Bar Chords and the Low E String

OK, so last post we talked about the open E chord, looks like this:

 e:--0

B:--0
G:--1
D:--2
A:--2
E:--0

Well, can't play too many songs with just one chord, so what's the big deal about the E chord? Here is where things started to come together for me. Once you know this chord shape, you can play any major chord on the guitar. Here is how it works. Remember when I said to use your middle, ring and pinkie fingers for this chord? You were probably thinking, what the heck do I do with this index finger that is just flopping around and getting in the way? The next chord we are going to talk about is the F chord. The F looks something like this:

 e:--1

B:---1

G:---2

D:---3

A:---3

E:---1

OK, great. So how in the heck do I know this is an F chord? I'll tell you. The notes on the low E string are as follows:

E-F-F#-G-G#-A-A#-B-C-C#-D-D#-E

This pattern repeats itself and continues on up the neck until you run out of frets. When you play the open E string, it is, of course, an E note. When you play this chord with the open E string, it is an E chord. So what about that index finger anyway? To make the F chord, you move your middle, ring and pinkie fingers up one fret each, and lay your index finger across all of the strings at the first fret. Again, this will suck at first, and you will want to bite your finger off every time you get that crappy "buzzing" sound instead of a clear, crisp chord, but you will get there. Repetition, repetition, repetition.... build those motor units, create that muscle memory (why did I just sound like Bob off of the Biggest Loser?.... Why do I know who Bob is?) This is called an F Bar Chord. Bar, because you are placing your index finger across the strings like a bar.... incredibly imaginative, I know. Playing bar chords was especially difficult for me at first, no thanks to an unfortunate Millie Vanilli incident which left my index finger on my left hand oddly angled and partially numb, but I digress...

Now you know the E and F major chords. We are now going to rocket ahead and learn 10 more chords in about 30 seconds. What?? (You have to say it like Joe Dirt) That's right. You now know how to play 12 chords. All you have to do is take this "shape" and move it up and down the neck. Upon whichever note your index finger is on that low e string, that's the name of your chord. For example, for an F# chord:

 e:--2--

B:--2--

G:--3--

D:--4--

A:--4--

E:--2--

Your index finger is on the F# on the low E string, therefore, this is an F# chord.

G chord looks like this:

 e:--3--

B:--3--

G:--4--

D:--5--

A:--5--

E:--3--

So on and so on. Clear as mud? If you're having trouble grasping the concept, there are probably hundreds of other people out there who can explain it better than me. The point is, once I learned how to play bar chords, then I could play songs, then it really started getting fun!!! The more fun you're having the more you'll play. The more you play the better you get. The better you get, the more songs you learn. The more songs you learn, the more fun you have, the more you play, and the better you get, etc, infinitum, ad nauseum....

Now go Rock It!!!

B