Bar Chords:- Pressure? What Pressure?

[maayanay1985]

what is the name of the songs you play?

[stevequannum]

As I'm a novice, have good use of chords, still working on barre chords, so if you know any easyish to learn blues or rock'n roll that would be great! Thanks

[stevequannum]

A great help! Thank you! Look forward to seeing more tutorials from you. Maybe some songs? Regards, Steve.

[bricoak]

@stevequannum Thank you Steve, any suggestions as to songs. I will glady put vids up if I knew what folks wanted. I already have one up for ' You are so beautiful to me" and that seems very popular. I was also thinking of one on '6th' chords. People can already play lots of them but don't know it. Brian

[AndrewHartness]

a couple things ive seen to help with barre chords is getting your action lowered and getting lighter strings. would you reccomend that?

[bricoak]

@AndrewHartness . Hi Andrew. Both of those things help, especially the action. I don't know the exact measurement but the strings should'nt be more than about 1/8" above the fretboard at the 12th fret. A bad action will seriously hamper your progress. I hope soon to post a vid showing that by playing just 11 different shapes you can play almost any common chord, in any key. And guess what, you can already play the shapes you just need the barre. Regards Brian.

[AndrewHartness]

@bricoak Thanks for the great help

[RoGuEclaud]

Hi, I've been playing the guitar for a few years now and can play bar chords. My problem is that when I'm baring (with only my index finger), my G note is dead. What can I do? =(

[bricoak]

@RoGuEclaud Hi. I am presuming you mean the G string. All I can suggest is that you play right up to the fret. I would also suggest you completely ignore the fact unless you are finger picking. I play chords that deliberately deaden a string and they sound fine. One day "Bingo" and it will be fine.

[RoGuEclaud]

@bricoak alright, thank you =)

[jtixtlan]

I don't understand how you are playing that barre without pushing from the back of the neck with your thumb. I'd love to know! Please tell us more! I do see that you really do play the barre chords without excessive use of pressure. I just don't know how you are doing it. Thanks for any additional advice.

[bricoak]

@jtixtlan Hi. The pressure that I am applying is from pulling back with the left hand and also with the right forearm. It's as if I was trying to bend the guitar across my chest. There is no trick.  I can play bar chords for hours and if great ammounts of pressure were needed to play them I would be dead inside ten minutes. There are many lessons on Youtube on bar playing techniques, in my opinion they are analysed to death. You know the shape, just keep practicing.

[jtixtlan]

@bricoak I'll go try this right now, and give it lots of practice. Thanks so much for sharing your way of doing this.

[MonnsterMan]

nylon strings and good action is a breeze. Most beginners play steel strings and the action is horrible. If your killing yourself with Barre chords, look at your guitar first.

[bricoak]

@MonnsterMan . Hi, you are perfectly correct in what you say. Any guitar that says ideal for a beginner, run a mile. I can't play one of these buggers never mind a beginner. My advice for what it is worth, buy the best you possibly can. A seccond hand ' good one is better than a new crap one.

[bricoak]

Thank you for you comments. Remember that the obvious bar cord is the 'F' shape but this is only the beginning. All of the 'E' family that you can already play can now become bar chords E7 is now F7, Em is now Fm, etc. The same with Am which is now Bbm, A7 is now Bb7 etc etc. The sequence is this going up the fret board. F F# G Ab A Bb B C C# D. The B shape is more difficult but I have a bit of a vid on here about this beast.

[slpsparks]

Thank you for the lesson! I've been playing guitar for some time now but always stayed clear of BARRE CHORDs, I liked the way you explained it and with a little practice It's getting easier, being able to play BARRE CHORDs really has improved my guitar playing, I'm not perfect but I'm getting there :) a BIG thumbs up to you

[bricoak]

Hi there. The song is "Dream a little dream of me" by the Mammas and Pappas", also done by Beautiful South.

[darkroomxvii]

whats that song at the end?

[bricoak]

Hi, a steel string guitar is easier to play than a classical because the neck on the steel string isconvex and your barring finger fits more easily to it than a classical. Which has a flat fretboard. The object of this exercise was only to show that lots of pressure is not needed and to give hope those who find it so hard to do. PRACTICE.

[TheIlona19]

Haha I dont really understand how you can hold your thumb like that while playing a bar-chord :o

[shannonasever]

I've watched lots of videos on barre chords and this one has been really helpful, but i seem to always get all the strings except G and sometimes B. I think I'm keeping my finger straight... any helpful hints?

[petdogmikey]

you are so right...it's all about technique...just wish I had figured that out months ago...many many thanks

[bazorion]

GOOD ONE!!!

[Furou]

What guitar are you using?

[bricoak]

@Furou

Hi, I am using an Admira Avila. Nylon strings.

[Furou]

@bricoak

Cool.. thanks for uploading the video. I love that song.

[Myavrick]

@Furou Nice point about using the fifth fret so the arm is straight, once you get the technique then you can move up or down the fret. I'm like most people I had to buy my own guitar and I'm having to teach myself to play due to work schedules etc. I also had my neck fused a couple of years back so I'm always looking for good suggestions on techniques like this. Thanks

[beachboytriad]

what is that c shaped chord he was doing?

[Halwit]

This helped a lot thank you it make sence.

Can I be a pain and ask is there any chance you could post the rest of the tab for sweet dreams

this is my fav song of all time

I really love mama cass voice

[MontanaMuzach]

The best, been playin rubbish chords for years till this...

[tutorialconr]

Thank-you!

[bricoak]

Thank you for your nice comments. Only too happy to share what I have learned from others and discovered for myself. Keep on with the practice, 30 minutes a day, and dont revert to what you can already play. Try another of the perishers.

[boxingin]

This is the best video that I've seen on barre chords thus far. Awsome! just 5 minutes of trying out this technique and I already saw improvement, truthfully. I wish that I had seen this great video way before today because it would've saved me alot of headaches. lol!

[darkrav3nx]

thanks, helped out greatly.

[lordc0ntyb0ll0cks]

cool vid man it helped a lot thanks