I am hitting a wall

Maybe try some stretching exercises for a few days while you "master" the parts you already know...

I have been taking baby steps to barre chords (VERY baby steps!) but will be adding more tomorrow...

Sorry I couldn't help more :cry:

Hi Missileman,

I see what you mean about that second shape. I think I'd have to do the barre with my foot if I wanted to get my fingers in place as well..

Do you have a link to the version you're using please? I've looked at couple of tabs and they don't seem to feature those shapes. They use capo on 2nd fret, but no extra barres after that. Maybe if we could see the full score someone could suggest an alternative way to get the key notes you need?

Cheers, Chris

It is from one of the Hal Leonard Guitar Play Along books.
Vol.13 Folk Rock.
Great series of books. Comes with a CD with both the guitar part and a backing track for each song and slow down software so you can play at a speed you are comfortable with.
If it helps there are two bars that use these shapes and they are where you sing "Close your eyes and think of me and"
The bar before is an open G shape with a couple of pull offs on the B string and the bar after is open Em sort of arppegiated.
The next bar that it is used leads into verse two and covers the vocals "If the sky" (vocals start at the middle of this bar)

224242
112131

and

224252
112141

I don't know how you are fingering it, but I just added my pinky to the already formed chord.

I'm sure I'm not a big help, sorry! :?

Hi again,

The Tab I'm looking at shows the line ending with the G, and then "Close your eyes" beginning F#m7, then going to B7 and on to the Em.

Have they given a name for the shapes you're trying? 224242 looks like it's the B7 but I'm not sure what the 224252 is?? I've seen F#m7 written as 242222 and also as xx2222. But I don't know what 224252 is.

Oddly enough, the chord list after the tab only shows an F7 - 131211. So I don't know what that's all about? :?

Hey, I'm just making this worse.... sorry...

Anyway, the Tab's here in case it adds any possibilities.

You've Got a Friend tab

Your book sounds good. I'll look out for that. :D

Cheers, Chris.

Here is a tab of the preceding bar and the 2 bars I am having trouble with.
This is from memory, I don't have the book with me right now but is pretty close.
------3-----------|----------------|----------2-----|
1p0-------1p0-----|----5-----------|--4---5---5-----|
----0---------0---|2--2----2-------|--2---2---2-----|
------------------|--4-------4---4-|--4---4-------4-|
------------------|------------2---|2---2---2---2---|
3-------3-3-----3-|2---------------|----------------|

missleman, how are you trying to play the chords?

You should be using your pinky in both of them

Yes I am using my pinky on the B string and ring on the D.
I just can't get the barre to play clean. seems the stretch for that 5th fret takes too much pressure off the barre. I do have my thumb directly under the barre finger and centered.
It is so funny because I can play other barre chords with no problem.
I guess I just need you guys to cheer me on. I know I can do it. Just a matter of practice and patience.

Try moving your thumb a hair to the right of your barre finger , and rolling the barre finger back towards the nut a little. Kind of on it's side as it were.

Maybe that doesn't make as much sense as it seems ....

I play a similar chord in Julia, It took me a long time to be able to form it cleanly. All I can say is keep at it and it will come.

It's a 7sus4 chord. SOme alternatives (relative to capo)

[x 2 2 2 5 2]
[x 2 4 2 0 0]