Problem with barre chords

[DepressedNazgul]

Hey
I noticed today that when I fret barre chords in the lower part of the neck, I automaticaly apply force with the right hand towards the guitar, in order to counter the fretting hand and add force to the barre - like "squeezing" the guitar.
I think that this is a bad habit... Is it normal or not? I was always told that the right hand should be completely independent from the left, and here it seems that it isn't after all (and I thought I can play barre chords very well).

Thanks ahead :)

[jan 87]

hey man, i dont know how long you have been playing, but most people do do that to take some pressure off of the left hand. i used to do it alot but now i just hold my thumb at the back of the neck in the proper position. you should just play a barre chord and look at the position of your thumb on the back of the neck, it needs to be in the middle of the area of which your hand covers on the fret board, so it ballances the pressure. use the flat of the thumb (bit the other side of the nail) to add stability.
hope this helps man.

[DepressedNazgul]

I must add that I'm talking about acoustic guitar, and it happens with the more difficult barre positions, like the open A major type - where you have a stretch between the index and middle fingers.

[forgottenking2]

It's all a matter of experience. You will stop applying excesive force once you are confortable with the technique and are able to relax. We all did at one point or another, whether is electric or acoustic it's normal. Students do it all the time (like when they're fretting a C#Maj7 <with a bar on the 1st fret> and later on the dreaded BMaj9 <barring with the pinkie>). My only advice is continue to practice and observe your own reactions (it'd be easier to point out if I was actually watching you but since this is online you'll have to watch yourself) and try to conciously relax (not too hard or you'll tense up).

I hope this helps.

[FredrikD]

I do it too sometimes but with my arm instead. I think if you place the guitar in a good position then you don't need it.

I think it's abit annoying that there are a lot of info on the Internet about fretting barre chords that never goes into any chords that gives you any trouble. I don't need photos from ten angles how to take a C#m, most newbies can do that after a while. I would like to see how to take a Fm7 chord on the first fret with index finger and middle finger only. I do it as if I was trying to unscrew a lightbulb in the most inconvenient way. ...and I usually hit only for or five of the notes...

-1- index finger
-1- index finger
-1- index finger
-1- index finger
-3- middle finger
-1- index finger

The person who can get me to take the above chord and make it sound clean wins a duck!

(Sorry if I hijacked your thread)