I omit playing the high E string on A shape major chords to get an kind of a sound since its virtually and humanly impossible not to press the high E string while making double bars. Anyone does the same ?

Hi bytetera,

Do you mean, when you are playing an A major barre chord, you are trying not to play the high e string?

Technically speaking, it it not necessary to play the high E string when playing an A major shape barre chord. This is because you are playing the same note on the D string. For instance, when playing a B major, the F# note appears on both the 4th fret of the D and the second fret of the high E. So not playing it (I'm assuming it's muted) still gives you a B major chord.

I play the A shape barre, as I think most do, by covering the D, G, and B strings all with my middle finger. That means to play the high E you have to arch that finger up, kind of back-bend it if you will, so that it completely clears the E string in order to get that note right, Not everybody can do that. I can when I try, but it's not consistent, but if I'm not completely clearing the E with that finger than I am touching it a little and thus muting it. That to me is acceptable. The A major shape barre is hard enough as it is; I figure no reason to be nit-picky.

Mike

Originally Posted by: Dang Yankee

Technically speaking, it it not necessary to play the high E string when playing an A major shape barre chord. This is because you are playing the same note on the D string. For instance, when playing a B major (run 3), the F# note appears on both the 4th fret of the D and the second fret of the high E. So not playing it (I'm assuming it's muted) still gives you a B major chord.

[br]I play the A shape barre, as I think most do, by covering the D, G, and B strings all with my middle finger. That means to play the high E you have to arch that finger up, kind of back-bend it if you will, so that it completely clears the E string in order to get that note right, Not everybody can do that. I can when I try, but it's not consistent, but if I'm not completely clearing the E with that finger than I am touching it a little and thus muting it. That to me is acceptable. The A major shape barre is hard enough as it is; I figure no reason to be nit-picky.

[br]Mike

Thank you for your clear answer.

I use my index and ring fingers to play the A from barr chord.  I hyperextend my ring finger so that it does not mute the E string.  It can be done, but it does not come easy or fast.  I worked for years before that chord reliably and fully sounded that high E string.  But  as Dang ponted out, you don't need that E string to play a full major chord.   Just keep playing that chord with the high E string muted, but work at bending that ring finger.  Then one day, out of the blue, you will find you can hyperextend that last ring finger joint enough to play the full chord.  Pursued with that approach, this ellusive chord form will just pop out one day, and surprise the hell out of you (at least that is what happened to me).  Now I can reliably play the full chord. 

When it comes to mastery...this is clearly a distance chord, not a sprint quicky.  Just wanted to point out that it can be done with patient, perstistant, practice.