I’ve been learning the B minor barre chord shape. I’m still struggling with the transition into it to keep the song sounding smooth. I feel like maybe too much of my barre finger is sticking up above the guitar neck also. But it’s getting closer I feel and this was probably my best attempt at not screwing it up too bad when I tried recording it. Definitely open to feedback if anyone has tips on how to improve.
So here is my cover of “Wild Horses” by The Rolling Stones. My daughter love this song so I was learning it for her - she turns 10 tomorrow! I put the phone in landscape this time and I really tried to look ahead more instead of down at my fretting hand
I liked what ya did there.
And looks like you were playing w/o looking at your fretting hand. Well, done.
I get that Bm is a bummer.
That shape is unfortunately pretty popular in many songs. Keep at it. Consider that you can loose the A string (fretted at B) and play it as a Am adding the index finger to the high E string. Thus eliminating the full Bm barre. The A string is muted.
I’ve also found that this song is highly adaptable to many different ways to play the chord sequence.
Try playing it with Em shape barred at 5 for the Am. Adapt the rest of the song to full barre chords. It’s right there at the fifth fret, round abouts anyways.
Or.
Bring it up to the 10th fret and play Dm shape for the Am chord. Bm is two frets up, same shape.
Then there’s open G tuneing. I’d have to look back to see what I did with that. But it was easy and possible. Just strange chord shapes.
Anyways, ya did great with your version. Your right where I was when I was playing it w/o knowing there were perhaps different ways to finger it. Who knows, maybe there’s more than I’ve described.
Your singing is very good.
Wish I could sing tenor…
Thanks for the share man.
Your right on that song.
imho, ya got a campfire song right there.
Everyone knows that song (except my Mom).
Good production.
fwiw,
Changing how you play them chords to barres will start to reinforce the playing of barre chords. At least that’s how I feel about how I’ve been playing.
I thought you did a great job mate. Guitar was pretty solid considering your working on that pesky Bm and the voice was .
Funny you should say this. I must have funny shaped fingers because when fretting most barre chords, Bm, F or F#m my finger also sticks a little further above the neck than I feel is correct. However to have all the strings especially the B string ring out correctly it needs to be higher rather than lower. If I try bringing my finger down even slightly I lose the B string.
I’ve worked on turning the finger at different angles but really it needs to be that bit higher, maybe it’s a knuckle thing
That was really nicely played Andy! Your daughter surely must think you are a Big Star . Of course you know the only way to get barre chords down is to play a lot of barre chords. Keep at it. A good song to practice them is Melissa by the Allman Brothers Band.
I did see Justin’s song lesson on the open E version. It sounds really nice with that guitar he’s playing and there are some pretty simple chord shapes. Although really good guitar players always make things look easier than they actually are
I’ll check out the other options that you described - I actually find the Dm shape surprisingly challenging to get consistently so could use some practice with that also!
Same! I find it difficult to get those thinner strings ringing if I drop the finger down. I’ve tried to roll it more sideways also but I can’t get it consistently.
Check out the Ebm. I use that shape for many Dm chords, played anywhere on the neck for whatever chord your after.
The D sting in the pic is the minor(flat 3rd) 3rd note of the chord. Same note just a octave apart from the E string note. Root note is on the B string, minor 3d on the D string and high E string, 5th on the G string.
Food for thought…
After ya play that chord for a bit it becomes fairly easy to grab on the go.
You’d be using that shape for the Am and Bm. Compare Am open versus the Dm shape to locate the Am. Bm is two frets up above that.
Note, the chords in that pic are not for wild horses. It just happened that it was a pic of what I wanted to show you.
Also note that the F#m and Ebm in the pic are the same chord fingering to get the idea it’s a movable chord.
Very well done, Andy. I see your struggles with B Minor, but can also tell it’s coming along. Good job looking straight ahead too. The first time somebody told me that in this forum I thought they were crazy, but it definitely works and help you progress. And that B Minor may be tough, but man does it sound cool! Good song choice as well. I’m sure your daughter will love it.
A good version of a song with a slightly tricky strumming pattern. It would be better still if you could eliminate the few moments of hesitation. Well played and well sung.
Good job. I can see your index finger sticking up a ways past the 6th string when forming the Bm. Try lowering that to just barely touching the 6th string to mute it. That might help you to get better contact for your barre and the 6th string really shouldn’t be played. Keep it up. Good luck.
So Andrew ,
Today is the day that nothing will ever be the same…You now have a teenage daughter , I wish you all the strength and wisdom to get through this in the coming years
Congratulations of course and I wish you lots of music together for a long time
I have already written a good analysis about your song, it is very … or as Justin often says … everything determines that the chord transitions go smoothly without such hitches because that is not pleasant for anyone to listen to … you are almost there …
just practice the transitions that are difficult very often and in varying combinations very, very slowly and perfectly … take your time for that it will come for sure
A nicely played, well sung performance Andy. I see what you mean about the Bm. It is a tricky chord, just keep practising. The basic idea with it of course is that the root is the B on the 5th string and if your fretting the sixth string then your potentially not starting on it unless you’re a lot more accurate with your strumming then I am.
Thanks Roiger. lol I know exactly what you mean when you say that Justin talks a lot about keeping the rhythm in time being more important than anything else. I definitely struggled with that on this song - the metronome would’ve run on without me!!
A friend who has been playing music a long time has a saying “thou shalt not mess up the groove”. I broke that commandment .
I’ve definitely struggled with Barr chords the most out of anything I’ve tried so far - well at least as far as strumming songs and singing- I have come across other stuff that I’m just like “woah I don’t know if I’ll ever do that”. But I wanted to push myself to record this and be able to track the progress that I’m hopefully making and will continue to make.
As far as others who have noted not to full Barr the strings because the 6th string is muted on the Bm chord. Even though my index is sticking up too far I still am actually muting that string at the top- I’ve just found that I can apply the right pressure with that section of finger and when I try to keep it lower down and mute with just the tip I can’t get the thinner strings to consistently ring out.
Anyway I thank everyone for taking the time to watch and listen and give such great feedback and ideas. I also appreciate the positive feedback on my vocal. I’ve actually never sang much before I started playing guitar and I’m now finding I really enjoy that part of it more and more and becoming more comfortable with it. Feels oddly more personal sharing singing voice than guitar playing.
At least that’s how I feel about how I’ve been playing.
.
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. Of course you know the only way to get barre chords down is to play a lot of barre chords. Keep at it. A good song to practice them is Melissa by the Allman Brothers Band.
, I wish you all the strength and wisdom to get through this in the coming years 
