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I'm having a really hard/frustraiting time with transitioning to the Bm chord....

Technique
Skold  
18 Mar 2008 08:15 | Quote
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
United States
Karma: 3
I just can't seem to transition from G, to Bm. Actually, I can't transition to Bm from ANY chord. I mean, it just makes me wanna say "Fuck it, I'll just play a power chord", but I hate power chords. Any suggestions on how to get past this?
blackholesun  
18 Mar 2008 10:23 | Quote
Joined: 04 Jan 2007
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Moderator
If you play a G major barre chord, then you just use exactly the same shape, but one fret down and one string up.
Doz  
18 Mar 2008 10:29 | Quote
Joined: way back
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Karma: 10
I agree the Bm is one of the harder chords to switch to. I say just keep going at it, try slowing the transition and it'll come with time.
KicknGuitar  
19 Mar 2008 02:05 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
Karma: 1
What do you find the most difficult about it?
Break that down and work on it at a comfortable speed.
For example, let's say your first finger can't barre across too well. Play fret a B minor with just the barre first than throw the rest on. Hold this down for fifteen seconds if you can, now switch to an open chord to relax your fingers, or if you want don't play. Once your fingers feel better, switch back to the Bminor and repeat. Fell free to strum to help pass the time (plus you'll work out your pick hand).

The key to anything if you can't do it is take it slow at first. Don't be afraid to be too slow. If you spend more time holding a chord, then that's more time building up muscle strength and muscle memory, making it a double whammy.

Big thing with perfection is patience which has already been pointed out.
Skold  
19 Mar 2008 04:44 | Quote
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
United States
Karma: 3
Barring my finger across the fret isn't really a problem. My problem is that I can't get the other fingering in the correct spot in a quick fashion. It just feels uncomfortable (most barre chords for me do).
Afro_Raven  
19 Mar 2008 05:53 | Quote
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Barre chords have never felt completely natural to me, and I use them all the time. I know this isn't the answer you wanted to hear, but with chords it's just one of things you have to keep practising at. I promise it will come with time, I've been playing for nearly 4 years and I still have some problems switching between certain chords!

Afro
deefa  
19 Mar 2008 06:04 | Quote
Joined: 22 Dec 2007
United Kingdom
Karma: 8
Why do you hate power chords Skold ? Perhaps you should ask yourself if the end justifies the means.
brodyxhollow  
19 Mar 2008 07:16 | Quote
Joined: 04 Feb 2008
United States
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just keep switching between G, Bm, and D, and you'll get it eventually. Try switching with a metronome, that's what i did until i got fluid at it.
league  
19 Mar 2008 11:00 | Quote
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I would imagine that if you have trouble with Bm, then you would with other barre chords. Barre chords were my worst nightmare but I eventually mastered them. Barre chords are necessary to learn all the chord extensions and 7ths, 9ths etc. I eventually succumbed to power chords because playing major chords chromatically and quickly does not sound as good.
Doz  
19 Mar 2008 12:17 | Quote
Joined: way back
United Kingdom
Karma: 10
I played power chords at first... but as time moved on I just gradually got better at barre chords. I've always played some open chords, but I just learnt more and more awkward ones.
mudnreo  
19 Mar 2008 13:36 | Quote
Joined: 11 Feb 2008
United States
Karma: 1
It might help if you try to use your middle, ring and pinky finger to play open chords for awhile, that will get you used to using them to play barr chords. For a Bm try using those fingers to play an open Am chord,or for any barr chord do the same thing. for a 4th fret E chord try to play an open c chord with just the same 3 fingers in fact if you get used to playing ALL the open posstion chords with those 3 fingers all you have to do then is to add the 1st finger barr any where on the neck for a barr chord. remember ALL open postion chords are movable patterns
Skold  
19 Mar 2008 17:10 | Quote
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
United States
Karma: 3
Thanks for the suggestions, guys. And, deefa, the reason I hate them is because they're boring. They just don't have the same power as Open chords.
KicknGuitar  
19 Mar 2008 22:15 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
Karma: 1
Skold says:
They just don't have the same power as Open chords.

TO some extent that is true. Barre chords are merely one of the many inversions found upon the guitar, but barre chords are not just Major and Minors across all six strings. Its a whole new world after the basics.
What I wanted to say was that for music the more time you put into a specific, the more you'll get out of it, even if it's tough at first, it will come.
les_paul  
19 Mar 2008 23:58 | Quote
Joined: 14 Feb 2008
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If you have an acoustic guitar you should learn all of your chords on it first. I did and after practiced for a while on my acoustic I was still having trouble with Bm and other bar chords but I picked up my electric and just flew through them. If you get use to playing chords on an acoustic then it is a lot easier to play an electric. At least it was for me.
Skold  
20 Mar 2008 00:40 | Quote
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
United States
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I've only played acoustic once, when I was little and my cousin tried teaching me. I've mainly used Electric.
EMB5490  
20 Mar 2008 07:33 | Quote
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les paul idk y but i think its cause the neck on the acustic is bigger, and also the strings are thicker, and the guitar body is bigger so it be harder to get ur arm around, just my guess.
les_paul  
20 Mar 2008 10:28 | Quote
Joined: 14 Feb 2008
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Yea the strings are closer to the fret board on an electric too, and they're not as tight.
KicknGuitar  
20 Mar 2008 19:42 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
Karma: 1
EMB5490 says:
the neck on the acustic is bigger, and also the strings are thicker


Pretty much. Most have "thicker" guage string, with this come stronger tension. And Electric guitars usually have their saddles set for low action (strings are closer to the fretboard). An acoustic has to be set for life, or else the bridge must be replaced.

So with the tension and thickness of the typical acoustic strings, acoustic guitars typically force the player to build up more strength than electrics.
Skold  
31 Mar 2008 11:25 | Quote
Joined: 14 Mar 2008
United States
Karma: 3
Update: With the advice given, I've been getting a lot better transitioning to Barre chords. I've been thinking it out mentally (and physically) on where to put my fingers, which ones to lift up, and to not lift my whole hand up off the board. Thanks for the help, dudes!
KicknGuitar  
31 Mar 2008 23:30 | Quote
Joined: 13 Dec 2007
Lessons: 6
Karma: 1
Skold says:
Which ones to lift up, and to not lift my whole hand up off the board.

Now you're thinking economically! Glad to see you're experiencing progress, and noticing it, always a great feeling. Keep it up!


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