"A" Chord fingering

AndyT
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Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:39 pm

I have to use 4 fingers to play it.
Image


haoli25
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Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:16 pm

For the longest time I had trouble with the F chord and
the B minor chord. It seemed that no matter what I did,
increasing pressure, lightening pressure, and all sorts
of very colorful language everytime I had to play one
of those chords it always sounded either muffled or not
very clean and clear. I finally gave up trying to improve
the sound. Suddenly (after about 10 years of playing)one
day I played an F and it was great. It was loud and clear.
I don't know what I did differently. The B minor still
sucked, but the F was great! lol
It took another 6 months or so and the B minor finally
became clear also. I have not had trouble making either
of them since and I still don't know what caused the
change.

Hang in there and keep practicing.


map4242
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Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:50 pm

Since I've started to work on barre chords, I discovered that my third finger does not straighten out all the way at the last joint, even if I use my other hand to try to force it. I've been trying to exercise it hoping I'll get it to bend slightly backwards to play that barre. I have to do it with four fingers like AndyT showed in the picture.

My right hand third finger does bend back slightly (not much). Had I known, I may have taken up guitar left handed. I'm fairly ambidextrous (I can do most things equally bad with either hand), but I'd rather not start over.

Mark


fxgirl
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Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:40 pm

I'm not very good at this barre chord at all, but -- when every once in a blue moon I do get it sounding decent -- here's what my fingers do:

-- the ring finger that's on strings 2, 3, and 4 has a slight bend at the first knuckle, "backwards", but of course no where near 90 degrees. The tip of the ring finger is *just* below the 5th string, and the slight backward bend gives just enough clearance so that the 1st string can ring. Its tight, and a low-percentage chord for me still.

-- I've also begun experimenting with just trying to barre lightly the 4th and 3rd with the ring, and fretting the 2nd string with my pinky. Works pretty well, actually -- but still new to me. Anyway, in this form, my ring finger is more or less straight while fretting the 4 and 3 strings -- may be an option for those with no backward bend in that first joint. Easy to move in to a 7th shape from there as well.

-- I'm still augmenting my index finger-barre with my middle finger for additional pressure, but that seems like bad form.


BigBear
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Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:26 am

map4242 wrote:
Since I've started to work on barre chords, I discovered that my third finger does not straighten out all the way at the last joint, even if I use my other hand to try to force it. I've been trying to exercise it hoping I'll get it to bend slightly backwards to play that barre. I have to do it with four fingers like AndyT showed in the picture.Mark
I remember when I was 14 and started taking guitar lessons. The instructor made me sit there poking my ring finger into the tabled bending it backward. He told me to do this wherever I went. I don't know if helped that much but I sure looked stupid poking my finger into countertops and tables!!

The Bb barre is really a tough chord to hit unless your fingers are flexible. I think you just have to keep working at it and realize that you may mute the high E from time to time.


AndyT
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Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:35 am

Notice that I'm only barring 3 strings in that picture. 1,5,6. The others are being fretted in the A shape. So I don't have to have pressure on every string, just the open ones.


KennyF
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Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:55 am

Sooner or later, you'll end up using just about every fingering possibility there is. Trust me! Anyone who's ever played Jimi's 'Little Wing' is already familiar with barring, while fretting notes a full step up, and playing melody lines a half step up from there.

Did that make sense??? Image Image


rcsnydley
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Thu Jul 02, 2009 11:27 am

I used to always play a A chord with my middle, ring and pinky fingers. Then for some unknown reason a few months ago I started playing it by barring my ring finger. One advantage is that if I'm going to play "A Form" barre chords all I have to do is slide and barre.

Then when everything seemed right in the world along comes Neil and show us the way he plays it. Now I find I have to go back and train myself to learn and use this way. The fact is I trust Neil when he says this is the best way to play it as I can see the advantages of quick transitions to the D and E chords. So, I will practice doing it that way and eventually it will become more natural.

By the way I can play "A Form" barre chords and have the high E string ring. It did take lots of practice and persistence, it still does.

Keep Playing
Ric


spags
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Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:04 pm

rcsnydley wrote:
...a few months ago I started playing it by barring my ring finger. One advantage is that if I'm going to play "A Form" barre chords all I have to do is slide and barre.



Keep Playing
Ric
Ture, but if you used your first finger you'd still be able to maintain the barre and have a shorter transition/slide--you'd just be re-grabbing the new barre with your ring finger.

Using your first finger for a barre also free's up the other fingers on your fingering hand to play basic stuff like blues shuffles, hammer-on notes, and other assorted runs built on the "A" shape. Barring the "A" with your ring finger will seriously handcuff your future progress. I strongly recommend following Neil's advice if you're unsure. Not correcting bad habits early on makes it much more difficult to change them later. It's always easier to learn it right the first time. Just MHO.


frybaby
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Thu Jul 02, 2009 3:17 pm



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