b chord

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daryl
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Sat Jul 20, 2013 5:57 am

debbro4247 wrote:
ok probably stupid question but I'm playing a song with capo on first fret... in that case how would you play the b chord?
If you are talking about playing the B chord RELATIVE to the capo on the 1st fret, then all the fingerings suggested in this post will work as long as you use them RELATIVE to the capo.


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neverfoundthetime
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Sat Jul 20, 2013 7:04 am

If you have the capo on, I am assuming you want the whole thing to be (sound) a half step higher (maybe to fit your voice?). In which case you just play the same fingering but up 1 fret. Its now really a C you are playing but it remains a B relative to all the other chords as all the chords are now a half step higher.

B Chord, no capo:
-------------- - Nut
X X X X X X
X X X X X 1
X X X X X X
X X 2 3 4 X

B chord shape with capo,now sounds like C as you are capoed a half step higher:
--------------- - Nut
[strike]X X X X X X[/strike] -Capo
X X X X X X
X X X X X 1
X X X X X X
X X 2 3 4 X

If you mean you really want a B chord (sounds like a B) then you keep your fingers where they are as you are only sounding the highest 4 strings anyway, and that's a B with that fingering.

-------------- - Nut
X X X X X X
X X X X X 1
X X X X X X
X X 2 3 4 X

But what about the other chords, how do you want them to sound.

Hope this makes sense! ;-)


fjeanmur
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Sun Jul 21, 2013 6:31 pm

Hi all,

My two cents. I took Niel's advice when I started on this site about a year ago and hopped to learning the hinged A shapes. I haven't found them too difficult, but I learned that with these chord shapes I have the most success if I (how do I explain this?) tip or perhaps raise my left elbow up a bit. This helps to roll my wrist and shift the pressure on the strings getting that third finger down a little bit better. I don't know if anyone else has noticed themselves doing this. It works quite well for me. Hope this helps.

Jean


wiley
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Sun Jul 21, 2013 8:57 pm

I usually 'hinge barre' using the pinky or ring finger. Don't really care too much about hitting the 'high e' or 1st string (one closest to the ground).

Other way around, if I'm looking for a higher pitch timbre, I forget about the 6th and/or the 5th strings and play a 'shortie' barre making sure the 1st string rings.

Using one or the other of these is dependent upon what your really after, what 'tone' you want to hear/play.

As for playing "B" in other positions, is this a question of 'relative' (the "A" shape) or actual? Remember, a 'chord' is a certain three notes played in certain order. *Out of that 'order' are 'inversions' (Inverted) It does not have to be four, five, six or however many string we have (like 8 on an 8 string) to be a 'chord'. "Power Chords" consist of a minimum of two notes!

Try making sure the thumb is between the index (barre) and other fingers and under the neck, it's the same as the suggestion by Neil of 'rolling' the wrist.

One way to hit those barres a bit better (like I can - LOL!!) is forget about the one finger barre (the barre itself), hit the chord first then apply the barre. Easy way to understand this is ask yourself "Why do I want to hit (sound) the same string twice when one of those times it won't matter"!


thereshopeyet
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Mon Jul 22, 2013 3:50 am

For anyone that missed it.....

Neil discusses the B Chord in the Weekly News (12.29 minutes in ) here:



:)


cwardm
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Sat Jan 31, 2015 3:01 pm

Happy to hear I'm not the only one that struggles with this ;) I, too, often omit the high-e when using the hinge-bar technique because I'm not good at it yet. Hate to say it, but practice, practice, practice has helped... if I consciously tell myself to play the chord softly (as opposed to really striking it) it sounds better...


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