i noticed on a u tube lesson on barre chords, two different guys had different ways to do the A shape barre chord one says you mute both E strings 1st & 6th the other says just mute the 6th which is right ?
There's no absolute right or wrong - as long as you hit the D G and B strings, you're playing the three notes that make up the chord. Consider an A-shaped barre at the fifth fret:
E 5 - A
B 7 - F#
G 7 - D
D 7 - A
A 5 - D
E 5 - A
At the fifth fret, that's a D major chord, which consists of the notes D (root) F# (third) and A (fifth.) Each of the notes you're fretting is an essential component of the D chord, so there's no reason not to hit them. Strictly speaking, the chord above would be a D/A chord , as the root D note isn't on the lowest string. And it's easier for some people to play the A-shape barres by barring at the fifth (in the above example) with your index finger, and a half-barre at the seventh, covering the D G and B strings and muting the top E. It's OK to mute either or both E strings - you'll still be playing the A note on the D string. It's also OK to mute neither - you'll just get a fuller sounding chord.
: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.)
VIC
are you saying its ok to play the 6th string on any A shape chord or should it be mutted
In general for the A shape barre you don't want to hit the 6th string. If you do then you have what is called an inversion on the chord (it's the 2nd inversion - the 2nd non-root note is in the bass). You normally don't want that.
What I do is have the tip of my index finger just touching the 6th string to mute it. For the 1st string you can either mute it or if you can bend your ring finger back enough then you can let it ring but doing that is hard and will take practice - I can do it sometimes but not reliably enough. You don't want it sort of muted so if you can't reliably bend your ring finger enough then mute it but keep working on bending it in practice.
Pop music is about stealing pocket money from children. - Ian Anderson
VIC
are you saying its ok to play the 6th string on any A shape chord or should it be mutted
Either - muting it is probably better, then you'll have the root bass note on the 5th string. But if you play the sixth string, you're simply adding another 5th to the chord. It's just not that important in the grand cosmic scheme of things! Like Hyperborea said, it's an inversion....but it's still the same chord, just with an extra note.
: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.)
I just play a Bb chord. :)
Seriously - what key are you in to play A#? The notes are A#, Cx (C-double-sharp) and E#. No key signatures contain Cx, so it's not 'native' to any key.
Double sharps usually occur in music when you're in minor keys, and the 6th and/or 7th is raised. So you could be in D# harmonic minor, which is relative to F# major.
That's ONE key. And it's one that's pretty rare. The other option, E# harmonic minor, is a joke - it's relative to G# major... which has EIGHT sharps. That's never used - because Ab (four flats) is so much easier.
Chords are named in relation to the key signature, and there are 15 key signatures, 2 of which are rarely used. Each key signature has one minor and one major key.
Out of 30 possible keys, you'll find A# in exactly one. The rest of the time it's a Bb chord.
And naming chords the wrong way is just one of the reasons guitarists are viewed as not-really-musicians by a lot of folks.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
You don't want it sort of muted so if you can't reliably bend your ring finger enough then mute it but keep working on bending it in practice.
do you mean bending your 3rd finger? i have no prob with that my problem is barreing it with the 1st finger so that the 1st string will ring clear especially on the 1st fret
thanks lads for the help here
You don't want it sort of muted so if you can't reliably bend your ring finger enough then mute it but keep working on bending it in practice.
do you mean bending your 3rd finger? i have no prob with that my problem is barreing it with the 1st finger so that the 1st string will ring clear especially on the 1st fret
thanks lads for the help here
Yeah, the ring finger is the 3rd finger. 1st = index, 2nd = middle, 3rd = ring, 4th = pinky, ?? = thumb
If you can bend the ring / 3rd finger out of the way to let the 1st string ring out without losing the 2nd string that's great.
The frets closer to the nut are harder (much harder). Keep working at it and it will come but it will take time.
Pop music is about stealing pocket money from children. - Ian Anderson
I just play a Bb chord. :)
Seriously - what key are you in to play A#? The notes are A#, Cx (C-double-sharp) and E#. No key signatures contain Cx, so it's not 'native' to any key.
Double sharps usually occur in music when you're in minor keys, and the 6th and/or 7th is raised. So you could be in D# harmonic minor, which is relative to F# major.
That's ONE key. And it's one that's pretty rare. The other option, E# harmonic minor, is a joke - it's relative to G# major... which has EIGHT sharps. That's never used - because Ab (four flats) is so much easier.
Chords are named in relation to the key signature, and there are 15 key signatures, 2 of which are rarely used. Each key signature has one minor and one major key.
Out of 30 possible keys, you'll find A# in exactly one. The rest of the time it's a Bb chord.
And naming chords the wrong way is just one of the reasons guitarists are viewed as not-really-musicians by a lot of folks.
is this answer in the wrong tread noteboat :?
I didn't think so....
You've already gotten plenty of advice on how to play the notes. But unless you're in the key of D# minor, you're calling the chord by the wrong name.
As a guitar teacher, I try to make musicians out of my students - people who understand what they're doing, rather than just wiggling their fingers around in patterns. That's what I was trying to do here.
Unless you're in D# minor, you don't have an A# chord - you have a Bb.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
I didn't think so....
You've already gotten plenty of advice on how to play the notes. But unless you're in the key of D# minor, you're calling the chord by the wrong name.
As a guitar teacher, I try to make musicians out of my students - people who understand what they're doing, rather than just wiggling their fingers around in patterns. That's what I was trying to do here.
Unless you're in D# minor, you don't have an A# chord - you have a Bb.
Are you sure you're not in the wrong thread, NoteBoat?
Ok, fine. Ignorance is bliss.
It doesn't matter what you mute; the 1st and 6th strings are both tones contained in the chord. Mute either, both, or neither, and it's still whatever chord you choose to call it.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Ok, fine. Ignorance is bliss.
It doesn't matter what you mute; the 1st and 6th strings are both tones contained in the chord. Mute either, both, or neither, and it's still whatever chord you choose to call it.
I'm confused, here. I wonder if an earlier post has been edited before I saw it. Nobody appears to have mentioned anything about A#, except yourself. Who is displaying the blissful ignorance you're referring to?
i noticed on a u tube lesson on barre chords, two different guys had different ways to do the A shape barre chord one says you mute both E strings 1st & 6th the other says just mute the 6th which is right ?
The original post. Unedited.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
i noticed on a u tube lesson on barre chords, two different guys had different ways to do the A shape barre chord one says you mute both E strings 1st & 6th the other says just mute the 6th which is right ?
The original post. Unedited.
Yes, I understand the original question, which was well answered. But, where does A# come from? Who mentioned that?
