Hi Rich:

Here we go again! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_rolleyes.gif" border=0 alt="Rolling Eyes">

Once more I'm about to aggravate the purists and serious players here who will inevitably say "practice practice practice", and they are of course correct.

Playing the full fingerings of any chord does indeed sound better, and I'm sure that with the recommended finger strengthening exercises and months of the aforementioned practice, practice, practice, most people could eventually play all the barred chords reasonably well.

If they did'nt first get frustrated to all get out and quit.

I'd be willing to bet that F and Bm and the rest of the barred chords have much to do with a lot of guitars gathering dust in unopened closets.

That being said, there are definitely easier ways to play F and Bm than the official and proper fingerings.

For those of us with no delusions of ever being Liona Boyd or Eric Clapton, F can be fingered 003211 with the first finger fretting e and b on the first fret , the index finger fretting g on the second and your ring finger fretting D on the third fret.

Bm can be done 004432 with first finger second fret e, index finger third fret b, ring finger fourth fret g and baby finger also on fourth fret but on the D string.

Yes I know that this isn't proper and that there are the dreaded open strings and that I will probably burn in Hell for attempting to seduce a beginner away from the pure and proper path to true guitar enlightenment, but to heck with it.

I play because I love to play and if making some chords easier, if less than perfect, keeps us amateurs pickin and grinnin rather than fumin and fussin and storing our guitars in the closet, then it's all good for me.

O.K. purists....let the Tunedeaf bashing begin! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

This isn't a bad idea tunedeaf. I actually agree with both the purist vision of "do it the right way all the way" AND the novice with no illusions idea that making it simple probably will give the beginner some enjoyment from the guitar rather than it sitting in the closet. I think it comes down to what you want to achieve.
BUT - I will say that using the simplified versions should be recognized as a step along the way rather than the destination. By that I mean its great if it gets you playing, but by virtue of that playing you will realize at some point that further progress requires you to learn the barres.
I think your version of the F chord is bang on - even advanced players sometimes use this. But as for the Bm I think the person who asked this question should realize the only difference between the simplified version tunedeaf posted and the proper barre is the position of the index finger. Therefore, if you can play the simple version you are one small step away from learning a very useful barre chord. Its a good place to start and move on from there. All hail the sweet Bm. It might be the big step you're looking for!

Nela

To start with just try making a barre across all strings but reinforce your index finger with your middle finger, move it up and down the fretboard strumming slowly to hear that each sring's note is true.

B shaped barres are easiest if you flatten the whole very final segment of your ring finger to cover the 3 strings on the same fret and - get this - you can still use your middle finger as a support! It requires practise but once you get the hang of it you can whip the changes from barre C - G and back and Sultans of Swing becomes a doddle!

Sorry sixstringrich, if you want to get good, you go through the pain as quickly and as thoroughly as possible.

Man, I remember riding lessons when I was a kid all that sitting trot for an hour to break in our muscles AND paying for it.

If you love it you do it. Bon Chance!

Hi Rich:

Here we go again! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_rolleyes.gif" border=0 alt="Rolling Eyes">

Once more I'm about to aggravate the purists and serious players here who will inevitably say "practice practice practice", and they are of course correct.

Playing the full fingerings of any chord does indeed sound better, and I'm sure that with the recommended finger strengthening exercises and months of the aforementioned practice, practice, practice, most people could eventually play all the barred chords reasonably well.

If they did'nt first get frustrated to all get out and quit.

I'd be willing to bet that F and Bm and the rest of the barred chords have much to do with a lot of guitars gathering dust in unopened closets.

That being said, there are definitely easier ways to play F and Bm than the official and proper fingerings.

For those of us with no delusions of ever being Liona Boyd or Eric Clapton, F can be fingered 003211 with the first finger fretting e and b on the first fret , the index finger fretting g on the second and your ring finger fretting D on the third fret.

Bm can be done 004432 with first finger second fret e, index finger third fret b, ring finger fourth fret g and baby finger also on fourth fret but on the D string.

Yes I know that this isn't proper and that there are the dreaded open strings and that I will probably burn in Hell for attempting to seduce a beginner away from the pure and proper path to true guitar enlightenment, but to heck with it.

I play because I love to play and if making some chords easier, if less than perfect, keeps us amateurs pickin and grinnin rather than fumin and fussin and storing our guitars in the closet, then it's all good for me.

O.K. purists....let the Tunedeaf bashing begin! <img src="images/smiley_icons/icon_lol.gif" border=0 alt="Laughing">

Whoever told you those aren't proper are not being honest with you. You will find those chords in any book along with all those others. As a matter of fact, you will find those very forms in the chordie chord chart! You see professional artist use those forms all the time. just because there not full bar chords, doesn't make them wrong. The only difference between them is tonality, some songs sound better with the full bar, some sound better without! It's all a matter of choice.
See I'm not dogging you. all those ways are proper or they wouldn't be in the books!
                                                                                                                    getfiddle

You have to force yourself to play them because, as you get better, and you will, those nasty habits you'll learn now, will come back and bite you.