Calling all guitar players

[CheesePoofs]

I'm trying to learn the guitar (started Saturday), but cant' seem to get the B chord to work. I've been using a book of my dad's for chords, but it shoes a fingering that I havent' found anywhere else, so I'm trying to do the normal fingering, but I can't seem to get my 1st finger to cover the 1st and 5th strings while still being able to reach the 4th fret with the other 3 fingers. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[SWScorch]

Weird, I just tried to learn this chord today too! I just barre the first fret with my index finger, and then it is quite a stretch to get your other 3 fingers on the correct frets without dislocating them or having the strings buzz but it is mostly possible.

 

[Kalmah]

I believe you are suppose to actually barr your entire first finger across all the frets.. then get the other frets with your other fingers. (yeah, a real pain in the arse)

I guess most people just keep working on it until their fingers are use to it. It seems like self-mutilation to me. heh.

I just try to find a different way to fret the same chord. (even remove a note if it doesn't have a bad impact)

But that's me...

 

[CheesePoofs]

even without worrying about the other fingers, I cant' seem to get all the strings down on that fret. Do you tip your finger sideways or just use the bottom? Or just use the part of the finger above to first knuckle? This instrument seems like it does require mutilation to play ... better be worth it.

 

[axelfox]

Your fingers will stretch over time to bar the fret. Keep practicing.

 

[SWScorch]

I rotate my finger sideways so I'm using the harder part (not as fleshy) to barre the fret, and then your hand is already angled so you can reach the other frets, but I concur, barre chords are the devil.

 

[CheesePoofs]

which way do you rotate your finger? Nail facing out or in? One seems to make my wrist want to fall off, the other makes my fingers not be able to reach.

 

[EarthwormJim]

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
even without worrying about the other fingers, I cant' seem to get all the strings down on that fret. Do you tip your finger sideways or just use the bottom? Or just use the part of the finger above to first knuckle? This instrument seems like it does require mutilation to play ... better be worth it.

It just takes practice, stretching and finger strength.

Honestly though for a B chord you don't necessarily "need" the 1st string to ring.

Instead try holding the 5th string at the 2nd fret with your first finger, and instead barre (hold multiple strings with 1 finger) with your 3rd finger the 4th 3rd and 2nd strings at the 4th fret. So you'll be using 2 fingers instead of 4.

Oh here's a good guitar site with lots of chords:
http://www.torvund.net/guitar/chords/index.asp

 

[CheesePoofs]

Originally posted by: EarthwormJim

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
even without worrying about the other fingers, I cant' seem to get all the strings down on that fret. Do you tip your finger sideways or just use the bottom? Or just use the part of the finger above to first knuckle? This instrument seems like it does require mutilation to play ... better be worth it.

It just takes practice, stretching and finger strength.

Honestly though for a B chord you don't necessarily "need" the 1st string to ring.

Instead try holding the 5th string at the 2nd fret with your first finger, and instead barre (hold multiple strings with 1 finger) with your 3rd finger the 4th 3rd and 2nd strings at the 4th fret. So you'll be using 2 fingers instead of 4.

Oh here's a good guitar site with lots of chords:
http://www.torvund.net/guitar/chords/index.asp

I seem to just suck at Guitar. But only today ... tomorrow I'll be Hendrix 2.0. Thanks for the site, I'll have to give that a good looking through; it looks much nicer than the chord sites I've been using.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

the guitar is a particularly hard instrument because it takes a whole lot of practice to even be able to play simple notes that would take you 2 seconds to learn on a piano. that being said, once you learn how to play the notes you've only just begun.

 

[imported_Lucifer]

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs

Originally posted by: EarthwormJim

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
even without worrying about the other fingers, I cant' seem to get all the strings down on that fret. Do you tip your finger sideways or just use the bottom? Or just use the part of the finger above to first knuckle? This instrument seems like it does require mutilation to play ... better be worth it.

It just takes practice, stretching and finger strength.

Honestly though for a B chord you don't necessarily "need" the 1st string to ring.

Instead try holding the 5th string at the 2nd fret with your first finger, and instead barre (hold multiple strings with 1 finger) with your 3rd finger the 4th 3rd and 2nd strings at the 4th fret. So you'll be using 2 fingers instead of 4.

Oh here's a good guitar site with lots of chords:
http://www.torvund.net/guitar/chords/index.asp

I seem to just suck at Guitar. But only today ... tomorrow I'll be Hendrix 2.0. Thanks for the site, I'll have to give that a good looking through; it looks much nicer than the chord sites I've been using.

You've only been playing for almost a week. You won't become SRV within a week.

 

[CheesePoofs]

Originally posted by: Lucifer

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs

Originally posted by: EarthwormJim

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
even without worrying about the other fingers, I cant' seem to get all the strings down on that fret. Do you tip your finger sideways or just use the bottom? Or just use the part of the finger above to first knuckle? This instrument seems like it does require mutilation to play ... better be worth it.

It just takes practice, stretching and finger strength.

Honestly though for a B chord you don't necessarily "need" the 1st string to ring.

Instead try holding the 5th string at the 2nd fret with your first finger, and instead barre (hold multiple strings with 1 finger) with your 3rd finger the 4th 3rd and 2nd strings at the 4th fret. So you'll be using 2 fingers instead of 4.

Oh here's a good guitar site with lots of chords:
http://www.torvund.net/guitar/chords/index.asp

I seem to just suck at Guitar. But only today ... tomorrow I'll be Hendrix 2.0. Thanks for the site, I'll have to give that a good looking through; it looks much nicer than the chord sites I've been using.

You've only been playing for almost a week. You won't become SRV within a week.

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. But the person in the infomercial who was selling guitars said I could!

 

[apologetic]

You might want to try learning other barr chords first, that way your finger strength will build up. The hardest place to barr is on the first fret, so the more you move up the neck, the easier it will get.

 

[Mikey]

Here's also another good site for learning your guitar chords.

Text

 

[CheesePoofs]

Originally posted by: Mikey
Here's also another good site for learning your guitar chords.

Text

Thanks, it's bookmarked for when I need to know more than 7 chords (hopefully soonish).

 

[thomsbrain]

look at it this way:

i've been playing for around 11 years. i do not know, nor do i care to learn any "official" B chords. when i want to play something with B as the root, i just form my own chord based on what i want it to sound like. i generally use open "drone" strings, or pieces of the previous chord, or whatever. i remember when i was first starting out, trying to play the B chord, and giving up. i'm sure i could play it now, but i don't want to, because 95% of the "chords" you'll learn are fvcking useless for any kind of modern songwriting. they're good when you're starting out, to build dexterity and strength, but don't worry about that pesky B chord!

 

[Fritzo]

B is one of the more difficult open chord shapes. There's a lot of different moveable chord shapes you can use though. I usually use the barre form when at the top to the neck, then another barre at the 7th fret.

 

[Vegitto]

B is just:

---
---
---
-4-
-4-
-2-
Right?

 

[Vegitto]

Anyway, I can never get 3 fingers working on the same string with a bar chord. For example, I am unable to play this:

-x-
-2-
-4-
-4-
-4-
-2-

 

[StevenYoo]

Originally posted by: Vegitto
B is just:

---
---
---
-4-
-4-
-2-
Right?

that's the F# power chord.

B is usually played

e -2-
B -4-
G -4-
D -4-
A -2-
E ---

 

[jlbenedict]

Originally posted by: SWScorch
I rotate my finger sideways so I'm using the harder part (not as fleshy) to barre the fret, and then your hand is already angled so you can reach the other frets, but I concur, barre chords are the devil.

same here

 

[Vegitto]

Hmm, weird. For some reason my middle finger is not co-operating . But meh, I always confuse chord names. It doesn't matter when you write and tab your own songs.

 

[biggestmuff]

Originally posted by: StevenYoo

B is usually played

e -2-
B -4-
G -4-
D -4-
A -2-
E ---

Wow, it took that long to get a decent response?

Also try B at the seventh position:

e -7-
B -7-
G -8-
D -9-
A -9-
E -7-

and a B minor:

e -7-
B -7-
G -7-
D -9-
A -9-
E -7-

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: Vegitto
B is just:

---
---
---
-4-
-4-
-2-
Right?

If you're rockin', yes If you're not playing rock, you need some treble strings in there.

 

[nakedfrog]

This one I don't get how to play. It's called for in the sheet music to the Rainbow Connection that we have. I've just been leaving off the G, because WTF?
And the most sadistically difficult song I've ever tried to learn is the sheet music to Bohemian Rhapsody that we have. Instead of just playing the rock guitar bits like the original, I'm trying to use my 12-string and play through the entire song. When it's good, it sounds really nice.