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A Shape Barre Chord woe

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(@dcarroll)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 216
Topic starter  

For the entire time i've been learning how to play, I cannot get the e string to ring when I make an A shaped bar chord, I use my ring finger to barre the D,G, and B strings and my finger just wont bend enough at the end to prevent muting the e string. I can cleanly play all the other barre shapes and jazz chords, its just this one chord that gives me problems.

Does this even matter for most songs that I will be playing, I like 60-70's rock. Is this something that I will kick myself for not trying to fix down the road?

thanks,

-Dustin

I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes.
- Jimi Hendrix


   
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(@demoetc)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2167
 

Try to get it as close as you can. Eventually that last finger joint will loosen up and bend. Sometimes you'll find that if you angle the last joint so it's not straight across the frets - you know, plant your fingers the way you normally would but sorta pivot your hand slightly toward the headstock, if you keep your ring finger planted, it'll sorta pivot too. That might give you a little more room for the 1st string to ring out.

Like I said, try to get it clean, but in real life when you're playing in a band or something, you can sometimes forget about trying to hold the 5th string down just to make sure the high string rings, or just the opposite; if you get 'most' of the notes in, you're fine - especially live. In that chord shape, the 2nd string is pretty much the most important one because that's the one that carries the 3rd of the chord, which is the whole 'flavor' of the chord.

But yah, try to get it clean, but don't worry if it's not always perfect.


   
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 sirN
(@sirn)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 358
 

I agree. After 20 years of playing, my finger still wont bend enough to get that e-stringed note. So I generally forget about it.

check out my website for good recording/playing info


   
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(@wes-inman)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5582
 

I almost never play the 1st string when playing a barre A type chord. In fact, I hardly ever play the 2nd string either.

When playing electric guitar, especially with distortion, less is better. A 2 or 3 string barre power chord will sound much tighter than a 4, 5, or 6 string chord.

You can always use your middle, ring, and pinky fingers to fret the notes on the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings. Then you should be able to play the 1st string cleanly.

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@corbind)
Noble Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 1735
 

Well used to (and still do) have that problem. Any song that would have the “root-5 barre chord” (or “A shape) would be skipped be cause I was so frustrated I could never get the first string to ring out. My ring finger would not bend backward.

Somewhere along the line I posted my problem and found out you don't need that first string to ring out to be a proper chord. The only difference is that your chord will not sound as high/bright as those who can so skillfully get that first string to sing.

As such, I've played all the A shape barre chords leaving out the first string and it has sounded great. The only time I notice a difference is when I play with someone who can make that first string ring out. My first mental reaction is “why is that chord sounding funny?” It's because my ears are used to not hearing that ring out.

Hopefully you'll just keep at it and see if it finally works for you.
:D

"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."


   
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 sirN
(@sirn)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 358
 

I've found a tool that can help to get that finger to bend more, allowing a player to get the first string. But I haven't got the guts to try it out.

check out my website for good recording/playing info


   
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(@david-m1)
Estimable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 122
 

I have problems with the A shape barre as well, my ring finger just dont bend like that! I have been using my pinky to barre the B,G,E strings. My guitar teacher wouldnt like it, he keeps telling me I will eventually get my ring finger to bend, but SirN says he's been playing twenty years and his finger still wont bend enough, I think that may be my case.... Just aint going to happen...

I just hope I'm not limiting myself by using the pinky.


   
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 Ezmo
(@ezmo)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 15
 

I had problems with this, too, and I find that the high e string still doesn't sound all the time until I do the pivot action mentioned earler.

What gives me a hard time and probably always will is the E shape bar using the thumb on the low E string. This is mostly impossible for me and it is very frustrating.


   
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(@undercat)
Prominent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 959
 

Yessir, I had to retrain myself not to do the half barre there. I can generally do it, but the results aren't consistent enough for my taste, so it's the 2-3-4 approach for me.

Do something you love and you'll never work a day in your life...


   
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(@defense858)
New Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 1
 

i always just used 2-3-4, its slower to learn, but if you just practice moving to it, it will iron itself out and produce a clean sound


   
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