Barre chords - How much finger do you give it?

[Hamfisted Gumbie]

... if you'll pardon the expression.

I've been playing a Spanish guitar for many years, and have become accustomed to playing barre chords with my index finger extended WAAAY across all six strings and beyond. I've only just now discovered the delight of electric guitar (Telecaster of course), and I've noticed that many people barre with just the last two bones of their index finger, muting or barring the low E with their thumb if required. This is all alien and weird to me, and as much as I try, I just can't get chords to sound cleanly if I use that method. It could be because of my previously broken and double-jointed left thumb, or it could be because my hands are just plain wrong, but I'm wondering if it's important to try to change my technique and fight against what my hand does naturally, or is it just a matter of personal style? I'm quite happy to stay seated and hold the guitar high - I'm never going to be a rock star!

 

[BigDaddyLH]

Whatever works for you!

 

[AAT65]

Like BigDaddyLH says — just do what works for you — be comfortable and play it how you like.

I do all sorts of chord grips depending how the mood hits me and where my fingers are already — full-finger barres (how I was taught 40 years ago), half-finger + thumb, just top 3-4 strings, middle 4 strings, 2- or 3-string power chords — they’re all good!

 

[Smiff]

I’ve always barred with the index finger whether I’ve been on acoustic or electric, I picked up wrapping my thumb over for muting somewhere along the line though.

I do try and sometimes use my thumb to fret, and can do. I only really use if for hammer ons or fretting the odd note, it feels strange using it all the time.

Relating to my fingering. I started playing a full size Dreadnaught from when I was about 10, which seemed massive! I had to get my pinky on the go to reach chords because it was a Fender style scale length and the only way I could reach. I’d do 3 note chords always using the index and pinky and the middle or ring depending on the chord; so the pinky got pretty strong early for me.

I’ve been going through a power chord phrase up and down the neck on the 5th, 4th and 3rd Strings these last couple of years as it’s the easiest way I can think of to teach the kids and get them pleasing sounds. The cowboy chords were too hard for me to explain and for them to learn, reach and do well.

I also went through a slide tuning phase so they could barre across a single fret and get some sort of chord going, but they’ve grown beyond that now. I figured teaching them and making it simple would keep their interest rather than doing it properly and them finding it hard, so quitting. I started them out on 11’s because that was what I was using at the time though, not making it totally easy for them.

 

[Jupiter]

Whatever works for you!

I wouldn't exactly disagree with BDLH, but on the other hand, I'm going to guess that LOTS of stuff feels alien and weird when you are first trying to do it, especially if you have already attained a bit of mastery with another technique, but there are some chord voicings and sounds that are a lot easier if you have that thumb-over technique in your arsenal. It's worth picking up if you want to play Jimi!

 

[Dennyf]

Yeah, everybody's built a little differently, so you just gotta find what works for you. For the standard "E major" form barre chord, I use the tip of my index for the low E and kinda rotate/tilt my finger so the first knuckle out from the palm catches the B and hi E (and also G if it's a minor chord). It's actually almost the side of my finger rather than the bottom. The slight rotation of the rest of my hand away from the fingerboard makes it easier for the rest of my fingers to do their thing. On an "A major" form chord, my third finger is actually doing the barring over the D, G, and B strings. (I usually just omit the high E string on A-form chords. Nobody's called me on it yet.)

 

[Smiff]

(I usually just omit the high E string on A-form chords. Nobody's called me on it yet.)

I get lazy and do this fairly often lol.

In my case it’s more laziness with my picking, I pretty much just fingerpick and get lazy and anchor my pinky on the high E so it doesn’t ring out.

 

[Wally]

I keep the tip of my index finger on the low E. I don’t see a need for the finger to extend beyond the fretboard....but...as Big Daddy says....whatever works for you.

 

[Hamfisted Gumbie]

Thanks everyone. I expect there will be an advantage in some situations so I'll persevere, but perhaps not worry so much about it.

Dennyf - yes, when I'm trying to barre with my index fingertip on bottom E, for sure the finger does rotate - in fact my whole hand seems forced to rotate and becomes like some kind of twisted claw, grasping desperately at the frets rather than pressing them cleanly! It ain't pretty.

 

[raysachs]

Well dammit, now you’ve gone and asked the golfer whether he inhales or exhales on the backswing. And the poor guy won’t be able to hit a good shot for weeks for thinking about it. I don’t have a clue how I play barre chords - I just know I play some of them well and easily and I still occasionally stumble on a few I don’t play as often. But now I’m gonna have to think about how much finger I’m using and I guarantee I won’t play a clean barre chord for weeks...

 

[tap4154]

Nice thing about being able to do thumbover AND proper barre chords is you can mix it up, depending on what chord you're coming from, and going to. Also IMHO just playing proper barres only is a road to carpal tunnel. Seems to me it's healthier for your hand to use various grips. Work all the muscles and tendons, not just a few.

 

[jhundt]

I use the thumb a lot. Only recently I got a twelve-string with a big old neck, so on F and Bb chords down in 1st position I sometimes have to use the index finger.

But more importantly - to me, anyway - you should examine the need to play full bar chords. If I see a guy playing electric guitar in a group situation and he's playing bar chords, he is playing too much. I would say look for two, three, or even four-note voicings. Leave a little space.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

Had a guitar teacher who said "play barre chords and you'll end up playing in bars".

But! I likem in fingerpicking and the occasional arpeggio in chord melody.

 

[Jack S]

I tend to barre across all six strings, but there are exceptions to that. It just depends on what else is going on in the tune.

 

[tfarny]

I think it's technically considered "wrong" to thumb-over or at least it's a no-no in classical playing, but who cares about those guys. I find it makes it easier to do certain things like add in a bass note when you are playing around a D shape up the neck, but usually when I thumb over it's just in the interest of muting the low E. Notes on that string are the bass player's job anyhow.

 

[Telecasterless]

For what it's worth, Andy Summers says not to use the thumb over method, but Hendrix would slap him if we were around to do that.

Summers says he uses classical grip, thumb firmly behind the neck, and believes that is the correct way to play guitar. How can you argue with Summers or Hendrix? You can't really, so I guess they are both right. Which makes them wrong. Which means you should just do whatever feels comfortable.

 

[screamin eagle]

I try to avoid barre chords as much as possible. Though I've been accused of defaulting to a 6th chord too frequently.

If I have to play a barre chord then my 'bar' is quite bent just fretting the 6th, (sometimes 5th, but usually not), 2nd and 1st. The middle strings are fretted by other fingers so why waste energy in barring them with the index?

Actually I quite often play a barre (the rare times that I do) with only barring the top two strings with the index. Kind of like how a lot of people teach the open F chord, except I will use my pinky and ring finger to get the 5th and tonic on the 5th and 4th strings.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

How do classical guys do this C6/9 chord? I thumb E & A strings.

332233

 

[screamin eagle]

Had a guitar teacher who said "play barre chords and you'll end up playing in bars".

But! I likem in fingerpicking and the occasional arpeggio in chord melody.

He was either a recovering alcoholic or just never drank...which was it?

 

[screamin eagle]

How do classical guys do this C6/9 chord? I thumb E & A strings.

332233

That's how I've always fingered that chord. Though I have seen someone finger it with the middle barring the bottom two, the index barring the middle two and the ring and pinky grabbing the top two. I could never get it to ring clearly that way.

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