Barre Chord problems

[Darran]

Can anyone shed any ideas on how best to approach playing these 2 chords.

--7-------------7-----
--8-------------10----
--7-------------7-----
--9-------------9-----
--7-------------7-----
--7-------------7-----

As you can see there is a first finger barre in both chords but I'm finding it difficult to get the G String to ring clearly - I think either my second finger or the stretch with the fourth finger alters the shape of the bar.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to address this problem i.e. thumb position etc?

Thanks

[plavoie]

Perseverance! Don't give up ;)

It'll take some time before you develop some strength in those fingers, but I would recommend that you focus on changing chords while lifting your fingers as little as you can while you try to keep your hand relazed.

Also, there may be a problem with your guitar. How long since you last had it checked?

Best,

Patrick

[Darran]

I wish it was the guitar! I've got a few guitars all set up fine, so unfortunately I can rule that out.

I won't give up, but I've been struggling with these chord shapes for a while. I'm pretty sure I have enough strength because barre chords lower down the neck aren't much of a problem; just these 2 mainly but I do have trouble with those that are higher up the neck such as D minor in the tenth position.

I'm sure its down to poor technique.

[perth]

----------------------
--8-------------10----
--7-------------7-----
--9-------------9-----
--7-------------7-----
----------------------

is a bit easier to play. id start there, then work your way up to the 6 note voicings.

it sounds like you may be accidentally muting the g string with one of your fingers. is the second chord supposed to be a voice lead? if so, play the G in the first chord with your middle finger, the B with your ring finger, and the A in the second chord with your pinky. also play each note one at a time and look closely at your left hand to see whats muting the string.

[Mateo150]

I don't really know why anyone would want to play that chord.... personally the 4 note variation sounds a lot better to my ears and is much more applicable to most situations. Even if your just strumming out chords and singing along, that 6 note chord your trying to play probably would be better as a 4 or 5 not chord. With chords like that, it doesn't leave much room for imagination. If the bass line is that important, then try to play it as a different voicing.

Anyway, if your hands can, try using your thumb for the bass note. You may even be able to leave out the other bass note (the one on the A-string) and it'll sound alright. If your trying to fret all 6 strings with your index finger, position it so that the grooves of your fingers don't align with the strings. But I think thats a stupid way of doing it, IMO.

[Darran]

I don't really know why anyone would want to play that chord.... personally the 4 note variation sounds a lot better to my ears and is much more applicable to most situations. Even if your just strumming out chords and singing along, that 6 note chord your trying to play probably would be better as a 4 or 5 not chord. With chords like that, it doesn't leave much room for imagination. If the bass line is that important, then try to play it as a different voicing.


You are correct that this is a 'stupid' variation of an E minor chord but these chords happen to feature in a piece called 'Map of the World' by Pat Metheny, and I can assure you they sound far from stupid. They also feature in a Latin version of the 'Mash' theme tune that I'm learning and again they're placed judiciously within the piece. Both pieces are fingerstyle and the notes are appegiated thereby avoiding the muddiness created by strumming those type of voicings.

Hope that clears up my reasoning for wanting the nail these chords!

[hairballxavier]

Can anyone shed any ideas on how best to approach playing these 2 chords.

--7-------------7-----
--8-------------10----
--7-------------7-----
--9-------------9-----
--7-------------7-----
--7-------------7-----

As you can see there is a first finger barre in both chords but I'm finding it difficult to get the G String to ring clearly - I think either my second finger or the stretch with the fourth finger alters the shape of the bar.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to address this problem i.e. thumb position etc?

Thanks
Try putting your thumb on the back of the neck right about where the 8th fret is if you are not already doing that. Hope that helps you. It might give you a little more leverage to the last joint on your index finger (which is probably right over the G string if you have "normal" hands) to help you play it more cleanly. Callouses will develop on your fingers and make it easier after a while, and it wont really matter where you put your thumb because it's alot easier to press the strings down with callouses than with soft flesh.

[ashc]

Make sure the index is just behind the fret. To eliminate the knuckle grooves problem that is very often the cause of G string barreing problems you turn the index finger in a bit (anticlockwise looking from above).

The thumb support can be firmest if aligned with the second finger but try to avoid gripping too hard - ultimately it doesn't take that much pressure once you crack it.

Barre chords take a while - keep at it.

BTW, I think those chords are A string root (??) in which case the tip of the index should be stubbing out the E string.

[phantom]

The problem could be the position of the index finger as well.
If the g-string is lying directly underneath your joint then it's possible that it does not ring clearly.
Try shifting it a tiny bit up or down.
.. just a thought ;).

[Zatz]

Give up man! :D Yea - I really mean it.

On some acoustic guitars, in some situations you'll be struggling to get the tight grip for ages if not forever - with some shapes it just won't go smoothly, they just seem to be uttely left hand unfriendly. There are several reasons for that - the strings may be too high above the fretboard, the fretboard itself may be too broad and flat for your hand or you may be using six copper wires out of the earth conductor strand for strings etc. And if you've been playing for years and experiencing the same problem it'd be ok to avoid those challenging patterns.

Here you've got Em7 & E7sus4. Heck with that 7th! Play 9 on your G string and you'll get plain Em and Esus4. If you're playing rhythm noone will care.

I know this is anti-misical advice :D