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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → How is it physically possible to play a B chord?
Hello, Ive been teaching myself acoustic for about 7months, have mastered the basics, but I can't play B. I don't understand how you hold that many strings down with four fingers.lol. Any advice?
Easy, practice. If you can play G on 3rd fret slide up to 6th fret. Most chords are moveable Or play E chord on first position and move this shape one fret at a time ,this will then give you F, F sharp, G etc...hope this helps.
I found it helpful to do excercises that strengthen your grip. Makes the bar chords a little easier to manage.... and of course... practice.
Another trick is to learn to do the A major using just your ring finger, with a bit of a 'backwards' bend at the last joint. Slide that up two frets, and add the bar with the index finger. Note that on any of the barre chords done in this manner, it's okay to mute the high e string, though for good technique's sake you should probably try not to.
Hello, Ive been teaching myself acoustic for about 7months, have mastered the basics, but I can't play B. I don't understand how you hold that many strings down with four fingers.lol. Any advice?
This and F for that matter are 'barre' chords and one finger (your index finger) holds every string on a particular fret and your other three fingers play the other notes.
So for B your index finger is 'barred' across the second fret holding all six string down. Your middle finger is on the 4th, string 4th fret - ring finger on 3rd string, 4th fret - little finger on 2nd string, 4th fret. That being said it is a difficult chord to master so for ease while your are learning start by playing a four string version (but please do practice the full chord too). For the four string version use your index finger on the 1st string, 2nd fret and the other fingers as before and do not play the two bass strings. It is then a case of just altering the index finger to 'barre the 2nd fret when you get proficient. Far easier said than done.
Roger
It isn't possible for mere mortals. That chord is for mutants only. I always substitute B7 and call it an arrangement.
- Zurf
It isn't possible for mere mortals. That chord is for mutants only. I always substitute B7 and call it an arrangement.
- Zurf
Thats called cheating , and not allowed. Sit on the naughty step .
Try substituting your 4th finger for your 3rd on the second fret C bar posistion it works for me but its only the way I play it because it feels stronger and my fingers dont hurt from pushing down and stretching 
It isn't possible for mere mortals. That chord is for mutants only. I always substitute B7 and call it an arrangement.
- Zurf
Agreed. I use 2 fingers 1st and 3rd. I have trained my ring finger to mute the high E string through knuckle bending. Some day I will learn it properly but it's supposed to be fun and that shape is anything but fun. And before the mutants chime....It's still technically a B chord, call it a power chord if you must!!!
Practice, practice practice. Try useing your middle, ring, and pinky fingers to make the open A chord, this will help when you move it down the neck for bar chords. when you go to make A and E shape bars start practiceing higher up the neck 4-8th frets, they are usually easier to bar than frets 1-3.
There is no such thing as cheating while playing guitar, if playing B7 or B as X2444X using only your index and ring fingers works for the song go ahead and do it.
Hello, Ive been teaching myself acoustic for about 7months, have mastered the basics, but I can't play B. I don't understand how you hold that many strings down with four fingers.lol. Any advice?
It will come to you in time. The key is strengthening the muscles and training the mind to bust out any chord, with minimal effort. Here are a few options for playing a B chord;
X(do not play low E string)
2nd fret on A string(pointer)
4th fret on D string(middle)
4th fret on G string(ring finger)
B string (play open)
X (try not play high E string).................(X2440X)
7th fret on low E string(pointer finger)
9th fret on A string (ring finger)
9th fret on D string (pinky finger)
8th fret on G string( middle finger)
B string (play open)
X(try not to play high E string).....................(79980X)
Another trick is to learn to do the A major using just your ring finger, with a bit of a 'backwards' bend at the last joint. Slide that up two frets, and add the bar with the index finger. Note that on any of the barre chords done in this manner, it's okay to mute the high e string, though for good technique's sake you should probably try not to.
Yep, thats the way I do about half of my chords.
Especially the B. I only do the "B" barre chord at the 7th fret if I'm going to go to an E, A, Am or D.
Dm
Keep trying. Play the B chord in all positions. Eventually your fingers little brains will learn to go on auto pilot and your fingers will strengthen.
Zurf wrote:It isn't possible for mere mortals. That chord is for mutants only. I always substitute B7 and call it an arrangement.
- Zurf
Thats called cheating , and not allowed. Sit on the naughty step .
I'll take my time on the naughty step, but I'm still going to 'arrange.' Russell Harding (our own original Chordian Mutant) taught me the trick he mentioned here in an e-mail. It's nifty, but still doesn't work for me. Another fellow tried to get me to bridge all three strings with my ring finger in a 'double barre.' I punched him straightaway. He had it coming, don't you think?
It's Russell's song "A Few To Many" that I started using the B7 on and found that it works pretty well in most circumstances. Still love that song Russell! And I use the open fingering for B7, none of this switching a barre chord for another barre chord garbage. If I can't go to an open chord, it's just not worth playing. Except F and F#m shaped chords. I'm finally getting those. The A shape barre chords are unfair, unwise, unnatural, and wholly unlikely. They are, flat-out, evil.
- Zurf
Zurf glad you still like "a few to many" I still keep it on youtube for sentimental reasons and regarding the evil B chord substituting a B7 is fine, music is not an exact science and many songs are left to interpretation so play it any way that you can. I grant you mutant amnesty "long live the mutants" 
henryb wrote:Zurf wrote:It isn't possible for mere mortals. That chord is for mutants only. I always substitute B7 and call it an arrangement.
- Zurf
Thats called cheating , and not allowed. Sit on the naughty step .
I'll take my time on the naughty step, but I'm still going to 'arrange.' Russell Harding (our own original Chordian Mutant) taught me the trick he mentioned here in an e-mail. It's nifty, but still doesn't work for me. Another fellow tried to get me to bridge all three strings with my ring finger in a 'double barre.' I punched him straightaway. He had it coming, don't you think?
It's Russell's song "A Few To Many" that I started using the B7 on and found that it works pretty well in most circumstances. Still love that song Russell! And I use the open fingering for B7, none of this switching a barre chord for another barre chord garbage. If I can't go to an open chord, it's just not worth playing. Except F and F#m shaped chords. I'm finally getting those. The A shape barre chords are unfair, unwise, unnatural, and wholly unlikely. They are, flat-out, evil.
- Zurf
The quality of the guitar neck has alot to do with how difficult some of these chords are. I play with guys who have played for years and cannot manage the dreaded B chord or the F chord. I, myself struggled for years and also forced myself to go with the B7. It works in folk, country and some pop, but doesn't always work with rock. If the nut on your neck is too high and your strings are too high, you're gonna have hell to pay trying to master these two chords.
Evil B Chord Amnesty!!!! My life has just improved tremendously!
OK, so Russell are you going to write a new song as a follow up to Zurf and the Evil B titled B Chord Amnesty. If so, I recommend writing it in D with all open chords. :-)
- Zurf
Your wish is my command! I will title it "Amnesty" and it will be in the key of Eb (just kidding) as you wish, in "D" with All open chords and I will request some assistance from the recording forum network for the keyboard and bass tracks (my keyboard is kaput)from the signup roster and compose the lyrics and chord changes this week
Evil B Chord Amnesty!!!! My life has just improved tremendously!
OK, so Russell are you going to write a new song as a follow up to Zurf and the Evil B titled B Chord Amnesty. If so, I recommend writing it in D with all open chords. :-)
- Zurf
thank you everyone, i'll have a go at these ideas, on the plus side i have managed to master the F chord, so thats one down.xx
Your wish is my command! I will title it "Amnesty" and it will be in the key of Eb
Zurf wrote:Evil B Chord Amnesty!!!! My life has just improved tremendously!
OK, so Russell are you going to write a new song as a follow up to Zurf and the Evil B titled B Chord Amnesty. If so, I recommend writing it in D with all open chords. :-)
- Zurf
You're too much Russell! That's a riot. Have fun, and don't worry about the condition of my skin. It's thick enough.
- Zurf
Zurf I shall not worry I know you outdoors fishing and camping people have to endure all kinds of inclement conditions so your skin is used to a little abuse but I'll go easy on you but you'll have to wait a bit I have some recording projects that take priority but I already wrote the words and the chord changes kind of country sounding easy strumming song you can sit around the campfire drink beer and eat beans,pass a little gas get comfy type of song while you clean some fish not necessarily in that order, but what the heck and shucky darn thank God I'm a country boy (just thought I would set it up a bit) and in a few days I will wax it on vinyl for ya and upload it and if you need a copy I can put one on mediafire and I will do the chopro and put it in the songwriters section, but you have to send me some frozen fish
Well Russell, I'm heading to Alaska next summer for some salmon. I'm not sure of the regs, but if I can I'll have some smoked or flash-frozen for you and send it along (if you remind me). I'm not in any hurry for much of anything these days. I've been trying to slow things down a bit - especially the spinning in my head.
Speaking of old-time boom-chicka-boom country music, I'm working on a song titled Old Blue about a pickup truck I just sold. If you've ever heard Neil Young's song about his dog King you'll know about what to expect. I'd be real grateful for any suggestions on writing in a Zydeco style. I have an idea for a song about faith that I think would sound good in that uber-happy style.
- Big D
Zurf I stayed in Alaska for a few months and since its still part of the lower 49 there cant be to many restrictions and I love smoked salmon :lol and You can be sure i will remind you maybe someone has a link to that Neil Young song but if I remember zydeco is something like what the Neville brothers play,like a New Orleans type sound sort of cajun and I would be glad to help you with your song send me the lyrics and chords, it would help if you had a mic and the audacity program I could walk you through the steps of setting it up and how to use it quicker then cr#@ thru a goose if you listen to my song "Jamaacaa Man" on my website that is in a zydeco style kinda upbeat but the tempo can be adjusted for your song I think any song about faith is a good idea so drop on over to the recording forum and I will muster the chordie mutants and make this song a reality
Well Russell, I'm heading to Alaska next summer for some salmon. I'm not sure of the regs, but if I can I'll have some smoked or flash-frozen for you and send it along (if you remind me). I'm not in any hurry for much of anything these days. I've been trying to slow things down a bit - especially the spinning in my head.
Speaking of old-time boom-chicka-boom country music, I'm working on a song titled Old Blue about a pickup truck I just sold. If you've ever heard Neil Young's song about his dog King you'll know about what to expect. I'd be real grateful for any suggestions on writing in a Zydeco style. I have an idea for a song about faith that I think would sound good in that uber-happy style.
- Big D
I found it helpful to do excercises that strengthen your grip. Makes the bar chords a little easier to manage.... and of course... practice.
Any details of the sort of exercises that might help?
I found http://www.sport-thieme.co.uk/rl/pe-08_ … =froogleuk Amazing helpful (though I wouldn't pay that much for it!)
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Acoustic → How is it physically possible to play a B chord?
