence by practicing those chords. After awhile playing F wasn't such a big deal. I also saw another thread somewhere that talked about building finger/hand strength which could help as well. Setup is important too.

"Do or do not, there is no try." Yoda
  • Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 3,489

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DFNCheney, my new hero!

And mine as well! God bless your little cotton socks. I actually was giving up at this stage,

Been 3 years now, trying to get the hang of this. After reading your post, I couldn't give a highlanders now.

WHOO HOO . Wheres my guitar. lol

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
  • Registered: 2008-02-07
  • Posts: 6

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A lot of people suggest get-arounds and cheats for avoiding barre chords. I think these are fine if you really want to play a certain song and you just can't master the barre or a particular chord but I think you should always face up to the challenge even if it seems impossible at the time. I thought barre chords seemed unrealistically impossible and then one day they just fell into place.

One thing I think that helped me in retrospect was the fact that I have two guitars - one with very high action which is a bitch to play. The bitch was a birthday present so I exclusively played on it and as I wasn't using barre chords I somehow didn't realise how high the action was (you can't even capo on 1st cause it's to high). I must have toyed around a little with barre chords on it though cause when I went back to my other guitar they seemed easy and I couldn't understand how I hadn't been able to do them before. I think the other guitar gave me a workout without me noticing it and must have strengthened up my barre.

  • Registered: 2008-03-08
  • Posts: 4

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First Post!

I've been playing guitar since I was 9, I'm now 16. I take the instrument seriously though and practice for at least an hour every day when I'm at home.

I used to have this chord chart poster on my wall, and when I wanted to learn the F chord, I couldn't think of any way to do it except by barring with my thumb.

I'm self taught, so no one every told me a better way - It actually works extremely well once you get the hang of it. You do have to have long thumbs though...

-Joh

  • Registered: 2008-02-23
  • Posts: 6

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

try playing an E major chord. then move the chord down one fret and barre the top strings
hard i know but master this and loads more chords will come.

  • Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 3,489

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HI Ghanlon,

Gosh you have a very unusal website. Love the song "Bethlehem"

Also whats the story behind all the Circus Stuff for sale?.

Old Doll.

Why Blend in with the Crowd ? When you were made to stand out !
  • tonydr
  • tonydr
  • Senior Member
  • Offline
  • From: New Jersey
  • Registered: 2008-03-06
  • Posts: 144

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

DFNCheney wrote:

New to this forum but I've been playing for over 40 years.  Follow my advice and you'll be a much happier person:

1) Avoid all songs with F.  No great song was ever written with an F chord.

2) Change to another key

3) For the duration of the F chord pause playing but continue vocals.  Pick up the instrumental again after the chord change.

4)  Pause during the F chord and allow the bass to take a solo.

In 40 years I've never had to play an F and I'm proud of it.

smile smile LOL
I love #4!

btw: How are you with Bb?  smile

That's alright, I got my guitar
-Jimi Hendrix
  • From: Gloucestershire, U.K
  • Registered: 2008-06-10
  • Posts: 146

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

e|-1-|
b|-1-|
g|-2-|
d|-3-|
a|-0-|
e|-0-|

That's what I play for F.

All I know is I feel better when I sing.
Burdens are lifted from me.
That's my voice rising.
  • From: Cincinnati, OH
  • Registered: 2007-07-16
  • Posts: 282

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didn't read all the posts, someone probably suggested this--but play the E with your middle, ring and pinky fingers, then just slide it down a fret and slap the index finger on the first fret--make sure your thumb is behind your index finger, and pinch the neck between them instead of just pushing down with your index finger.

  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You gotta have the F. Playing up on the neck is not possible unless you master the F configuration.
This is harder on acoustic than electric. Barring all six strings with the index finger will eventually cause your center palm to cramp.
Wrapping your hand in close to the back of the neck and fretting the sixth string(E) with your thumb as mentioned above, is a nice cramp-relieving alternative.
You want to get all six strings in on your bar chord if you can.

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • Registered: 2008-05-16
  • Posts: 1

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The quality of your guitar and its setup can make a big difference, too. All of these comments are good ones but don't avoid learning the full-blown barre chord version - you'll need it in your arsenal.

  • Registered: 2008-07-07
  • Posts: 5

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a question too:

WHen a song simply states the chords how do you know which frets to play the chords on. I have just been playing all of them on the 2nd fret.

Thanks

  • From: Almancil, Algarve, Portugal
  • Registered: 2006-09-02
  • Posts: 6,205

Re: HEELLLPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Learnguitar,

If you look at the chord grids in the chord chart shown the Resources section the horizontal lines represent the guitar frets and the top one is always the guitar nut UNLESS there is a number alongside it and the number then indicates the fret on which the chord is played.

If you look at the chord chart you will see that the first three chords shown are A, A# and A#4. These are all 'open' chords played from the nut. The fourth chord is A#7 and you will see a 3 beside it indicating that it is played on the third fret.

Roger

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

Roger Guppy's Website