Forum

Hi everyone,

I've been focusing on barre chords lately. While I've improved out of sight since joining TG about a year ago now, I'm still not satisfied with the quality of the sound I'm getting. Maybe this is normal, but they almost always sound a bit fuzzy/muffled when compared to open chords and partial chords where you're just using the pad tips rather than the full barre. Sometimes they sound clear, but generally not.

I'm wondering whether I need to place my thumb more or less directly behind the barre finger in order to get enough leverage to play a clean chord. I'm trying it and I think it's better, but it feels very strange and if that's the answer it will take me a little while to get used to it. I'm sure that I need to refine a million other little nuances about how I play barres and need to continue to improve my hand strength in general, but this might just be a big part of the puzzle that I'm currently missing. I must track down Neil's barre tips.

So (after that ramble) my question to you proficient barre chord players is where do you place your thumb in relation to your barre finger when playing barre chords? It is more or less behind the barre? Is it in the middle of the chord shape? It is somewhere between those 2?

Oh... an opportunity for my first poll - now added too.

I'm looking forward to hearing what you all do.

Michele (Barre Nirvana here I come)

Hi Michele, I think the thumb should be right behind the index as this the natural place to have the most pressure. I would add that I put the pressure at the height the thumb phalanx rather than the flesh of the thumb tip because the meat has too much cushion and requires more pressure (you also have some meat on the face of the index that needs to have some pressure) while at the joint is right on the bone. I know that there have been many discussions on this, but if it hurts I am pretty sure the wrist is bent too much.

I am glad to put my grain of salt (smaller than the 2 cents)

Marc

Hey Michele,

I had to run and get a guitar and try it out. It seems like the barre is done so subconsciously that I couldn't even imagine it. Guess that's proof that the more familiar something gets, the stranger it becomes. Does that make sense? For me, it's directly behind the barre. Don't know if that is politically correct or socially acceptable, but that's where it lands for me.

Hydroman52

I knew at first glance this was a 'Michele Poll', its sitting up straight and has perfect Forum position. :laugh:


Behind the barre finger 99% of the time for me.


Bill

I'm the same as Bill, and the best bit of advice Neil has given me is to move the thumb to that position when you change barres rather than leave it and stretch to the next barre. Does that make sense? It did to me and it's been a great tip.

Tony,

If you mean move your thumb whenever you more your barre finger, then yes.

ta

Michele

Hey Michele,

Last year I attended a free workshop with a classical guitarist Petar Jankovic. He is a Professor and the Coordinator for the Guitar Department at Indiana University - Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington.

He explained the barre cord position like this; hold a tree branch twig in your right hand and place your left hand fingers on the twig with your thumb under your index finger. Now try and snap the twig in two. It can't be done unless you move your thumb under your fingers which now provides the leverage to squeeze and snap the twig. This position allows the thumb to give the needed support for the fingers to make the barre. I had been practicing barre cords and found that you can end up with a sore thumb joint when over doing it. Jim

I had to think about what i do, but I'm a behind the barre person...
Unless its a Wine bar ...

Given the weight of the responses, I'll be refining the focus of my practice. Thanks for checking for me and sharing your years of experience. Not that I'm saying you're old or anything...

But, I'd still be interested to see how the poll continues to develops and any other views (especially if accompanied by the why).

Thanks

Michele.

By the way Jim, I'm not ignoring your suggestion, I normally place my thumb in the middle of the chord shape or slightly up towards nut from that so I'm going for the alternative to what I normally do. Thanks again.

Michele