Man, keeping the index finger tight and straight made all the difference to me! It needs a little bit more strength to it, but still _much_ better to put excessive pressure all over it. THANKS.
Brilliant lesson on barre chords. They have been a nightmare for me. Now things are looking up, now i've been told how to do them correctly.....A+ Tutorial
Thank You for taking the time to help others. This video helped me out quite a bit. My hand is sore as heck but in the long run posture is everything.
I like your video, but the things I'm trying to do won't seem to work for me like keeping my finger straight and letting roll on the right side...it ends up curving, and then my wrist ends up bending iself. And the strings the third and last sound muffled its driving me nuts! Any idea how to fix that?
@MrDevcricket Your finger should be right up against it, but not on top of it.. If you're right on top of it, you'll get a muffled sound because some of your finger will be hanging past the fret and will dampen the string vibration.
Dude. I have been trying to do barre chords for days, watching all kinds of videos on YouTube, with just muted string nonsense. In a few minutes, I'm finally playing a minor chord that has kept me from getting a song. It makes sense now! Thanks a bunch! (And I'd look into those lessons if I wasn't playing ukulele!)
I thank you for putting this amazing video up, it helped me more than i thought would. Now i can finally start learning Cemetery Gates by Pantera. Again, thank you so much, and keep up the good work
Been only playing about seven months and I should be well able for bar chords by now but I didnt like doinf them, so I put it off.. this helps a heap load, thanks
hey one question: DO YOU APPLY PRESSURE WITH YOUR THUMB WHEN BARRE-ING? When i dont apply pressure the strings doesnt sound, when i apply pressure my thumb hurts a little but i can sound all the strings... It hurts my 2 thumb joints nearest to my thumb nail ( 1st Interphalangeal joint and 1st metatarsophalangeal joint)
@kevjohnson77 I have a question Kevin. I recently changed the strings on my guitar. I have a Pluto HW41C-201BK. After changing the strings, the guitar sounds really bad and makes a horrible buzz. I followed every instruction perfectly. Even after I tuned the guitar, it plays bad. To make it simple, there's more treble than bass in it. I was wondering if you can help me out.
Hey! Thanks :) I saw a few videos on how to master a barre chord but you really gave me some valuable tipps! Especially about the wrist and the space between the fingers! :)
i play the classical guitar and recently bought an acoustic guitar. i can't barre on the acoustic but i can barre on the classical...is it because of the acoustic having a rounder fretboard? or is it because the acoustic has steel strings making it harder? Please Help !!!
@Surreallism007 Well, there are a couple of things that might be happening. The classical has much lower tension strings, and the strings are also a thicker diameter. Steel strings are much tighter and very small, so they can more easily sink into your finger, rather than being pressed tight against the fret. Make sure your string action is low enough, and that your acoustic has light tension strings. Often, acoustics aren't properly "set up" from the factory, and the action is too high.
@Surreallism007 Well that depends. If the string action is too high (strings sit too far above the frets) then it's always going to be hard to do. Make sure the neck is properly "set up". That means the truss rod and saddle (white piece on the bridge) are correctly adjusted. That's something a pro should do for you. Not very expensive adjustment. In fact, any experienced player (legitimately experienced) could do it for you.
Beyond that, yes, more playing means thicker skin & less sinking.
@kevjohnson77 sorry for the spamming of questions but here's the last question... Its not the treble strings that doesnt sound....its the D and G strings that im unable to sound....is it because i lack the strength? Thanks for the answer ;)
@Surreallism007 It isn't spam, don't worry. Most Barre chords involve the D and G strings being covered by other fingers anyway, so that shouldn't pose much trouble. But it sounds more like you are allowing your finger to arch a bit, thus letting up on the pressure on those middle strings. If the other strings are cooperating, just not those two middle strings, then that has to be it. I don't think it's a strength issue. I think it's a technique issue. Could you take a close up pic of it?
Dude - you are so money!! Thank you for this fantastic video, with so many excellent tips. I'm relatively new to barre chords and wanted to make sure I was using good technique. Thanks to this video, I know what to do now. I'll be watching your other videos. Thanks for being an excellent teacher!
Hi Kevin, just wanted to say thanks. ive only recently picked up a guitar and have fallen in love, but if it wasnt for people like you who shared their tips tricks and general knowledge I would have given up by now. But thanks to you and others everytime I hit a hurdle I know I can find help and it gives me the drive to keep trying. Barre chords is my latest stumbling block but now I have something to move forward with. Thanks hun :)
Thanks a lot for the video. Congratulations on your school, i am sure you will be very successful since you are a great teacher and online lessons are a great idea.
Well done Kevin! You explain nicely. I will be watching more of your vids. I do have a question on barre chords if you don't mind. When making the barre, should it always be the same for all chords? It seems to me, that you really only need to be concerned with barring the open strings, and not the ones you are pressing to make the chord shape. Any thoughts on that? Thank you. - Tom
im doing everything you say, i almost have it! i just cant get it every time yet /: and when i try a barre chord the high E string isnt very loud o: is that suposed to happen? im new at guitar so i dont really know much
@RileyDoesStuff Yeah, that's normal. The high E string is very small and can easily sink into your finger flesh, rather than being held tight against the fret. Keep working on it, and with time that problem will resolve itself. The more you play, the more calloused your skin becomes, making it more resistant to a string sinking in. I hope that helps.
@vartiksethi Well, without seeing your hands when you try, I couldn't possibly know what is going wrong. It might simply be a matter of giving it more time. If you're applying all the tricks I mention in this video and it still doesn't work, there might be a problem with the string action on your guitar. If the strings are too far away from the frets, that will make the guitar much more difficult to play. If you've never had a "setup" done on that neck, you might consider trying that.
I also have a good tip when playing bar chords. When you play a bar chord, usually the middle strings are fretted by your other fingers. To save strength in your first finger, try to control that finger and try to put pressure on the string that you first finger frets. So if you play an F major. Only put on the lowest and the top 2 strings, try to remove the pressure where you don't really need it. That means on the strings where your other fingers are.
@citymouse40 The straight wrist thing is difficult for some to get the hang of. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be perfectly straight. Everybody is built a little differently, so you might have very long arms and long fingers, and can't straighten your wrist simply because of that. The point is to position the guitar as best you can so that your wrist is as it would be if you were making a tight fist. That's where you'll have the most strength and control.
hi... i've been playing guitar for a while but i noticed a few days ago that my barre chords in the major ou minor shape sound clear but when i play (also barre) major 7 in the E shape or minor 7 in the Am shape, the 7 th in the chords just comes out mute most of the time... how to fix that?
Your tips helped me soooo much! thank you for this! but im having trouble keeping a good barre and placing my fingers on the other notes... any tips about this??
Oh my god! I have NEVER been able to get a pure tone (well somewhat pure ;) with a barre chord until this lesson!! THANK YOU!! All of your tips really work. I've stayed away from barre chords all of these years 'cause every time i tried i got majorly frustrated! Thank you so much! :)
Hold on! I was told by my instructor to bend the fingers when playing frets to make sure that the notes came out sounding good. Wouldn't placing your fingers straight prevent that?
@smitty9148 Your instructor was not talking about barre chords. He/she was talking about playing one note per finger. Normal chords are played differently than barre chords. Your instructor is correct. When you're not doing a barre, you should keep your fingers curved so as not to interfere with other strings, and also to have the best control over the note(s). But when barring, the barre finger MUST be kept straight. Read through the other comments. People seem to think it works.
a big thanx frm india . Oh brah u explained evrythng dat takes to play barre chords. N d way u explained . Its jst realy easy to undrstnd . Can u plz upload a video to improve the shifting between d chords. Let me tell u i dont hv ny teacher coz d town where m stayin nobdy even gvs hoot bout guitar. Jst again thanx alt :)
@LukeCFinch It could also be your action. Is the neck set up properly? 11 is pretty light for acoustic. I'd go with 12, and make sure your action is nice and low. Just my preference, but there it is.
i've been playing guitar for 5 years and never absolutely perfected the bar chord. Its been very close but the 2nd highest string or the 5th string almost never comes out perfectly clear. Today i finally decided i was tired of not hearing that not and i youtubed and came across this video....
My whole life ive been rolling my finger the opposite way that you are explaining.... so i tried the way that you explain. AND ITS FIXED!! just like that!!! now my bar chords sound amazing! u the man
OMG you're the best!!! it took me less than 5 minutes to do it right!! i've been trying to do bar chords for a couple of weeks and i think i couldn't do them because my index finger wasn't straight enough and my thumb was probably a little high.....but your trick really works:D thanks alot
ok it's been 14 hrs and I'm still trying to figure it out lol DAMN YOU BARRE CHORDS WHY DO YOU HAVE TO EXIST ( ~.~) before I complain about my fingers hurting. Now I'm complaining my whole finger's hurting....and some muscles in my right arm
@pinoyALLmotorEVOIXMR Okay,...first thing is...take a break! Playing guitar isn't supposed to be something worthy of a gatorade commercial. How long have you been playing? If less than a year, you shouldn't expect these barre chords to be easy immediately. Give your hands time to adapt to the instrument. Pace yourself. And relaxation is key. Only use the muscle pressure you absolutely need to press the strings. Your arm shouldn't hurt at all. Is your guitar properly set up? Low action?
@kevjohnson77 I started 8 days ago. I'm so stoked on how easy it is to play the guitar in some cases. I learned how to play Dust in the wind, Simple Man, Sweet home Alabama and Freebird. Just the intros. I'm holding the guitar the way you described it lol I guess it's just getting used to the guitar. I noticed 1st fret is thinner than the 12th that's why it's hard barring it. I can barre it as it is but first barre you did is challenging. I've been hyped that's all lol
@pinoyALLmotorEVOIXMR Well, the metal thingies ARE the frets. The space between the frets is where your finger goes...but right behind the fret that is giving you the note.
@kevjohnson77 OH haha I see it now. Now I'm having trouble forming my fingers to play the barre chords. Great video by the way. You explained EVERYTHING and it really helped me so far bro!
@kevjohnson77 hi, i've been playing for 5 months, have been struggling with barre chords for a month now.. i'm very comfortable with high tempo open chords songs... i am able to barre with my finger but i keep getting a buzzing.. i think its coz my fingers are very thick and fatty... do you have a solution for that?? awaiting reply
@anyaskidan It's in this video actually. Check around the 1:37 mark. Your thumb should not be above the mid-point of the back of the neck. In some cases, depending on which bar chord you're doing, your thumb will be low on the neck, between the second and third string level. And it should be either lined up with your bar finger, or slightly inside...meaning closer to your middle finger.
Thank you, this really helped out allot. Somtimes it's a little difficult to have all the strings ringing sometimes, is there anyway to avoid that in some way?
@demondagger19 Assuming that your guitar is properly set up and the action isn't too high, the problem you're having is common, but will disappear with time. You'll have to add a little pressure to whichever strings aren't giving you the love. But also keep in mind, you don't always need all the strings ringing anyway. Sometimes you should let some of them stay silent just to create contrast with other parts of the song you're playing. I hope that helps.
@demondagger19 That's right. As long as you have the notes that make the chord harmony, those being the root, 3rd, and 5th, then you've got the chord. You don't want a string buzzing, and you don't want to leave out a note that's important to the bass line, or the melody, but aside from that you can let a couple notes go.
@saulg721 Hey Saul. I address the chord changing issue in my video "Guitar Fundamentals I". Watch that one and follow the method of practicing the chord changes that I outline there. That is the most effective and quick way to get good at changing chords. I could refer you to a couple hundred students of mine who will back me up on that.
As for what chords to learn...that really depends. I don't know what style of music you want to play. I'd say, go for movable triad shapes next.
Thanks , you showed me how to tackle barre chords in like ..5minutes:DD i've watched LOTS of other videos for years but they never work -.- && the part when you showed to use a pick on the space between your thumb and index finger i laughed really hard , because my finger was wayyy longer than the 6 strings xD
honestly ive watched sooooo many youtube videos on bar cords and there making it sound way harder than you make it seem this video here helps way more than any of the other ones ive watched so thanks for all the advice and the video in general!
oh my god this helped so much! I still really struggle with barre/bar (i never know how to spell it :L) chords but the whole pick on the hand thing really helped and now i don't end up crippling my fingers every time i try to play. Thanks!!
Bar chords are easy,regular chords suck! Bedause they're all different.The bar chord is the same no matter where you play it,pretty much.Except for the minors,are a little different.
jus to let everyone know ..this guy is fer real ..i signed up on his web site asked him to call me ..the next day i got a call from him. he was very cool understood i dint have any money at that time but still talked to me about his classes and a few pointers. yep as soon as i can get the cash up he will be my new teacher..every day type of guy.
@kevjohnson77 yea bro should't be long. now its my schedule, it is really hecktic right now. as far as the comment, well its true man. hope you got that house. i will def be catching up too you.
Thanks Kevin, lots of good tips, worth watching a few times, small hands don't matter, trust me. Notice how high he holds the neck, this helps alot, and don't sit on the soffa or any furniture with arms, try standing with a strap, use a stool.
Dude you rock! I am new to guitar playing, my fingers are really fat and it's hard for me to press one string with one finger. I really hope this technique will help me out.
Dude you rock! I am new to guitar playing, my fingers are really fat and it's hard for me to press one string with one finger. I really hope this technique will help me out.
Thank you Kev. Ive been playing for 4 months (i know a noob) I can play all my root chords but Bar chords have been kickin my arse! my teacher could not even give me good advice....he told me just to keep practicing...I HAVE like a minumum of 2-3 hours a day..these bar chords are just kickn my ass. ALSO any advice on the calisses? I have them but they keep peeling off..my teacher told me to use super glue. ??? anyways I am gonna hit you up for some lessons for sure! your a beast.
@ficdawg Slow response, I know. Sorry! I've been trying to buy a house... very time consuming!
Yes...the calluses will peel off for a while. Eventually they'll stay put. Don't bother with super glue. It's a cool trick for short term needs, like if you've got a gig tonight and your calluses got ripped off an hour ago, but for long term conditioning..it's worthless.
Understand, I don't mean to undermine your teacher. It may be that you misunderstood his/her meaning.
GENIUS! I was getting frustrated going through youtube videos and not finding one truly constructive bare chord tutorial. THANK YOUUUU for actually teaching us HOW were suppose to play them instead of just jumping into different chords without out teaching us proper technique -.-
Okay im a beginner acoustic guitar player, i know alot of chords, ive taught everything i know myself. Anyway, im trying to learn Barre Chords but have real small hands, what advice do you have for people with not as great of a reach as others?
@TheLMC87 The small hands things is not such a problem if your technique is good. I always direct my students who have this complaint to watch some video of some of the Chinese women who are classical guitar virtuosos. They tend to have very small hands, but play full sized concert guitars. And as you probably know, classical guitar necks wider than steel string necks. If they can do it, so can you.
As for specific advice, it would depend on the specific problems. Ask more if you like.
Very helpful dude!! Thanks again and best of luck with the school. I'll definitely be looking into it although I'm already signed up with another one at the moment.
Very very handy, been playing guitar for about 11 years now but never really got into barre chordes simply because i didnt know the right techniques, but you explained it beautifully, thank you =o)
really good lesson, just wondering if when you make a major chord 5th srtring root barre chord do you bend your wrist slightly more i cant seem to avoid it!
@marcsibley1 Well, there will always be a little variation in what people's hands and wrists do when playing. We're not all built exactly alike. It's perfectly fine to have a little bend in the wrist when doing this, just not too much.
didn't you used to play for the phoenix suns?
ultrakool 19 hours ago
Thank you man a lot it's so helpful you made it so easy :)
guitarhichamplaying 2 days ago
Good tehnics makes everything easy, yeah. so true ;)
noname99aaff 3 days ago
Yay. thanks so much!
habel7892 3 days ago
Man, keeping the index finger tight and straight made all the difference to me! It needs a little bit more strength to it, but still _much_ better to put excessive pressure all over it. THANKS.
ThaFacka 4 days ago
Brilliant lesson on barre chords. They have been a nightmare for me. Now things are looking up, now i've been told how to do them correctly.....A+ Tutorial
Panda2rimshot 4 days ago
kevin johnson thank you so much right way to approch the bar cord tecknique all helps
erdogan330 5 days ago
Thank You for taking the time to help others. This video helped me out quite a bit. My hand is sore as heck but in the long run posture is everything.
1973drew 5 days ago
*gasp* I get it now!!!!! oh my gosh thank you so much! but one question...my finger kinda hurts afterwards..that's normal right?
keda96 6 days ago
i think i love you for this lesson. Thanks man!
NYYTeixecute09 1 week ago
I like your video, but the things I'm trying to do won't seem to work for me like keeping my finger straight and letting roll on the right side...it ends up curving, and then my wrist ends up bending iself. And the strings the third and last sound muffled its driving me nuts! Any idea how to fix that?
ZeroFlim 1 week ago
Thanks this really helped me xxx
xxmuskerxx 1 week ago
This makes it all so much EASIER!! :)
Zatgirl29 1 week ago
Nice :D I'm starting to like barre chord a lil bit~ Thx~
wenggirl 1 week ago
thank you for you wisdom mighty guitar god
AirAnimivis 1 week ago
you hack a knack for teaching my friend this video is a youtube hidden gem !
ewok132 1 week ago
awesome
godpointer 2 weeks ago
Excellent lesson I think I got it. thank you
FemaleTalent 2 weeks ago
I finally learned bar chords. I can`t thank you enough. Seriously.
TheAlexanderVideo 2 weeks ago
The index finger is to be barred on the fret or just before the fret?
MrDevcricket 2 weeks ago
@MrDevcricket Your finger should be right up against it, but not on top of it.. If you're right on top of it, you'll get a muffled sound because some of your finger will be hanging past the fret and will dampen the string vibration.
kevjohnson77 2 weeks ago
Dude. I have been trying to do barre chords for days, watching all kinds of videos on YouTube, with just muted string nonsense. In a few minutes, I'm finally playing a minor chord that has kept me from getting a song. It makes sense now! Thanks a bunch! (And I'd look into those lessons if I wasn't playing ukulele!)
kap79 2 weeks ago
I thank you for putting this amazing video up, it helped me more than i thought would. Now i can finally start learning Cemetery Gates by Pantera. Again, thank you so much, and keep up the good work
isaacsevenbanana 2 weeks ago
thanks man your so cool! please make some guitar lesson
jred119 3 weeks ago
so useful! best barre chord tips I've had! Thanks!
laurentjannin 3 weeks ago
great great bro.... am pakistani and really i got how to play barre chords...thnkss
kamransikandar1 3 weeks ago
i looked all over youtube and have not found a video that explains bar chords like you do great lesson thanks a lot
dylansk8amp 3 weeks ago
A thank you with all my heart man.
zulubeatz817 3 weeks ago
You rock. This was exactly what I needed to see.
drinkpunk 3 weeks ago
Thanks man... it's now much more easier... :))))
keshavbhuckory 4 weeks ago
wow man!! this is the greatest lesson i have got from any instructor!! amazing!! thank you so much!!!!!
bizhanas 1 month ago
You just jumped to number one in the instructor ratings. I will be checking your online lessons. Thanks.
hunkabuggy 1 month ago
Thanks bro,
Been only playing about seven months and I should be well able for bar chords by now but I didnt like doinf them, so I put it off.. this helps a heap load, thanks
pauldeasy123 1 month ago
I have been struggling with these chords for a while now..this video helped tremendously! The pick-space trick is brilliant! Thank you so very much!
alopez0482 1 month ago
hey one question: DO YOU APPLY PRESSURE WITH YOUR THUMB WHEN BARRE-ING? When i dont apply pressure the strings doesnt sound, when i apply pressure my thumb hurts a little but i can sound all the strings... It hurts my 2 thumb joints nearest to my thumb nail ( 1st Interphalangeal joint and 1st metatarsophalangeal joint)
Surreallism007 1 month ago
He liked Denver before Tim Tebow. B Dawk Rules. Nice Lesson, thumbs up.
DecemberSean 1 month ago
OMG I CAN DO BARRE CHORDS NOW !!! thank you so much :) you got another subscriber yay :D
BestBritishV 1 month ago
that was fricken AMAZING, really good tips
ShaRniiC3nLie 1 month ago
you are a FREAKIN genius!!!
HSECMAN 1 month ago
i finally understand it
longwhiteandhandsome 1 month ago
@longwhiteandhandsome Very cool. Glad I could help.
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
You are brilliant man!!
mustansir1989 1 month ago
@mustansir1989 Why, thank you. I keep tryin to tell people that. :o)
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
@kevjohnson77 I have a question Kevin. I recently changed the strings on my guitar. I have a Pluto HW41C-201BK. After changing the strings, the guitar sounds really bad and makes a horrible buzz. I followed every instruction perfectly. Even after I tuned the guitar, it plays bad. To make it simple, there's more treble than bass in it. I was wondering if you can help me out.
Thanks!
mustansir1989 1 month ago
YOU MAKE BAR CHORDS FUN!!! :DDD
zDeViL09 1 month ago
@zDeViL09 Sweet! Thanks!
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
Hey! Thanks :) I saw a few videos on how to master a barre chord but you really gave me some valuable tipps! Especially about the wrist and the space between the fingers! :)
Knusperino 1 month ago
i play the classical guitar and recently bought an acoustic guitar. i can't barre on the acoustic but i can barre on the classical...is it because of the acoustic having a rounder fretboard? or is it because the acoustic has steel strings making it harder? Please Help !!!
Surreallism007 1 month ago
@Surreallism007 Well, there are a couple of things that might be happening. The classical has much lower tension strings, and the strings are also a thicker diameter. Steel strings are much tighter and very small, so they can more easily sink into your finger, rather than being pressed tight against the fret. Make sure your string action is low enough, and that your acoustic has light tension strings. Often, acoustics aren't properly "set up" from the factory, and the action is too high.
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
@kevjohnson77 so if the steel strings sink into my finger easier, if i practice more will it "not sink" ?
Surreallism007 1 month ago
@Surreallism007 Well that depends. If the string action is too high (strings sit too far above the frets) then it's always going to be hard to do. Make sure the neck is properly "set up". That means the truss rod and saddle (white piece on the bridge) are correctly adjusted. That's something a pro should do for you. Not very expensive adjustment. In fact, any experienced player (legitimately experienced) could do it for you.
Beyond that, yes, more playing means thicker skin & less sinking.
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
@kevjohnson77 sorry for the spamming of questions but here's the last question... Its not the treble strings that doesnt sound....its the D and G strings that im unable to sound....is it because i lack the strength? Thanks for the answer ;)
Surreallism007 1 month ago
@Surreallism007 It isn't spam, don't worry. Most Barre chords involve the D and G strings being covered by other fingers anyway, so that shouldn't pose much trouble. But it sounds more like you are allowing your finger to arch a bit, thus letting up on the pressure on those middle strings. If the other strings are cooperating, just not those two middle strings, then that has to be it. I don't think it's a strength issue. I think it's a technique issue. Could you take a close up pic of it?
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
@kevjohnson77 do u have an email so i can send u the picture of the barre?
Surreallism007 1 month ago
Dude - you are so money!! Thank you for this fantastic video, with so many excellent tips. I'm relatively new to barre chords and wanted to make sure I was using good technique. Thanks to this video, I know what to do now. I'll be watching your other videos. Thanks for being an excellent teacher!
efr625 1 month ago
@efr625 That's very kind. Thank you. Feel free to hit me up with questions as you develop your playing.
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
Hi Kevin, just wanted to say thanks. ive only recently picked up a guitar and have fallen in love, but if it wasnt for people like you who shared their tips tricks and general knowledge I would have given up by now. But thanks to you and others everytime I hit a hurdle I know I can find help and it gives me the drive to keep trying. Barre chords is my latest stumbling block but now I have something to move forward with. Thanks hun :)
MistressDrucyla 1 month ago
@MistressDrucyla Great! Glad I was useful. Please don't ever give up. It's more than worth the effort and time.
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
Cant Do B minor chord though
31896eneri 1 month ago
Comment removed
31896eneri 1 month ago
Thanks man, I know this vid is old - but still enjoyable to watch.
MrVvivio 1 month ago
Thanks a lot for the video. Congratulations on your school, i am sure you will be very successful since you are a great teacher and online lessons are a great idea.
Scarr420 1 month ago
damn, THANK YOU!
MiinuSE 2 months ago
@MiinuSE damn...you're welcome. :o)
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
good,but poor vid quality, also near the end your finger did not look straight like you told us
but very helpful cheers.coldplay10
tommy10006 2 months ago
Well done Kevin! You explain nicely. I will be watching more of your vids. I do have a question on barre chords if you don't mind. When making the barre, should it always be the same for all chords? It seems to me, that you really only need to be concerned with barring the open strings, and not the ones you are pressing to make the chord shape. Any thoughts on that? Thank you. - Tom
autocrow 2 months ago
Nice Job Kevin.
flyboyshocky 2 months ago
im doing everything you say, i almost have it! i just cant get it every time yet /: and when i try a barre chord the high E string isnt very loud o: is that suposed to happen? im new at guitar so i dont really know much
RileyDoesStuff 2 months ago
@RileyDoesStuff Yeah, that's normal. The high E string is very small and can easily sink into your finger flesh, rather than being held tight against the fret. Keep working on it, and with time that problem will resolve itself. The more you play, the more calloused your skin becomes, making it more resistant to a string sinking in. I hope that helps.
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
Wow, that's the first time I've ever been able to do a barre chord! :D Much <3
Jellybean666 2 months ago
i still cant play barre chords ! plz help !! :( what to do plzz help ! i can press some strings correctly but not all !
vartiksethi 2 months ago
@vartiksethi Well, without seeing your hands when you try, I couldn't possibly know what is going wrong. It might simply be a matter of giving it more time. If you're applying all the tricks I mention in this video and it still doesn't work, there might be a problem with the string action on your guitar. If the strings are too far away from the frets, that will make the guitar much more difficult to play. If you've never had a "setup" done on that neck, you might consider trying that.
kevjohnson77 2 months ago
Thanks so much for this vid! Been trying to play barre chords forever! Very, very useful and easy tips.
Lizster88 2 months ago
your tip helped me the first time i tried i got it sounding alright. thanks man i thought it was impossible
bluelightx17 2 months ago
Legend. First video ive seen on wrist alignment.
mostwantd1 2 months ago
@mostwantd1 And you're the first person to realize that I am a "legend". Thanks!
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
I also have a good tip when playing bar chords. When you play a bar chord, usually the middle strings are fretted by your other fingers. To save strength in your first finger, try to control that finger and try to put pressure on the string that you first finger frets. So if you play an F major. Only put on the lowest and the top 2 strings, try to remove the pressure where you don't really need it. That means on the strings where your other fingers are.
psychopathtoine 2 months ago
@psychopathtoine I agree!
kevjohnson77 2 months ago
@psychopathtoine I'm still lost on the whole "straight wrist" thing...how is that possible?
citymouse40 1 month ago
@citymouse40 I'd have to hold my guitar up by my head...I'm confused..totally new at this.
citymouse40 1 month ago
@citymouse40 The straight wrist thing is difficult for some to get the hang of. Keep in mind that it doesn't have to be perfectly straight. Everybody is built a little differently, so you might have very long arms and long fingers, and can't straighten your wrist simply because of that. The point is to position the guitar as best you can so that your wrist is as it would be if you were making a tight fist. That's where you'll have the most strength and control.
kevjohnson77 1 month ago
Ah bless you. This makes things like ten times easier!
allstarchuckies 2 months ago
hi... i've been playing guitar for a while but i noticed a few days ago that my barre chords in the major ou minor shape sound clear but when i play (also barre) major 7 in the E shape or minor 7 in the Am shape, the 7 th in the chords just comes out mute most of the time... how to fix that?
carvasdasilva 2 months ago
@carvasdasilva no worries! it was only the strings who got old... i changed them and now i can play all bars perfect. thanks anyways
carvasdasilva 2 months ago
dude wow thank you, you just like de-mystified barre chords for me haha thank you so much!!
lockshopboys 2 months ago
really really Helpful, wow that was some great lessons.
LovingJEUS1 3 months ago
Your tips helped me soooo much! thank you for this! but im having trouble keeping a good barre and placing my fingers on the other notes... any tips about this??
flippinsweet09 3 months ago
Oh my god! I have NEVER been able to get a pure tone (well somewhat pure ;) with a barre chord until this lesson!! THANK YOU!! All of your tips really work. I've stayed away from barre chords all of these years 'cause every time i tried i got majorly frustrated! Thank you so much! :)
emoedesign 3 months ago
that helped so much thankyou man
axel4clover1 3 months ago
Thanks to you, I can now tackle the nasty 11-7-8-x-x-7 chord in Romanza on my ultra-wide neck nylon. You'r awesome.
Fourmalletz 3 months ago
Thanks! Your tips are actually helpful, especially the last one. You're a good instructor
HylianBlood64 3 months ago
Very nice lesson... Good luck with the school
OldBeatleMan 3 months ago
Nice intro video
chieftanzzz 3 months ago
Hey, thanks man! that actually helped! I have hated bar chords, now maybe i can learn to tolerate them! LOL...
aks39 3 months ago in playlist aks39's favorites
Comment removed
MsLolsummer69 4 months ago
Hold on! I was told by my instructor to bend the fingers when playing frets to make sure that the notes came out sounding good. Wouldn't placing your fingers straight prevent that?
smitty9148 4 months ago
@smitty9148 Your instructor was not talking about barre chords. He/she was talking about playing one note per finger. Normal chords are played differently than barre chords. Your instructor is correct. When you're not doing a barre, you should keep your fingers curved so as not to interfere with other strings, and also to have the best control over the note(s). But when barring, the barre finger MUST be kept straight. Read through the other comments. People seem to think it works.
kevjohnson77 4 months ago
@kevjohnson77 Ah, okay. Thanks. :)
smitty9148 4 months ago
Thanks Kev, I am Two yrs into playing and not so young now and barre chords been hard to manage. Your guidance gonna help a great deal...many thanks.
gortagnan 4 months ago
The BEST tutorial on YouTube. Thank you!!!!!!
luvs2sing1972 4 months ago
fantastic explanation and examples. Thanks.
barbariansteve 5 months ago
a big thanx frm india . Oh brah u explained evrythng dat takes to play barre chords. N d way u explained . Its jst realy easy to undrstnd . Can u plz upload a video to improve the shifting between d chords. Let me tell u i dont hv ny teacher coz d town where m stayin nobdy even gvs hoot bout guitar. Jst again thanx alt :)
Eeddggeee 5 months ago
Great video, you've nailed the amount of detail needed. Good work
glenslough 5 months ago
I need to get some lower gauge strings.. my 13s hurt when im barreing.
But they do give that nice crunchy sound.. what do you reccomend? Possibly 11 gauge?
LukeCFinch 5 months ago
@LukeCFinch It could also be your action. Is the neck set up properly? 11 is pretty light for acoustic. I'd go with 12, and make sure your action is nice and low. Just my preference, but there it is.
kevjohnson77 5 months ago
i've been playing guitar for 5 years and never absolutely perfected the bar chord. Its been very close but the 2nd highest string or the 5th string almost never comes out perfectly clear. Today i finally decided i was tired of not hearing that not and i youtubed and came across this video....
My whole life ive been rolling my finger the opposite way that you are explaining.... so i tried the way that you explain. AND ITS FIXED!! just like that!!! now my bar chords sound amazing! u the man
Dajed259 5 months ago
Omg, that was really helpful.. thanks a lot!
KwotsinTuba 6 months ago
awesome ... it really helped a lot ...
"good technique makes everything easy " ....
pranukvs 6 months ago
OMG you're the best!!! it took me less than 5 minutes to do it right!! i've been trying to do bar chords for a couple of weeks and i think i couldn't do them because my index finger wasn't straight enough and my thumb was probably a little high.....but your trick really works:D thanks alot
julya95 6 months ago
ok it's been 14 hrs and I'm still trying to figure it out lol DAMN YOU BARRE CHORDS WHY DO YOU HAVE TO EXIST ( ~.~) before I complain about my fingers hurting. Now I'm complaining my whole finger's hurting....and some muscles in my right arm
pinoyALLmotorEVOIXMR 6 months ago
@pinoyALLmotorEVOIXMR Okay,...first thing is...take a break! Playing guitar isn't supposed to be something worthy of a gatorade commercial. How long have you been playing? If less than a year, you shouldn't expect these barre chords to be easy immediately. Give your hands time to adapt to the instrument. Pace yourself. And relaxation is key. Only use the muscle pressure you absolutely need to press the strings. Your arm shouldn't hurt at all. Is your guitar properly set up? Low action?
kevjohnson77 6 months ago
@kevjohnson77 I started 8 days ago. I'm so stoked on how easy it is to play the guitar in some cases. I learned how to play Dust in the wind, Simple Man, Sweet home Alabama and Freebird. Just the intros. I'm holding the guitar the way you described it lol I guess it's just getting used to the guitar. I noticed 1st fret is thinner than the 12th that's why it's hard barring it. I can barre it as it is but first barre you did is challenging. I've been hyped that's all lol
pinoyALLmotorEVOIXMR 6 months ago
So where do I actually barre it? The metal thingy that separates the frets?
pinoyALLmotorEVOIXMR 6 months ago
@pinoyALLmotorEVOIXMR Well, the metal thingies ARE the frets. The space between the frets is where your finger goes...but right behind the fret that is giving you the note.
kevjohnson77 6 months ago
@kevjohnson77 OH haha I see it now. Now I'm having trouble forming my fingers to play the barre chords. Great video by the way. You explained EVERYTHING and it really helped me so far bro!
pinoyALLmotorEVOIXMR 6 months ago
@kevjohnson77 hi, i've been playing for 5 months, have been struggling with barre chords for a month now.. i'm very comfortable with high tempo open chords songs... i am able to barre with my finger but i keep getting a buzzing.. i think its coz my fingers are very thick and fatty... do you have a solution for that?? awaiting reply
p.s. nice fish tank
1011sid 4 months ago
You've got the best presentation skills for guitar on YouTube. Thanks.
dougrek 6 months ago
@dougrek Thanks! Nice of you to say.
kevjohnson77 6 months ago
can you show the thumb positioning please? thanks
anyaskidan 6 months ago
@anyaskidan It's in this video actually. Check around the 1:37 mark. Your thumb should not be above the mid-point of the back of the neck. In some cases, depending on which bar chord you're doing, your thumb will be low on the neck, between the second and third string level. And it should be either lined up with your bar finger, or slightly inside...meaning closer to your middle finger.
I hope that helps.
kevjohnson77 6 months ago
Thank you, this really helped out allot. Somtimes it's a little difficult to have all the strings ringing sometimes, is there anyway to avoid that in some way?
demondagger19 7 months ago
@demondagger19 Assuming that your guitar is properly set up and the action isn't too high, the problem you're having is common, but will disappear with time. You'll have to add a little pressure to whichever strings aren't giving you the love. But also keep in mind, you don't always need all the strings ringing anyway. Sometimes you should let some of them stay silent just to create contrast with other parts of the song you're playing. I hope that helps.
kevjohnson77 7 months ago
@kevjohnson77 So your saying that not all the strings have to ring?
demondagger19 7 months ago
@demondagger19 That's right. As long as you have the notes that make the chord harmony, those being the root, 3rd, and 5th, then you've got the chord. You don't want a string buzzing, and you don't want to leave out a note that's important to the bass line, or the melody, but aside from that you can let a couple notes go.
kevjohnson77 6 months ago
@kevjohnson77 Oh ok, thanks bro, appreciate the help. If i have anymore questions, do you mind if I keep into contact with you?
demondagger19 6 months ago
@demondagger19 Sure, hit me up any time. I'm always happy to help a fellow guitarist.
kevjohnson77 6 months ago
@kevjohnson77 How can i get better at changing chords quickly and what chords should i learn after the open chords?
saulg721 6 months ago
@saulg721 Hey Saul. I address the chord changing issue in my video "Guitar Fundamentals I". Watch that one and follow the method of practicing the chord changes that I outline there. That is the most effective and quick way to get good at changing chords. I could refer you to a couple hundred students of mine who will back me up on that.
As for what chords to learn...that really depends. I don't know what style of music you want to play. I'd say, go for movable triad shapes next.
kevjohnson77 6 months ago
So those finger grooves? Yeah, I have six of them on the *side* of my finger now. But this video rocks! Thanks a bunch for your help.
viziermoo 7 months ago
Thankyou so much, man. Great tips. I no longer struggle with them. Technique was my problem.
jstreet465 7 months ago
Thanks , you showed me how to tackle barre chords in like ..5minutes:DD i've watched LOTS of other videos for years but they never work -.- && the part when you showed to use a pick on the space between your thumb and index finger i laughed really hard , because my finger was wayyy longer than the 6 strings xD
ShazRetta293 7 months ago
I struggled with these barre chords for 2 weeks until seeing this video. Thanks man!
derikx8321 7 months ago
honestly ive watched sooooo many youtube videos on bar cords and there making it sound way harder than you make it seem this video here helps way more than any of the other ones ive watched so thanks for all the advice and the video in general!
TeamRadkeFTW4656 8 months ago
dude, i can play Ll wayne how to love cuz of u. THANKS U
BASGREEN1 8 months ago
haha, I tend to use hook chords more than barre
iMPRE7ed 8 months ago
oh my god this helped so much! I still really struggle with barre/bar (i never know how to spell it :L) chords but the whole pick on the hand thing really helped and now i don't end up crippling my fingers every time i try to play. Thanks!!
neonredhead22 8 months ago
Very good lesson. Should help a lot of learners like me. Thanks. To akuorekelete, I suggest lots of repetition, it helps really, and take breaks.
S1elmx 8 months ago
bar chords hurt the joint between my thumb and hand..Any advice?
akuorekelate 8 months ago
Wow your a amazing teacher!
stormotter21 8 months ago
Bar chords are easy,regular chords suck! Bedause they're all different.The bar chord is the same no matter where you play it,pretty much.Except for the minors,are a little different.
cloudvol7 9 months ago
@cloudvol7 I explain how to improve the other chord types in an earlier vid titled "Guitar Fundamentals 1". Check it out if you like.
kevjohnson77 9 months ago
jus to let everyone know ..this guy is fer real ..i signed up on his web site asked him to call me ..the next day i got a call from him. he was very cool understood i dint have any money at that time but still talked to me about his classes and a few pointers. yep as soon as i can get the cash up he will be my new teacher..every day type of guy.
ficdawg 9 months ago
@ficdawg Hey, thanks man! I was wondering about you the other day. Take your time, amigo. Whenever you're ready I'll be here.
kevjohnson77 9 months ago
@kevjohnson77 yea bro should't be long. now its my schedule, it is really hecktic right now. as far as the comment, well its true man. hope you got that house. i will def be catching up too you.
ficdawg 9 months ago
the best bar chords tutorial ever. just added this to my favorites..can you please not remove this..thanks!
curryKicker 9 months ago
@curryKicker Thanks! Don't worry, I won't remove it.
kevjohnson77 9 months ago
Thanks Kevin, lots of good tips, worth watching a few times, small hands don't matter, trust me. Notice how high he holds the neck, this helps alot, and don't sit on the soffa or any furniture with arms, try standing with a strap, use a stool.
ihop54 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Dude you rock! I am new to guitar playing, my fingers are really fat and it's hard for me to press one string with one finger. I really hope this technique will help me out.
manosmantzas 10 months ago
Dude you rock! I am new to guitar playing, my fingers are really fat and it's hard for me to press one string with one finger. I really hope this technique will help me out.
manosmantzas 10 months ago
A little Stray Cats in there 5:21
ihop54 10 months ago
Thank you Kev. Ive been playing for 4 months (i know a noob) I can play all my root chords but Bar chords have been kickin my arse! my teacher could not even give me good advice....he told me just to keep practicing...I HAVE like a minumum of 2-3 hours a day..these bar chords are just kickn my ass. ALSO any advice on the calisses? I have them but they keep peeling off..my teacher told me to use super glue. ??? anyways I am gonna hit you up for some lessons for sure! your a beast.
ficdawg 10 months ago
@ficdawg Slow response, I know. Sorry! I've been trying to buy a house... very time consuming!
Yes...the calluses will peel off for a while. Eventually they'll stay put. Don't bother with super glue. It's a cool trick for short term needs, like if you've got a gig tonight and your calluses got ripped off an hour ago, but for long term conditioning..it's worthless.
Understand, I don't mean to undermine your teacher. It may be that you misunderstood his/her meaning.
If you DO hit me up,great
kevjohnson77 9 months ago
GENIUS! I was getting frustrated going through youtube videos and not finding one truly constructive bare chord tutorial. THANK YOUUUU for actually teaching us HOW were suppose to play them instead of just jumping into different chords without out teaching us proper technique -.-
ilykfooddd 11 months ago
thanks to this video i actually managed to play barre chords. before i saw this vid i thought that its impossible for me. YOU GAVE MY HOPE BACK! :D
marisYeaa 11 months ago
Thank you for saying so! That's what I'm going for here!.......sorry for the extremely slow response. :o)
kevjohnson77 9 months ago
Okay im a beginner acoustic guitar player, i know alot of chords, ive taught everything i know myself. Anyway, im trying to learn Barre Chords but have real small hands, what advice do you have for people with not as great of a reach as others?
TheLMC87 11 months ago
@TheLMC87 The small hands things is not such a problem if your technique is good. I always direct my students who have this complaint to watch some video of some of the Chinese women who are classical guitar virtuosos. They tend to have very small hands, but play full sized concert guitars. And as you probably know, classical guitar necks wider than steel string necks. If they can do it, so can you.
As for specific advice, it would depend on the specific problems. Ask more if you like.
kevjohnson77 11 months ago
Brilliant vid
realchandru 1 year ago
Thanks, very helpful tips, I am going to try them right now
mcarrera77 1 year ago
Asked several teachers, and watched many videos. The first time all this made sense, in a single package. Thanks for this video.
realdesigns 1 year ago
Very helpful dude!! Thanks again and best of luck with the school. I'll definitely be looking into it although I'm already signed up with another one at the moment.
johnnycrones 1 year ago
Try the ukulele. I tried the bars on it and when I came back, I could play them buzzfree
9Iamthewalrus 1 year ago
thanks, great video!
roflpantofl 1 year ago
thanks man! this really helped my playing. I was having alot of trouble with these and now I've got the hang of it. thanks again :)
Jcam7711 1 year ago
Awesome!! I got it now, I have only been playing a month, glad I didn't wait too long to pick up that correct technique.
I live close to your school, any multi-instrument discounts? I want to re-learn my violin. Any way to trade volunteer hours to get the price down?
littlefoot777 1 year ago
THANK YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!
oxenhero 1 year ago
Very very handy, been playing guitar for about 11 years now but never really got into barre chordes simply because i didnt know the right techniques, but you explained it beautifully, thank you =o)
MoOniEmOnKeY 1 year ago
that was just awesome!!!!!!!!
bassbassgirl 1 year ago
I had the hook. that was my problem. Thanks for blowing that bit of frustration out of the water.
Achilles145 1 year ago
really good lesson, just wondering if when you make a major chord 5th srtring root barre chord do you bend your wrist slightly more i cant seem to avoid it!
Thanks
marcsibley1 1 year ago
@marcsibley1 Well, there will always be a little variation in what people's hands and wrists do when playing. We're not all built exactly alike. It's perfectly fine to have a little bend in the wrist when doing this, just not too much.
kevjohnson77 1 year ago