i have real trouble gettin a decent sound when i try do do a bar chord eg an F how can i improve? any tips anyone?

try barring across all the strings at the first fret with your index finger only...and make sure you can get each note/string to sound....play them one at a time...
after you can do that...
add your ring finger to the C (a string-3rd fret) while keeping your barre on teh first fret...
(does this make a Fminor 7)
now make sure they all ring out one at at time..
after that...
add your pinky to the F (d string-3rd fret)
make em all ring out...one at a time..
after that...
add your middle finger to the A (g string-2nd fret)
pick em all one at a time again...
after you can do that and make em all ring clearly...
you did it!.

when i first started the F chord was the hardest for me.

but i feel that, like other things, if you just break it down into its simplest parts....it's easier to manage and get ahead.

i hope i made some kind of sense.
good luck
-G

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yo

The F chord is the hardest barre chord to get a decent sound out of because it's right next to the nut where the strings are closest to the frets.

Try starting out with an A barre chord at the 5th fret. Once you get that basic shape down you can move it around.

I agree with chris some-what!
All students when first starting out have trouble,
with the Grand bar F chord plus a partial F chord.
Sometimes you can use your index finger at an angle,
plus position your thumb behind the neck to make,
this work for you, but the main thing is not,
to have any pain in your wrist or left hand when doing the Grand Bar chord.This can cause injury and you do'nt want,
that..........................

Note:Learning to relaxe your left hand,wrist,and arm,
is very important.
In fact when playing anything i'm always telling my,
hands wrist ect to relaxe.
This is a good excercise for any Guitarist.(Relaxe)
Mark

[Edited by skee1 on 10-12-2001 at 02:26 PM]

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yours truly Mark Toman

Or, if you have big hands, you can just do it the way Hendrix made his cords. Use your thumb to cover the two lower strings and position your other fingers as Jarviss told you. Either way, if you practice enough, your hands will soon find the position that's most comfortable for them. Just make sure none of your strings are muted! It's really hard to play a chord a new way once you've learned it. So make sure you get it right the first time.

When you have to take a G chord 3-2-0-0-3-3 do you pick the high e +b with the small finger?

The way you have your numbers written it would be,
Fingering->second finger=3 index=2 third=3 pinky=3

I would call this G chord a G5 or a G/C can't remember,
right now,first time i used this chord was on a gorden,
light-foot song plus Eagles ,plus L skinner still use,
it alot but the basic open string G is below!
second finger=3 index-finger=2 third-finger=3
3-2-0-0-0-3

Hope this helps! Mark

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yours truly Mark Toman