Playing barre chords is just one of the many challenges that an emerging guitarist will have to face during the course of their education. Will you be able to conquer this giant when it comes along, or will you give up in defeat?Before you answer that question, let me just say that barre chords can be a real monster- especially if you have small hands. In fact, some guitar players (including professionals) avoid playing them altogether!
So, there is no shame in admitting that barre chords can be difficult to play, but that doesn't mean they are impossible. The key to success is having a plan and sticking with it until you win. Here are some tips for tackling the barre chord "monster" when you meet him face to face...
1. The first thing you can do to make it easier to play barre chords is to check the action on the guitar you'll be using. If the strings are set too high you might want to lower the action in order to make the chords easier to play.
2. Another way to reduce the difficulty of barre chords is to use a capo. This will automatically lower the action so that you won't need to apply as much pressure to the strings. I suggest you place the capo on the 2nd fret if you are unfamiliar with using one, as this will make the fretboard look similar to how it looks when playing without one.
3. It's also easier to start out by using either a half-barre, or partial barre, before trying to play a full barre chord. Below I describe 3 simple variations of how you can use these shapes to play an Fm barre chord...
Lay your first finger across the first three strings at the first fret. Strum only the strings you are pushing down. Do not strum the open strings.
Partial Barre
(the title being used in this instance is only to distinguish it from the half-barre)Lay your first finger across all the strings on the first fret. Strum all six strings.
Full Barre
Lay your first finger across all six strings at first fret. Add your third finger to the fifth string at the third fret and your fourth finger to the fourth string at the third fret. Strum all six strings.Exercise:
- Hold the Half-Barre chord shape at the first fret and strum one time.
- Move the Half-Barre shape to the second fret and strum one time.
- Continue doing this as you move up to the fifth fret, then do the same thing in reverse as you move back down to the first fret.
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Important:
Do not overdue this exercise! The idea is to build your strength gradually overtime.
If you practice this exercise a little each day, for maybe 5-10 minutes- max, you should begin to notice that your hand is getting stronger and the barre chords are becoming easier to play. When you are able to maintain the barre chord shape and produce a clean sound without feeling pain or discomfort, then it's time to start using them with your songs on a regular basis.
Till next time...
Keep practicing!
K.Unruh
