I've been playing a little over a year and started learning barre chords this past summer. I can play them fairly well and switch between a variety of root 6 and root 5 forms, but I do an awful lot of pinching with my thumb and forefinger. I want to fix that problem because i can feel it tensing the muscles between the two digits, but I'm not sure how to go about doing it...that is, specifically from where does the pressure on the barre come from? Should I be exerting the effort at the joint where my finger meets my hand, or should I be counterweighting the guitar with my right arm? I've been trying to play them without having my thumb on the neck and have had some success, but can't get them as clear and can't switch as well. I know practice is the ultimate answer but I want to make sure I'm practicing correctly this time, so any suggestions are much appreciated.
"There's no easy ways man," he said. "You gotta learn the hard parts for yourself."
You're right, the effort shouldn't come from your hand or your finger, but rather from your arm - 'arm weight' as it's been called.
-- John
"Hip woman walking on a moving floor, tripping on the escalator.
There's a man in the line and she's blowin' his mind, thinking that he's already made her."
'Coming into Los Angeles' - Arlo Guthrie
Ok. I've been practicing since I last posted, keeping my thumb off of the neck and going super slow with a metronome. It's not as difficult as it was previously.
I'm slightly concerned because I can feel some tension in my forearms, but it's not the fatiguing, painful kind that I had in my hand. Should I pull back with the weight of my arm exclusively or is it ok to use a little finger pressure as long as I'm not squeezing? I think the feelings in my forearm are from my fingers.
"There's no easy ways man," he said. "You gotta learn the hard parts for yourself."
I haven't noticed any tension in my forearms, but yeah I do add a little finger pressure - more along the lines of fretting a note rather than squeezing with thumb and finger.
-- John
"Hip woman walking on a moving floor, tripping on the escalator.
There's a man in the line and she's blowin' his mind, thinking that he's already made her."
'Coming into Los Angeles' - Arlo Guthrie
Right, that's what I'm getting at. Except I think I'm still cinching it just the slightest bit, probably out of nervousness to get it right. I think I'm on the right track. Thanks for your help.
"There's no easy ways man," he said. "You gotta learn the hard parts for yourself."
sure thing.
-- John
"Hip woman walking on a moving floor, tripping on the escalator.
There's a man in the line and she's blowin' his mind, thinking that he's already made her."
'Coming into Los Angeles' - Arlo Guthrie
