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Who has 6 fingers for those darn nasty chords??

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(@sonata)
New Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1
Topic starter  

Hiya, I'm relatively new at playing the guitar. I've only been practicing every other day for the past 2 months. I can play simple melodies and a couple chords. However, I decided to challenge myself by playing some of the more popular and harder songs (who wants to play happy brithday song or silent night over and over??).

I'm trying to play Nickelback's Hero (in the Spiderman movie). Its quite a step up but I want to experiment with what the limit of my current skill is (I tried Far Away by Nickelback also, but man it's too fast). There are many chords in this song that are driving me crazy. Press down in 6 places but I only have 5 fingers O.O and my hand isn't that big (asian hand! DAM!) so I can't cover the distance well.

Anyways, here is a link to the tab that I'm practicing:: http://www.thetabworld.com/Nickelback__Hero_Ver_2_guitar_tab.html

If anyone can give me some tips on how to place my fingers for F, G#, A#, and C chords, I would appreciate it very much.


   
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(@off-he-goes)
Noble Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 1259
 

They're called barre chords. Seem to be a bit of a problem with a lot of people.

They're also named wrong. They should me minor chords. Anyway, take the first one, Fm.

The goal is to use your index finger to block off an entire fret. The first fret in the case. Next, you make an Em shape with any two of your remaining fingers. the would be the notes in the third fret.

It will take some time to get them down, I just learned every Jack Johnson song I could, and they came easy, I never had anyone teach me them, so I'm sure you'll do fine, it just takes time.

Good luck!

Paul

Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.


   
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(@coloradofenderbender)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1106
 

Sonata:

My advice is that you check out the Beginner's lessons section of this board right away. You will need to spend some time there learning the basics, before you frustrate yourself trying to figure out how to play a fairly complicated song. Unfortunately, you must learn these basics before you jump into the "fun stuff," or you are sure to get discouraged when something seems impossible - it isn't impossible, you just have to learn how. Barre chords are second nature to someone with a few beginner's lessons under their belt, but are exotic and foreign to someone who has never been taught what the are.

Good luck,

Mike


   
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(@kent_eh)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1882
 

As Off He Goes said, whoever tabbed that labelled the chord charts wrong. The 4 on the right are called
F minor, G#minor, A#minor,and C minor

Here's a visual aid to the F minor and G#minor.

You should be able to figure out the last 2 from that.

Actually, I should have had my pinky arched a bit more when I took those, I'm probably muting the G string with it. The pinky and ring finger should only be touching one sting each.

I've only been playing since January, and I still can't play barre chords well enough to actually use them in a song.
Yet.

Do yourself a favour start with something a bit easier.
The last thing you want to do is give up on the guitar because you're frustrated that you can't play a song that's above your experience level.
There are lots of easy songs that aren't "Baa Baa Black Sheep" or "Micheal Row The Boat Ashore"

I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep


   
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(@urbancowgirl)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 428
 

Yeah, the easy songs in the database here are much better than playing the Happy Birthday song over and over. Egads.
The second song I tried to learn had a barre chord in it. I gave up on it quickly because I had no idea if I was doing it right, plus my spindley little fingers revolted but I wanted to learn a song that I liked. Then I found this site. There are lots of good, easy songs you can learn at first that don't have those chords.

- UC

All my life I wanted to be somebody. Now I see I should have been more specific.


   
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(@ldavis04)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 228
 

Being able to play barre cords comes with time and practice. If you work on them a little each practice session you will be surprized how something that seemed hard in the beginning actually isnt that hard after all.

I may grow old, but I'll never grow up.


   
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(@coloradofenderbender)
Noble Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 1106
 

I haven't done a scientific study or anything, but I think the reason most people who quit trying to play guitar after only a month or two, is that they get frustrated when they can't play their favorite song on the radio.

What they don't understand, is that their favorite musicians are professionals, with years of playing experience. Or even their friend who can play anything by ear, etc. has probably been studying music for quite some time.

I wouldn't think that I could beat a professional marathon runner in a race (I probably couldn't run more than a couple of miles, badly!). I would have to train, slowly at first, before I could even run a marathon, let alone race against an experienced runner. The same is true for guitar.

What I am saying is meant to tell beginners that they need to play for years before they attempt to play their favorite song. I am just trying to explain that beginners need to be realistic about what it takes to perform at a certain level. Sure, beginner songs are boring and not as fun as playing what you REALLY want to play. But, with a little work and PATIENCE, you will get there, sooner than you think - just not 24 hours after you first pick up the instrument.


   
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