Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

Heres a solution for the Bm chord. Go to Iraq, steal a loaf of bread and get caught. Let them break all of the fingers on your left hand and viola, your fingers fit the pattern of Bm chord. If this is not your thing cheat, cheat cheat!!!    yikes

" Its much to late to do anything about rock and roll now" Jerry Garcia-Grateful Dead

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

Ouch.

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

heeeheee lol  haaaahhaa lol mmm..made me laugh anyway

music IS my soul

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

Personally, I didn't take the easy way out. My teacher tried to get me to do the "easy" barre chords, but I persisted on doing the full ones, and he's no longer my teacher.

Its taken me about four or five weeks, but the E shaped barre's are clear and strong now, just a tiny fraction delay in getting there, which I hope to iron out in a month or so.

The A shaped ones, again, I can get them to sound clear, just a delay again.

My advice is take them on, in the long run it will be far more beneficial for you. They are still going to be as hard to learn now as they will be if you only decide to take them up in a year or two. I suspect that might be more irritating, being able to play smoothly, but barre chords still hard to do.

Just my penny's worth.

●████▅▅▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄....▄▄▄
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█ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █►
◥☼▲⊙▲⊙▲⊙▲⊙▲☼◤ -Mr T says: Quit yo jibba Jabba! You Ain't hurt!

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

thats right just keep practicing. over and over the right way.

music IS my soul

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

Many great suggestions in this thread.  Here's my $0.02 (US):

Depending on the song, you may even be able to shorten the chord form from the posted "cheats".  If you're picking more on the high strings (G-B-E), go ahead and ignore the low strings (E-A-D).  That makes F look like xxx211 and Bm look like xxx432.  You don't get much (any?) bass sound, but if you're already on the treble side anyway, it won't make that much difference.

Another option: change to a different chord altogether.  This works better if you're writing a song yourself than playing someone else's, but every now and then you can work something in to give an established song a little different sound, and make it your own (and easier to play).  For example, when I started out and had problems with F, I sometimes changed it to Fmaj7 (xx3210) instead.  Different sound, but it can keep you moving with the song while you improve on the barre.  I did that with a song I was writing because I just couldn't get the barre to sound like anything, and now I like the sound of it better in that song anyway.

Last, and I hate to sound like everyone else, but practice improves play.  When you're at home alone, go ahead and play that F with three dead strings in it every time.  Every time.  Over and over and over again.  Soon enough, you'll only have two dead strings, then one.  I won't guarantee you any better than that, because that's still where I am most of the time.  My boss plays professionally and says that he still routinely hits 5 out of 6, and sometimes less than that.  At least we're in good company.

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

Sixstringrich, trust me, from being a self taught guitar player (and still learning I must add), DONT try and find the short cuts!!!

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.

33

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

mmmm very interesting ,mainly because i bypass songs with barre chords ,prob like most learners,but the positive replys have me guitar in hand and PRACTICE PRACtice practice.

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

tunedeaf wrote:

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

A musician is someone with too much time on their hands! Thank god I'm a musician!!!

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

The only problem with shortened chord forms is ensuring you only hit the strings you want to. Avoiding strings takes a long time to develop - probably longer than hitting the right ones !!!

"What's so funny 'bout peace, love and understandin' ."    Elvis Costello

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

You know the old saying: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!!!
                                                                                getfiddle

A musician is someone with too much time on their hands! Thank god I'm a musician!!!

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

I learned to play both F and Bm shapes 3 different ways, and in as many positions up the neck as possible. Different fingerings and positions will be needed depending on the song played and chords used. Learn as many positions and fingerings as possible.  You can first learn the easy fingerings, but you will not be satisfied with only knowing those after a while.

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

Sorry mate but hes correct.. just keep practicin....the best tip I have ever had regarding this was "dont worry too much about how it sounds"...I know that seems odd but it works, so long as you are aware of where your fingers should be, pick a song with the tricky chords in it and keep at it, and don’t worry too much about how it sounds you will slowly improve..

If its too loud yer too old.

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

I actually just joined to post this.... I play acoustic guitar, but my hands are tiny (and slightly deformed due to the arthritis I inherited from my mom) so F and B chords have always been out of bounds for me. I know the "cheating" versions don't sound quite right, but they are SO much easier for some people to play. I just wanted you to know, it's not always a lack of determination that leads people to give up on guitar - sometimes it's just not possible.

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

Bryan Adams saying about getting his first real 6 string was that he played it 'til his fingers bled!

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!

<-----<< On an even field, only talent prevails! >>----->
   Gans Gwarak da yn dorn yu lel, gwyr lowen an golon!
        >>-----> [color=#FF0000]Rudhes[/color] hag [color=yellow]Owres[/color], Kajima <-----<<

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

A "cheat barre" chord is is just as important to know as a "full barre" chord. It just depends on the song. One song I play - I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried by Rodney Carrington is in the key of "C". The chords go from open  C to barre G to barre F throught the song (except for the chorus) until the end then change to open C to a "cheat barre G to a cheat barre F. If played any other way it just does not sound correct. There are many way to make the same chords and they all will have their place. Let the song tell you what is correct. Also, always remember that when you are playing for a crowd. 999 out of a 1000 people will not be able to hear the difference in a cheat barre chord and a full barre chord. Don't take the "shortcuts" as the only option but if that is the best way for you to get to that chord - do it.

Nela

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

NELA has it! You have to master barre chords, but that's part of the fun of learning. However don't forget that just because a transcription says play F or whatever, it doesn't mean the original artist played a barre chord at that point. You should be able to play partial chords and use thumbs too! It's not true that a full barre sounds better on every occasion - you have to develop some "musical intelligence" - it's not cheating! Watch some of the greats on youtube and see what they get up to.

I am playing all the right notes - but not necessarily in the right order! [Eric Morecombe]

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

tunedeaf wrote:

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!

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

If the F or Bm is a passing chord, you can generally forget the fretted high E string and just play
the middle strings portion of the chord(s)  Modern strumming for country and bluegrass seems to
eliminate the high E, fretted or not. This is not a new concept to most rockers as their power
chords are sometimes only 2 or 3 strings. The high E string fretted or not can add an unwanted
sound to a backup chord sequence. Learn the full chord fingering later, if it's needed.

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

F  I found hard one to do  but after 2weeks  I mastered it  Bm   well I am trying barres   I am ok with E barre    but when it comes to A   well total diffrent kettle of fish LOL   my  ring finger wont bend  lol  and cramp  ouch    If someone told me before I started christmas I would suffer sore fingers and blisters  and cramp  don't think I would have tried  lol   oh well  im past  the stage sore fingers  now  its  mastering them  barres  Grrr    Good luck  with your  chords  ...

Re: I NEED SIMPLER ALTERNATIVE Bm and F CHORD

If you have large hands like i do the you could play barre chords like i believe john frustrac (however you spell it RHCP guitarist does this too) when playing an F chord have the first finger hold down 1,1 on the two bottom stings, middle finger on 2nd fret G string, little finger 3rd fret D string, and ring finger 3rd fret A string. Then reach around the neck to hold down the first fret on the low E so you get the full chord