I posted on 8/8/08 requesting exercises to improve barre chords. I was determined to get them down at any cost.
Well it's been a month and here is my report. The F chords fingering is greatly improved. I find that I'm using less pressure across the barre which helps the length of the practice sessions.
I also improved the speed of the transition from open chords to barre chord by positioning fingers 3 & 4 first, barre second and middle finger last. I find that you can strum the chord without having finger 2 down (really Fm) which improves speed. I was placing fingers 3&4, then 2, and finally then the barre.
The easiest transition is from open C to F and the most difficult open G to F.
Hopefully, by the end of this month I will be able to play the barre chords in songs and not just with the metronome.
The easiest transition is from open C to F and the most difficult open G to F.
Nuno reminded me that you can replace the OPEN G with the barred G and that will make the transitition easier to F Barre (depending on the song of course).
Bob Jessie
Good work! Keep it up. 8)
One day you'll look back and be very proud of yourself!
Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.
hi mate
remember that it needs quite a lot of time to be able to play clean bar chords. I've been playing for 3 years or so and even if i'm quite decent still i don't play them so well as i wish. The most difficult thing is to change from open chords to bar ones so sometimes you have to "cheat" and find some different fingerings. I.e. when i play Creedence clearwater "Who'll stop the rain", a song i play with my band. If you know it there's a change in the verse from open G to Bm. After a few unsatisfying takes i cut the problem playing a Bm7 (x20202) instead of Bm: the change is a lot cleaner and I can pay more attention to the overall playing of the song.
Matteo
Nuno reminded me that you can replace the OPEN G with the barred G and that will make the transitition easier to F Barre (depending on the song of course).
Bob, I'm glad you found useful one of my comments! :D
Darthnihlus, those are great news. Now, try to use in some songs and not only in exercise progressions. For example, try to transpose some songs you already know to keys in which you can use the F chord or another barre chord.
Even better, try to learn new songs with just one or two barres. Two candidates: Stand by me in A major (you will use F#m) and Hotel California (you will use Bm and F#).
BTW, some minor or 7th barre chords (as for example the F#m or F7) are easier to me because you use less fingers. My favorite: Fm7, you can play it with the barre and the ring finger.
Well done!
Keep practicing! 8)
Nuno,
Thanks for the encouragement. I do have chords for Hotel California but it was a version that didn't use the Bm. It did have a F but I was using the mini barre to play it (Am, E7,G, D, F, C, Dm, E). I'll try it with the Bm and F# full barre.
I was practicing the chords for "I will follow you into the dark" by Death Cab for Cutie yesterday and was surprised that I was able to get the Am to F to C and G to F to C in time (although not 100% clean 100% of the time).
T
I've been cheating and doing the 2 finger Fmaj and 1 finger Bm. I know I should learn to make them full barre. I can do it when I put my mind to it. They will sound fatter. But they are tough.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
And wait till you get the rubber dexterity in your hands. That open Gmaj to Fmaj will happen automatically.
