The time stamp in the video that I linked specifically covers the pulsing of pressure that I described. I found it super helpful in improving all of my barre chords, including Bm. I thought that it might be useful to some of the other posters in this thread that were mentioning difficulties with B minor and other barre chords.
I know that for me, early on in learning Bm and F, I was using a lot of pressure to try to get the barre down and hold it. It would cause fatigue and pain, plus when I tried to move to those chords, it slowed me down because I was trying to get into the proper fingering and apply a lot of pressure. The technique in the video really helped me to understand how little pressure is really necessary to play a good barre chord which also allowed me to change chords much faster.
I had trouble getting this change accurate and fast, too (in Neil Youngās Harvest). I found it a lot easier if I played the A with a mini-bar using my index finger. It made a big difference, surprisingly. Try it, if you already havenāt.
Hi Dan, as a beginner myself I rarely offer advice over and above comments on what I like about someones performance of comment however in this instance I feel compelled to say āDontā Personally I feel that there is nothing more soul or motivation destroying than spending most of your time just practicing techniques.
We all pick up a guitar to play a song, right? So most of my enjoyment comes from actually playing (and in my case) singing songs that I enjoy. I have some easy ones that when I am frustrated, I dive back and play my āgo toā songs with easy chords and a few embellishments and the enjoyment returns.
The balance between playing songs and plugging away at a technique is really important, too much plugging away I feel is where some people get too frustrated and drop off the radar.
Also, some great additional advice in this post guys.
If playing a Bm for a few strums I donāt have a problem. If you donāt get it perfect on the first downstrum you have time to adjust before the next upstrum.
The issue Iām having with the John Lennon song is if I donāt hit it spot on I donāt have time to adjust before lifting fingers off for the Bsus2 and Bmadd11 and back to the Bm.
Agreed, but if you want to get the song down youāve got no choice but to plug away.
With any chord either open or barred posture plays a big part in how it feels, take this Bm we are talking about, and this is just talking about how it can feel not suggesting this is how to play it by the way, but we do have to be curious try pulling the neck of your guitar up and or moving the nut closer to your body sit up straighter or even stand, we have to make our bodies comfy as well as our fingers, its a big thing getting comfy imagine if your guitar was longer how hard it would be or if it was shorter how easier, Of course, I am exaggerating but for a reason we have to consider everything that helps us to achieve our goal.
I thought āMy Sweet Lordā would be a fun and easy songā¦lolā¦I would say it belongs in level 100 for for all the barre chords necessaryā¦lol. After about 2 or 3 weeks of really focusing and experimenting with posture and the timing of pulling the elbow in etc, I feel like a made a bit of a jump and Iām almost thereā¦ we keep trying and encouraging each other and we get there!
It is now Dec 27th and I believe I can say Iāve improved on my A to Bm change. As Iāve been working through it and self evaluating and slowing down videos of others going from A to Bm, I realized how much I was putting down fingers sequentially(index, 2nd, 3rd and 4th). As of a couple of days ago Iāve really been concentrating on pre-setting my fingers in the air and landing them as best I can, simultaneously. I didnāt think it was possible but there is noted improvement. With the song Whatās Up, one link I watched really exaggerated the last strum with fingers in place on the A chord, to an up down up strum with the strings open, before dropping the fingers in the Bm shape on the strings. I have isolated this too. Open string up down up, then dropping my fingers simultaneously on the strings in the Bm shape. Another thing Iāve done is to put the 2nd finger down first then the rest to complete Bm chord. I think this also helps. Sometimes I think I will never progress beyond beginner but on the other hand, I keep noting small improvements over a glacial length of timeā¦ and this somehow still keeps me goingā¦lol
Itās good to push yourself to learn things you find challenging.
Sometimes itās also good to learn āthe easy wayā first and then move on.
The F and B are often the first barre chords beginners try to learn (as they are not available as straightforward open chords). I find they are also the most difficult barre chords to learn. Much easier to play A and Bmin with E-shaped barre chords on the 5th and 7th fret (6th string root), sliding back and forth, simply lifting the ring finger. This will strengthen the muscles required and make learning the wider ones near the nut easier
