I started taking lessons in December here at Guitar Tricks. I can’t believe the progress that I’ve made in such a short time. I’m playing several songs and really enjoying playing guitar. Then came the barre chords and all progress ceased. I’ll just be happy to get through that section of lessons.
After about three day of practicing barre chords my left index finger broke off and fell in the floor. I was actually not upset about it because I will never have to play barre chords again.
Thanks.
Yep, this is my third attempt to learn the guitar, about a 20 year hiatus. I'm not back up to barre chords yet, but that is what caused me to quit the first two times. Hopefully, we will BOTH get the hang of them. My sense is, they are much easier on an electric guitar, so maybe I'll learn everything but Barre Chords on the acoustic and then switch over.
Also, just a note, after learning more online (which was not readily available 20 year's ago) about guitars and learning, I took my old acoustic in and had the "action" lowered considerably and had the neck straightened. It cost $50 and took 2 hours, well worth it, much much much easier to play! I'm guessing it will help with the Barre Chords!
I was thinking the same thing about the electric guitar being easier. My acoustic is very cheap and has a terrible action. It’s brutal on your fingers. I have a little more luck with the barre chords on the electric. I just put lighter strings on the electric this weekend to see if that would help also. I haven’t had a chance to try it yet.
I think I’ll just buy a new acoustic. I don’t want to spend $50 on my $45 guitar.
Good luck.
Originally Posted by: jscott.saundersAfter about three day of practicing barre chords my left index finger broke off and fell in the floor. I was actually not upset about it because I will never have to play barre chords again.
Thanks.
Scott,
Hope you pick it up and glue it back on, cause barre chords are an integral part of a guitar player's arsenal. Are all barre chords hard for you, or just certain ones ? (the F can be hard one, espcially if your guitar doesn't have a good setup. In the mean time, you can use partial chords (ok, so that isnt their technical name) using only two fingers.
Take a regular G barre chord: 355433, where you barre the all the strings at the 3rd fret with your first finger, and do an E shape with your other fingers (as if you had a capo on the 3rd fret).
A partial chord of the same G would be 35xxxx, where your first finger is on the 3fret of the the E string, and your 3rd finger on the 5th fret of the A string. Only two strings to fret, only two strings to strum, super easy, and you get to keep all your fingers.
And the bonus is that this shape can be moved up and down the fretboard to play all the major chords (some call these power chords). As another bonus, the same shape works on the 5th and 4th strings.
Good luck
Izzy
Thanks for the words of encouragement. I put some thinner strings on my guitar and practiced for a couple hours this week. I had a bit more success wth the barre chords. At least there is some light at the end of the tunnel. I will try again next week. My index finger needs a break.
