From: fjhenigm@watcgl.uwaterloo.ca (Frank J. Henigman)
Subject: Re: Chord (was Choard) Formations...
Organization: Computer Graphics Laboratory, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 21:45:38 GMT

<IBRUNTON@ESTEC.BITNET> writes:

[...]

>3. Get some mates. Very important this. For example, any book will
>tell you to play C major like this:

> o||-|-|-|      but for most purposes,     ||-|-|-| real name:
>  ||1|-|-|      the superior, but less     ||1|-|-| Cmaj(G bass)
> o||-|-|-|      correct fingering is:      ||-|-|-|
>  ||-|2|-|                                 ||-|2|-|
>  ||-|-|3|                                 ||-|-|4|
> x||-|-|-|                                 ||-|-|3|

I love this tidbit.  If I had learned C this way I don't doubt I'd
be much better now at E-shape and Am-shape bar chords (because the
2,3,4 fingers follow the same pattern) and probably any chord that
takes four fingers.  As it is, for most chords, I can only get three
fingers into position in a reasonable amount of time.  Now I know
why I see this C/G chord whenever I watch anyone play.

>You won't get that from a book, and there's plenty more where that
>came from.  [...]

So mate... tell us some more!


Speaking of bar chords, I have a couple questions.  First of all why
does everyone here call them "barre" chords.  They weren't invented
by Martin Barre, were they?  (^:

Second, how do you finger an A-shape bar chord?  The problem with this

  ===========
  | | | | | |
  1 1 1 1 1 1
  | | | | | |
  | | 2 3 4 |
  | | | | | |
  | | | | | |

is that before I get half way up the neck I can't cram three fingers
between the frets.  Am I dreaming or did I once see someone "bar" the
DGB strings with the second or third finger?  This seems impossible to
me, but I have a fairly cheap acoustic with high action.  In my limited
experience with electrics they are easier to play because of the lower
action and the looser strings which don't require as much pressure.
Can one actually do this "mini bar" without muting the high E and without
having double jointed knuckles?  What's the best way to play this shape
to facilitate the change to and from the Am-shape?

One last question.  A while back someone posted fragments of
"Nearly Lost You" which included the following:

                Gsus4                Asus4
       G          |  G      A          |  A

e   ---3----3--3--3--3------5----5--5--5--5----|----------------|
B   ---3----3--3--3--3------5----5--5--5--5----|----------------|
G   ---4----4--4--5--4------6----6--6--7--6----|----------------|
D   ---5----5--5--5--5------7----7--7--7--7----|--2-------------|
A   ---5----5--5--5--5------7----7--7--7--7----|--2-------------|
E   ---3----3--3--3--3------5----5--5--5--5----|--0-------------|

       1          2         3          4          1  2  3  4


How does one slip in the sus4 chords?  Am I supposed to be able to slide
my second finger up a fret?  The third and fourth fingers get in the way.
And before everyone tells me, I am aware of this alternative:

   ----3----3--3--3--3------0----0--0--0--0----
   ----0----0--0--1--0------2----2--2--3--2----
   ----0----0--0--0--0------2----2--2--2--2----
   ----0----0--0--0--0------2----2--2--2--2----
   ----2----2--2--2--2------0----0--0--0--0----
   ----3----3--3--3--3-------------------------

Thanks in advance everyone.
Newsgroups: alt.guitar.tab