Lesson 14 - Barre Chords

Lesson Discussion Left Hand Technique
1

Originally published at: Lesson 14 – Barre Chords. Replies here will cross-post to the original lesson page.

Use this thread to ask questions, share experiences, and discuss the topic at hand.

2

If you need a hand with a specific barre voicing, post about it here (a video would be best) and I’ll do my best to give you some pointers.

4

I like the barre chords for their versatility and ease of transposition of some keys. For instance take the barre D chord. The 2nd fret (barred) and the 5th fret (with 5th finger on the first string) form what I call “the box.” In that box are the D chord and the E minor, G, and A7 chords. That box can be easily moved up or down the lower 2/3’s of the fretboard. Something I discovered on my own, though I am certainly not the first to think of it.
Thanks, Howard

1 Like
5

Once you can visualize stuff like this, it gets much easier to find your way in new locations. You don’t really have to learn new chords as individual entities.

This is how I play baritone. I don’t really know what stuff is called unless I think about it. I just use the shapes I know provide a certain relationship movement from the root note. If you follow your ears and do this you can play almost anything.

1 Like
6

Even with a solid barre, a string goes numb when I use my 3 or 4 finger on a higher note; like for B7, a 2322. Any ideas?

7

My guess is you’re shifting some of the force from the barre into the higher fretted note and the barre is lifting a bit.

Be sure you’re:

  • Keeping your barre finger flat (easiest to do if you bend your finger only at your hand - you might have to shift your wrist out a bit to do this)
  • Pressing the higher finger with a light touch - Lesson 1 – Fretting Physics

Also examine whether the string is disappearing into a knuckle crack in your finger. If so, try shifting the bar laterally up or down across the fretboard.

Here are some more tips and visuals that might assist: Barre Chords on the Ukulele.

Please report back with more details and I’m happy to help troubleshoot further.

8

My guess is you’re shifting some of the force from the barre into the higher fretted note and the barre is lifting a bit.

Be sure you’re:

  • Keeping your barre finger flat (easiest to do if you bend your finger only at your hand - you might have to shift your wrist out a bit to do this)
  • Pressing the higher finger with a light touch - Lesson 1 – Fretting Physics

Also examine whether the string is disappearing into a knuckle crack in your finger. If so, try shifting the bar laterally up or down across the fretboard.

Here are some more tips and visuals that might assist: Barre Chords on the Ukulele.

Please report back with more details and I’m happy to help troubleshoot further.