• Registered: 2007-04-03
  • Posts: 1

Topic: B chords

hi there, i've been playing acoustic for about 2 yrs now (self taught) and am not too bad - i can hold a good tune and absoloutely love playing. until xmas just gone i couldn't play ANY barr chords although i now have at least the F 'shape' down to a tee. i'm struggling in a big way however with the B 'shape', where the barr is an extra fret away from my other fingers. i'm not sure (being self taught) what the correct way (if there is one) of placing those other fingers is, nor of any other way of making it a bit easier. i realise that it may just be a case of patience but any tips anyone has would be most welcome!

thanks

Dave

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

Re: B chords

You have to be somewhat of a masochist, and enjoy stretching and flexing your hands until they cramp.


If that happens, and you say "That's awesome!" you'll probably be OK. 


You just need to flex your hands and get them used to the stretch.  Here are two barre chord shapes I use to help excercise.  When my instructor showed me the first shape, I could hold it for about 15 seconds until my hand cramped.  It was awesome.  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_biggrin.gif" border=0 alt="Very Happy">


I barre this at the 3rd fret, making it a G7 chord.   The trick is using your pinky to barre the e and B strings on the 7th fret.  That's where the "ouch" factor comes in.


-7-

-7-

-4-

-3-

-5-

-3-


Hold that for a while.


The other one is a straight closed G form.  It's moveable all over the neck.  I'll tab it out as A.


-6-

-3-

-3-

-3-

-5-

-6-


Practice those until you can play them, and B will be a piece of cake.

Someday we'll win this thing...

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jerome.oneil's Website

  • From: Sweden
  • Registered: 2007-01-09
  • Posts: 85

Re: B chords

Hi Dave!

My friend has a way of barring the A major-shape (You call it B) that is hard to learn but give great reward when you get it. He barrs with index finger of course, then he "barres" the A shape (string 2, 3 and 4 two frets up) with his ring finger. It's a bit like taking a power chord. The big trick is to NOT press or mute the high E-string (It's better to mute it a bit then sounding a foul note). If you can get that grip (I'm there soon so it is possible) you have a very fast and easily moved chord shape.


/Missen


PS. Besserwisser style: The barre chord shapes are named after the chord the shape gives when you move them up to open possition. If you move the B-shape all the way up (the sadle becomes your barre) you get A major, called A major shape. Same with E, Em, Am, E7 etc. etc.


Attaching my barre chart.

If you love what you do, there's no need to be good at it...

4 Reply by

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  • From: Denmark
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 8

Re: B chords

must confess i thought that may be the answer! guess i'll just have to give myself early arthiritis! thanks for the exercises mate, think they may well help.

D

's Website

5 Reply by

  • Banned
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  • From: Denmark
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 8

Re: B chords

had a quick go at your mates way and can't get a clean sound - i just can't bend my ring finger that far!

thanks for the chord chart tho, it'll be good to start calling things by their proper names at least!

D

's Website

  • From: Sweden
  • Registered: 2007-01-09
  • Posts: 85

Re: B chords

Hi again!

Didn't say it would be easy  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">


When I saw my friend fret that way the first time I asked him how the f-k he could get his finger to that angle. He answered: Training stupid, do you think I was born that way?


I have only played since cristmas (my wife will leave me soon  <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_smile.gif" border=0 alt="Smile"> ) and there is a bit of angle that wasn't there before. I seldom get a clean chord but it's coming closer.


At work when I don't have to use my hands (reading or at boring meetings) I put my left hand fingers to the table at an angle. Then i press the top joint on the ring finger with my right thumb increasing the angle, bending around a bit... (if you hear a cracking sound you train to hard).


Another thing to try is to use your pinky for the ring finger grip, the pinky is often not as stiff (but then again not as strong). Keep working the ring finger thogh.


/Missen

If you love what you do, there's no need to be good at it...