And just when you think you have it under control..... a 12 string appears and the song needs a barre chord!
:shock: :evil: :evil:
"Nothing...can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts."
And just when you think you have it under control..... a 12 string appears and the song needs a barre chord!
:shock: :evil: :evil:
Night Moves on a 12 string: G C F C G. :P
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
You know, speaking of barre chords...
Do any of you play barre chords on an acoustic above the A?
Or even a B type chord?
I can get up to C on the electric, but no further than a B family on the acoustic.
Is it just practice and skill, or it's better to use open chords much above the A barre on an acoustic?
I'm working on a song, and though in class we're using the electric with the barre chords all the way up to C at the 8th fret, but I wanted to use the acoustic, just for kicks. But it's just not working.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
I think I answered my own question. How cool is that!? :mrgreen:
Instead of fighting to play barre chords up past 7th or 8th on the acoustic, why not use a root 5?
A# = X13331
B = X24442
C = X35553
I think I'm going to try this to see how the chord changes are and how it sounds. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
I think I answered my own question. How cool is that!? :mrgreen:
Instead of fighting to play barre chords up past 7th or 8th on the acoustic, why not use a root 5?
A# = X13331
B = X24442
C = X35553
I think I'm going to try this to see how the chord changes are and how it sounds. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
You don't even have to use a root 5 in those examples. They all work with a full barre (A# = 113331, etc.), unless you are intent on having the lowest note as the tonic. The only difference between these samples and the earlier A & C barres you posted is that these three are barred with the A shape, while the A & C above were barred with the E shape (which does have its tonic on the 6th string).
Another "root 5" shape that works for barres is the C shape. I frequently use that one on the 2nd fret instead of the open D.
You don't even have to use a root 5 in those examples. They all work with a full barre (A# = 113331, etc.), unless you are intent on having the lowest note as the tonic.
Ok, didn't know or realize that. Makes sense since the A# has the high e; why not add the low E. Thanks.
The only difference between these samples and the earlier A & C barres you posted is that these three are barred with the A shape, while the A & C above were barred with the E shape (which does have its tonic on the 6th string).
Yes, I learned root 6 as E shape and root 5 as A shape. :)
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
Well as it turns out, my idea for playing the song (it's Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay) with A# = X13331; B = X24442; C = X35553 sounds like total crap. Or maybe it's me. I have a problem with A-shape root 5 chords because of the high e string. My 3rd finger wants to fret it. I know I have to work on them, but not now. So toss that idea into the scrap pile for now. :|
Then I tried
G = 355433
B7 = 797877
C = 899788
A = 577455
Sounds marginally better.
The two good sounds are how my teacher is showing me, which I think is the original in the song, and is easier for me on the electric than the acoustic. Which prompted this whole abomination. :lol:
Verse:
G = 355433
A = 577655
A# = 688766
B = 799877
C = 8 10 10 988
B = 799877
A# = 688766
A = 577655
G = 355433
Chorus:
E = O221OO
&c.
And using open chords (easy play version, great on the acoustic):
G B7 C A (3x)
&c.
So why am I tooling around with this? Oh just experimentation, and maybe I'll learn something. :wink:
(I might have a typo or two in here)
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
You know, speaking of barre chords...
Do any of you play barre chords on an acoustic above the A?
All the time! Don't know if you saw the version of "The Weight" I posted recently (it's in the Merseyside Jam thread) but I use an E with barre at the 7th fret, and an F#m barred at the 9th fret. On "Under The Bridge" I use the same F#m chord, barred at the 9th. There's a couple of songs I play which involve an Em at the 7th, G at the 10th, and D at the 10th.
Light strings are a big help!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Light strings are a big help!
:D :D :D
Vic
I think that's it. The strings on my Seagull acoustic are like undersea telephone cables. :?
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
I think that's it. The strings on my Seagull acoustic are like undersea telephone cables. :?
That had me rolling! :lol:
I recently tried playing a few things on my brother-in-law's acoustic and your comment instantly made me think of that experience.
I'm serious... I love the guitar. It just feels solid and fat. But the strings are heavy and give a thick almost muffled sound. But I wonder if it's my pick. I use everything from medium to heavy to extra heavy (what did I know when I collected them? the colors were pretty :roll: ). At least that's my impression at face value. And the strings came with the guitar, which I don't have too long. When I slide barre chords, the creaking and scratching on the bass strings sounds like Dracula's coffin lid opening. I think new, lighter strings are in order, maybe even flatwound. I've heard good and bad about them. Or I just won't slide on the bass strings (hey, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem :P ). I told my teacher I was trying my lesson (barre chord version of Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay as I mentioned) on the acoustic, and how heavy the strings are. He looked at me like "You silly, silly man!" :lol:
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
You know, I really hate this hobby sometimes. It plays tricks on you. I think it's The Trickster. :twisted: I sat in class last night and could not get my fingers to do a stinkin' thing right, except barre up the fretboard (G A A# B C) with maybe a finger occasionally placed in the right spot. Forget going back down... C B A# A G then open E. I said to my teacher, OK I don't know how much more we can squeeze out of this in class, I just need practice. He said OK, sure. So I said let's devote the rest of the time to picking your brain. We did. I got home, got settled, picked up the guitar for one last-ditch attempt for the evening. I play the freakin' chords up and down the fretboard, with rhythm and it sounds like the song! :roll:
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
...I sat in class last night and could not get my fingers to do a stinkin' thing right...
This is common. When I try to play for anyone but myself, it seems like I can't communicate with my fingers anymore... 8)
Learning requires a willingness to be bad at something for awhile.
When I slide barre chords, the creaking and scratching on the bass strings sounds like Dracula's coffin lid opening. I think new, lighter strings are in order, maybe even flatwound. I've heard good and bad about them. Or I just won't slide on the bass strings (hey, if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem :P ). I told my teacher I was trying my lesson (barre chord version of Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay as I mentioned) on the acoustic, and how heavy the strings are. He looked at me like "You silly, silly man!" :lol:
(speaking of acoustic here) Light strings could help. Be sure to try coated strings (Elixirs and others)- they make the sliding noises disappear plus you get longer life before they get corroded and dull sounding.
Barres require deliberate muscle development (and technique). When I decided to finally get barres down I found a couple of songs that had barres at 5 and 7 and just played the songs regularly. With time my strength improved and I could hold the barres longer.
Hotel California is a great barre-burner. (Bm, F#, A at the 5th, G- might as well barre at the 3rd for the full workout)
You have to work up to it. This is like bench-pressing #350 using your left index finger :-)
Unimogbert
(indeterminate, er, intermediate fingerstyle acoustic)
(speaking of acoustic here) Light strings could help. Be sure to try coated strings (Elixirs and others)- they make the sliding noises disappear plus you get longer life before they get corroded and dull sounding.
Thanks.
Note to self: Look into.
Barres require deliberate muscle development (and technique). When I decided to finally get barres down I found a couple of songs that had barres at 5 and 7 and just played the songs regularly. With time my strength improved and I could hold the barres longer.
Hotel California is a great barre-burner. (Bm, F#, A at the 5th, G- might as well barre at the 3rd for the full workout)
This is why I'm not taking the easy route and playing the easy play open chord version. Take the hard road. The open chord version sounds good, but it doesn't have the melodic quality of the barre version. And I can't yet sing and play simultaneously.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
