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Barring while playing Scales?

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(@musus)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 59
Topic starter  

Hello.

I've been playing for a couple of years now, but I only just got my first electric guitar a couple of weeks ago. I also bought a book for lead guitar. I've managed to master a few slow solos. I'm quite happy with my technique as far as bending and basic vibrato. My main concern right now is building speed.

From my book I've been messing around with loads of riffs. An example is the riff below. At first when I practiced it I had to barre the 5th fret to get it anywhere close to tempo. I especiallly needed to bar for the 3rd and 4th bars for the pull-offs.

When I showed it to my teacher he told me never to barre when playing a riff like that because it will slow me down considerably. I took his word for it, until the last few days because I saw a few online videos with guitarists playing really fast drills while barring a fret.

So I guess what I'm asking for is a second opinion. I know it takes time to build up speed but I'm afraid to start bad habits that will hinder my development.


E:------------------------------
B:------------------------------
G:----------------5-------------
D:----------5h7-------7---------
A:---5h7------------------------
E:------------------------------

E:------------------------------
B:------------------------------
G:------------5-----------------
D:----5h7-------5---------------
A:------------------------------
E:------------------------------

E:--5---------------------------
B:-----8p5----5-----------------
G:----------7----7p5------------
D:--------------------7---------
A:------------------------------
E:------------------------------

E:------------------------------
B:------------------------------
G:---5--------------------------
D:-------7p5---7----------------
A:------------------------------
E:------------------------------

By now I've mastered this riff both with and without barring, but now I'm stuck on much faster and complicated riffs.

Thanks.

"Hey Hey My My ... Rock and Roll can never die" Neil Young


   
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(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

I think I will agree with your teacher for this example (only).
I tried it out with the beater gutiar at work. I found that keeping my index finger on the fifth fret covering the first two (high) strings allowed my other fingers to do the hammer ons and reach the other frets quite easily.

now concerning barreing and soloing.
yes, it is possible and many players do that. I like it because it does free uip the middle, ring, and pinky to hit the notes.
it's like a box shape on the fret board. your scale notes reside within ; the barre creating one side of the box shape...so to speak.

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(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

I would advise against doing a barre when playing scales as it will slow you up in many instances.

However, for every general rule, there are plenty of times to break the rule.

The thing is, though, if you don't know why the rule exists in the first place, then you really don't know enough to choose to break it!

Play it without the barre for now. One day you'll have a similar riff and your teacher will tell you "you know, you can play this with a barre here" and you can start a long discussion about why it's ok in one instance but not another.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


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

This is hard to answer, because at times playing with a barre is the best way. Take a song like Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers: John Frusciante plays this song very much in the style of Jimi Hendrix where he will strum a chord and then play little single note riffs.


B

e---7------------------
b---7---7--9p--7-------
g---8------------9p--8-
d---9------------------
a----------------------
e----------------------

This is just an example, but in this case you would hold the chord and play the riff with your pinky. Many players use this style of combining rhythm chords with runs to add color. So sometimes it is good to hold a barre.

But listen to your teacher. When playing lead guitar you should absolutely learn to play these runs without a barre.

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


   
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(@musus)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 59
Topic starter  

That's food for thought.

Thanks.

"Hey Hey My My ... Rock and Roll can never die" Neil Young


   
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(@rsoxfan1123)
Active Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 16
 

that looks minor pentatonic to me. personally, barring this off and hammering through seems fine to me. I don't how it could possibly slow you down as long as you vary your practice methods and don't ONLY do it. slash, for example, makes a living off of barring scales. he likes to bar the 12th fret and hammer pentatonically.


   
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(@mattypretends116)
Honorable Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 530
 

It really depends on the situation. For example, if I played this:

e---------------5----------
b----------5---------------
g---7b9-------------------

You pretty much have to bar the E and A notes w/ the index, I've never seen it done otherwise.

If after I played that lick, I was to play something like this.....

e---5----------
b---------8po5----
g------------------7b9-

....I'd keep the bar on on the b&e strings. This whole sequence is a lick that jimmy page uses all over the place. Play it in 16th note groupings of 6. Its fun :)

"Contrary to popular belief, Clapton is NOT God. The prospect that he is God probably had a large hand in driving him to drugs and booze. Thanks everyone."

-Guitar World :lol:


   
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(@lee-n)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 142
 

As already said it depends on the situation. The resulting sound is what matters. I would agree with the teacher but he should have expanded a little, it's not just about slowing you down.

Barring those kind of licks will result most likely in the barred strings still ringing throughout the lick. If that's what you want then barring is OK but you should also practice it without barring wherever possible. If two consequtive notes fall on the same fret you should also practice rolling your finger to damp the other just as you move to the next one.

Lee


   
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(@mattypretends116)
Honorable Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 530
 

If two consequtive notes fall on the same fret you should also practice rolling your finger to damp the other just as you move to the next one.

Good point. Steve Vai used to do an exercise to help with that. I guess that's something he had problems with :o

D-----------------------5---7-
A--------------7----5------
E----5----7----------------

He listed that one in an issue of GW.

"Contrary to popular belief, Clapton is NOT God. The prospect that he is God probably had a large hand in driving him to drugs and booze. Thanks everyone."

-Guitar World :lol:


   
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