I'm just starting out (again) to learn the guitar and I'm finding the guitarnoise site to be a great source of help. However, I do have one particular problem I'd like to ask about.
I have fairly small hands and fingers and I find the F chord and other barre chords especially difficult. I can't easily press all six string down together, so I get a lot of dead strings and buzzing. I'm also very slow to change in and out of it, especially because of the physical effort I need to put in to hold the chord.
So, I usually use just the four high strings and miss out the base notes, which doesn't always sound good.
Anyone have any tips for those with small fingers on how to learn to play those barre chords effectively?
Tourne
Practice them. Sorry, but that's the only way to get it. Big hands, small hands, no hands, we all have had major issues with those darned barre chords (and F is the worst!).
Barre chords are a bear.
Try this:
Start practicing at the fifth fret.
Make sure your index finger is as close as possible to the fret.
Remember, your index finger only has to hold down three strings.
Keep in mind that you aren't squeezing the neck front and back, you are applying pressure to the string side.
Keep your elbow in.
Lift the neck into a bit more of a classical position.
I can only say what has helped me.
Play the same barre shape (E shaped barre) that you use for the F chord high up the neck, start at around the 10th fret.
2 things happen here. Strings are easier to push down and frets are closer together.
When you get that down and can play cleanly gradually move down the neck.
I too have small hands.
It will come to you with practice.
Move you'r first finger(the one you hold all the strings down with) around to make sure it's in the best spot. Make sure to keep you'r thumb in the middle of the neck. When pain occurs take a break. Pick each string to make sure that that they are ringing clearly. If not adjust you'r fingers. Practice playing E major to F barre chord major at about 40 bpm(beats per minutes). Practice alot.
"The answer is practice.
Now, what's the question?"
Words by David Mead.
Latest addition: Cover of "Don't Panic" by Coldplay
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=502670
Everyone has pretty much hit it on the head.
Many first-timers feel that their small hands are holding them back with barre chords. But almost every guitar player has a problem with them at first. It will all snap into place one day, and you'll say "Why was that so tough?".
Keep moving your fingers to different posistions, change the wrist angle, find out what works best, and memorize that. Starting higher up and working your way down was another great idea I saw posted.
You will find that after spending some time with open chords (as your fingers get stronger), barre chords will become easier.
Latest addition: Cover of "Don't Panic" by Coldplay
http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=502670
All the above is good advice..
For me I chose a song I liked which had a relatively easy F chord change in it and tried to play that song each time I practiced. Early on because I could not make the F, I didn't practice the song for very long, but one day you will be able to play F, maybe badly and you will switch from one chord to F albeit slowly at first.
Songs that go C to F might be best.
After months it still isn't easy but Hotel California (capo on 2nd - but it is D to F, not C to F) and San Fransisco Bay Blues are good.
F and B were the beasts for me. They took forever to get.
For F I played Damien Rice's "Volcano" over and over and over until I could just snap into the F chord. By the way, its called the "F" chord for a reason
For B I played Nirvana's version of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" until I could hit it. Again, called a "B" chord for a reason.
For Volcano, the change is Am F
For WDYSLN its G B Em
"How could you possibly be scared of being bad? Once you get past that, it's all beautiful." -Trey Anastasio
I spent quite a while developing my first barre chords, I think G# was the first one I needed.
Strangely enough, I almost never use the full barre chords anymore, having become of all the partials and triads that have a lot more "flavor" in my mind. Probably also has something to do with my choice of humbucker equipped guitars that tend to sound way too muddy when I play 6 string chords.
Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life...
Well, I almost always "form" full 6 string barre chords. I hardly ever "play" all 6 strings however.
--
Helgi Briem
hbriem AT gmail DOT com
As with everybody else here, I have a hard time with barre chords. I have, however, found a few things that help:
-Try not to squeeze with your thumb so much as pull your fingers into the fretboard with your forearm
-Check out this site that refelcts on the idea above http://www.douglasniedt.citymax.com/page/page/513109.htm
-Get one of those Gripmaster finger exercises and use it to strengthen your thumb and fingers
-Practice, practice, practice .... it will come to you!
