Topic: Mechanism for barring?

Does anyone know of any type of thing that helps make barring easier? I was thinking of something that maybe fit on the finger sort of like a glass or metal slide but with some kind of mechanism for quick release so that finger could be used for chording. I don't know. If I had a real clear picture of what I wanted, I would make it.

Re: Mechanism for barring?

if your having trouble with barring its probably cus your action is too hign you might want to get it lowered cus barring shouldnt be to hard after a few weeks or days if you practice a lot

Re: Mechanism for barring?

I guess everybody has trouble at first.  You just have to keep working at it and eventually you can do it!


I remember it was tough at first but the more i tried the better i got at bar chords.  I don't know if it was a matter of building the strength or just developing a technique.


there is a tendency to bend your finger and roll it onto the side of your finger.  don't let your finger curl.  keep your finger straight and flat.


the short answer to your question is no.  there is a thing like a glass or metal tube that you can use but this is used for what is called slide guitar and not what you are looking for.

Re: Mechanism for barring?

You're not thinking of a capo are you?


(Can I use that word here? <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing"> )

Re: Mechanism for barring?

Practice,practice and then some more practice.

Re: Mechanism for barring?

like spaminator said adjust your strings as low as they can go.  As close to the fretboard as possible.It will make your bar chords much eaiser to hold and slide.

Re: Mechanism for barring?

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>dalebeston wrote on Sat, 17 June 2006 21&#58;58</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
like spaminator said adjust your strings as low as they can go.  As close to the fretboard as possible.It will make your bar chords much eaiser to hold and slide.
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when you say hold and slide are you saying sliding the bar chords or playing slide cus when you play slide dont you just touch the the strings not press them down

Re: Mechanism for barring?

Tuning your guitar lower so the strings will be easier to barre against your fretboard is a cop out, and you'll be sorry in the long run.  Not only will the instrument's action diminish, but also your ability to sing songs due to the deviant tuning.  Standard pitch is set for a reason, folks.  You can transpose, sure, and if you know theory, you can transpose a simple G chord into an accidental half way up the fretboard just so you can manage the pitch you need to sing a song, unless you want to use a capo, which you'll probably need to fret pretty high just to sing a long.  Also, your strings will buzz if you strum too hard.  If the differential between your strings and your fretboard is too far, you don't tune your guitar lower to solve the problem.  What you do is you adjust either your guitar saddle, bridge, or both.  This will bring your strings lower without sacrificing standard tuning.  Careful, however, for if you decrease the differential too much, your strings will buzz against your fret wires.  Also, when someone mentioned the mechanism for slide guitar, he/she meant glass bottle slides, which will leave your finger useless for chording.  In short, the answer for questions of this nature are usually, "No.  There is no easy way.  Just practice."

Re: Mechanism for barring?

<table border="0" align="center" width="90%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td class="SmallText"><b>Chunglittle wrote on Tue, 20 June 2006 11&#58;33</b></td></tr><tr><td class="quote">
Tuning your guitar lower so the strings will be easier to barre against your fretboard is a cop out, and you'll be sorry in the long run.  Not only will the instrument's action diminish, but also your ability to sing songs due to the deviant tuning.  Standard pitch is set for a reason, folks.  You can transpose, sure, and if you know theory, you can transpose a simple G chord into an accidental half way up the fretboard just so you can manage the pitch you need to sing a song, unless you want to use a capo, which you'll probably need to fret pretty high just to sing a long.  Also, your strings will buzz if you strum too hard.  If the differential between your strings and your fretboard is too far, you don't tune your guitar lower to solve the problem.  What you do is you adjust either your guitar saddle, bridge, or both.  This will bring your strings lower without sacrificing standard tuning.  Careful, however, for if you decrease the differential too much, your strings will buzz against your fret wires.  Also, when someone mentioned the mechanism for slide guitar, he/she meant glass bottle slides, which will leave your finger useless for chording.  In short, the answer for questions of this nature are usually, "No.  There is no easy way.  Just practice."       
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just for your information many of the greatest guitarist in the world tune down a half step or more, not for barre chords obviously but to get a heaveir chrunchier tone

Re: Mechanism for barring?

i take it you have problems baring after being on a normal chord then, or something?

if this is the case, just practice. try taking the song a bit slower, then when it comes to the bar chord, put the shape of the chord on before the bar.

Re: Mechanism for barring?

Sure some guitarists tune their guitar down, up, or in different keys as well.  I have as well.  This is called alternative tuning.  However, that's neither here nor there in this case.  Consider the topic of this discussion.  It isn't alternative tunings, but problems with the barring of chords.

Re: Mechanism for barring?

Well, I had the same problem at first, but then everytime I practiced I ran an F bar chord up and down the fretboard, to build up finger strength.

If you hear a buzzing sound, stop on the fretboard, pluck string by string to find out, which one you dont press heavily enough , adjust your fingers and go on.

After a few days you will make progress with barring and after two weeks the latest you