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Steve 10

Steve 10

Central Defender
My guitar tutor currently has me doing bar chords in the key of A & F. Do they eventually get easier? Feel as though I'm getting nowhere getting a perfect tune out of them & tough on the wrist. 🙃
Key of E not F
 


Steve 10 said:
My guitar tutor currently has me doing bar chords in the key of A & F. Do they eventually get easier? Feel as though I'm getting nowhere getting a perfect tune out of them & tough on the wrist. 🙃
Key of E not F
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Yes mate they get easier.

However, they type of guitar and gauge of strings used can make this harder or easier.

Electric guitars are generally easier to fret chords as they often use lighter guage (thinner) strings and have a lower action which means the strings are closer to the fretboard and easier to press down.

Also the position on the neck and barre chord shape can be difficult for some players. Lots of players find B played in an A shape barre chord at the second fret hard to play but A in an E shape chord played at the 5th fret much easier.

Take your time, think about how much pressure you need to apply to make the chord ring out properly with all 6 strings ringing out.

Try dropping your wrist slightly to help. Check your posture and stop if it really hurts.

Good luck and stick with it. You will get there.
 
Big Jeff said:
Yes mate they get easier.

However, they type of guitar and gauge of strings used can make this harder or easier.

Electric guitars are generally easier to fret chords as they often use lighter guage (thinner) strings and have a lower action which means the strings are closer to the fretboard and easier to press down.

Also the position on the neck and barre chord shape can be difficult for some players. Lots of players find B played in an A shape barre chord at the second fret hard to play but A in an E shape chord played at the 5th fret much easier.

Take your time, think about how much pressure you need to apply to make the chord ring out properly with all 6 strings ringing out.

Try dropping your wrist slightly to help. Check your posture and stop if it really hurts.

Good luck and stick with it. You will get there.
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Thanks Jeff. Very knowledgeable post once again. 👍👍
 
Yes they do. Big Jeff has said it better than I could, but technique being played with a bit can really help, and using a low action guitar makes a big difference

I mainly play acoustic, but often practice on an electric not plugged in as it's so much easier on my hands and wrist.
 
ajthemackem said:
Why aye, it's just building up the strength of the grip.

The cramp you get in the thumb muscle is a doozy for a while like. :lol:

Mind I still get that playing this chord when I'm faffing about.:lol:

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I can play this with my little girly hands, so nae one has an excuse. The trick is to slightly reposition that first finger when those notes are needed. Summers is more or less a classical player with actual man's hands, so he might just hold the chord like a vice.

Watching women play bass is an eye-opener. You can compensate for having smaller hands by being a bit busier with the movements.

Also, you often see pros not playing the actual barre chord and cheating around them. They could do the full-on chord, but why give themselves extra work?
(Aye, just had a quick play of that bit. Dunno how to make this make any sense, but... ... when you hit the G string in that part, move your first finger so it only barres from the A string down, when it goes back to the note on the E string, reposition the barre from the E string down)
 
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Depending on the context of what you are playing and who you are playing it with often the guitar player does not want to play the full chord and will play the bit that the song needs.

In rock music you will often see players playing “power chords”

A power chord is made up of two different notes, the 1st (root) and 5th notes of a major scale.

This can be much easier to play and still sounds good when it’s loud and overdriven.
 
Can anyone recommend a free app, website or YouTube channel to help my 8 year old kid get started please? He got an electric guitar at Christmas and picks it up for at least 30 minutes a day, but I can’t take listening to smoke on the water anymore.
Downloaded a couple of decent looking apps but they started wanting to charge £20 a month subscription.
 
S.S.R.. said:
I can play this with my little girly hands, so nae one has an excuse. The trick is to slightly reposition that first finger when those notes are needed. Summers is more or less a classical player with actual man's hands, so he might just hold the chord like a vice.

Watching women play bass is an eye-opener. You can compensate for having smaller hands by being a bit busier with the movements.

Also, you often see pros not playing the actual barre chord and cheating around them. They could do the full-on chord, but why give themselves extra work?
(Aye, just had a quick play of that bit. Dunno how to make this make any sense, but... ... when you hit the G string in that part, move your first finger so it only barres from the A string down, when it goes back to the note on the E string, reposition the barre from the E string down)
Click to expand...
Oh I can do it and I use it as a stretching exercise. Still bastard hurts after a while.:lol:
 
Booey said:
Can anyone recommend a free app, website or YouTube channel to help my 8 year old kid get started please? He got an electric guitar at Christmas and picks it up for at least 30 minutes a day, but I can’t take listening to smoke on the water anymore.
Downloaded a couple of decent looking apps but they started wanting to charge £20 a month subscription.
Click to expand...
Justin Guitar, you can’t go wrong

 

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