| Home recording and general music post from the archived Yabb Recording Website Message Board. Some of the info here may be outdated but many of the audio recording and home studio tips are still good. Note: The only tags I made and attempt to convert are italics, bold, center and underline. So if you see some gibberish surrounded by brackets, just ignore it.
Recording Website Archived Yabb board Post
Febuary 2001 Yabb Message Board Archive
Subject: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by Ally | 03/02/01 at 13:56:41
I learned to play the standard chords on the guitar instead of the bar chords. I can play most tunes this way just fine and even find that I have greater opportunities to add hammering technique and stepping type of notation. However...my friend plays nothing but bar chords. She swears they are easier than what I'm doing...but my fingers cramp up so bad anymore when I attempt to do the bar chords...so I have found some alternate chords. Since we play differently...we have a tough time following eachother if we jam...but it works out. Do you find that bar chords are better or standard chords better for you? Or does it just depend what you have more knowledge of?
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by somethin's messed up w/ the login feature | 03/02/01 at 22:21:48
Well, your friend may find bar chords easier, especially if that's all she's using.I don't know what level of playing you are striving for here, but I'm guessing you pretty much want to be able to accompany yourself and others with basic guitar chords, so I'll try to keep my comments focused on that idea.
I'm not clear on what you mean by "standard" chords, but I'm guessing you mean 1st position chords..all the chords that are at the 1st fret on the guitar. This is fine, until you play a song in a key that doesn't allow you to play those chords in that position. A capo can remedy this, and I'm assuming you use one.
If you play an A chord in 1st position, and your friend plays an A chord as a bar chord, do they sound the same to you? They shouldn't. They are the same chord yes, but they should have different qualities. Sometimes playing that A chord higher on the neck like your friend does can sound better, (during a jam, for example)than the one that you're used to playing, and vica-versa. You are correct when you say that you can do certain things with your chords that you wouldn't be able to with a bar chord. There is a lot that you can do with 1st position chords, and many players don't really explore those possibilities to their full potential. Neil Young is great at working with 1st position chords, as well as alternate tunings(which we ain't gonna get into here).
You'd benefit greatly by learning to play bar chords. It does require some work to develop the muscles in your hand to play them. I'm assuming you have a decent gitbox, with a decent action. Practice bar chords for a while. Be patient, and rest often. It won't happen overnite. Your "alternate" chords are a good idea also. You can get the same effect of a bar chord often by playing just some of the strings that are in that bar chord. This allows you to save your strength in that hand. Often times it isn't neccisary to lay that index finger across the entire fretboard to get the chord you want. Playing those 1st position chords can get damned boring for a player, and the listener as well. You have all those shiny frets on that purty fretboard, and they're just beggin ya fer some attention. Go explore, and most importantly, have fun:)
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by Ally | 03/03/01 at 05:31:02
Thanks for the reply. My present and main guitar is a Yamaha 12-string. I paid 860.00 for it. I realize that a 12 string has a wider neck generally and can create more problems as far as stretching across it for a bar chord. I've been playing a 12 string for 27 years. I realize the 12-string is generally not respected...but I'd like to change that. It seems to work well for my live performances. I've developed my own style of playing with it and people seem to think I know a lot when I don't. I also have a Washburn special Edition 6 string that I use occassionally and when I work with the bar chords. I have several others also...I guess I'm a guitar collector...lol.
I use a capo regularly because of my inability with the bar chords and also to adjust for my vocals. I see more and more players in Nashville and elsewhere that use the capo now. When I first started using a capo, everyone called it a "cheater." Now nobody seems to worry about using it all the time.
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by Jon_B | 03/03/01 at 07:52:58
Playing barre chords on a 12 string sounds like a bit of a challenge, because you have to hold down twice as many strings. I use .012-.053 gauge strings on my 6 string flattop guitars, I use mainly 1st position chords with barre chords sometimes for effect or when it's a chord you can't play in 1st position, as login mentioned. On my electrics which have lighter gauge strings and slightly better action I use about half and half. I would ignore anybody who puts down capos, You're a singer and you want that 1st postion orchestral sound in a key you can sing in. As for 12 string not being respectable, Ive never heard such nonsense! Just listen to some old Hudie(Leadbelly)Ledbetter records.
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by Ally | 03/03/01 at 10:12:48
JonB...Thanks for replying. When I talk about the 12 string guitar not being respected it is within the realm of recording. This is something I think I could bring up on the recording side of the boards here and see what others think. In the recording industry in the Nashville area at least...those I have dealt with tell me they will not consider recording a session with a 12 because it is too "muddy" and the extra strings bleed into everything else. They also note that it is difficult to keep in tune. I believe keeping it in tune depends upon the quality of the instrument you purchase and upon the temperature in the room you are playing it in. (A 6 string will go out of tune if you are exposing it to cold/hot temperatures) I used my 12 string Yamaha to do my home recording of my Christmas tune that I contributed to SubTChristmas Vol I and I think it sounded ok. I used the capo on that song too. When I use the capo...I just have to re-adjust the tuning on the bass strings slightly is all. P.S. I haven't heard of the recordings you are speaking of and I will have to check them out. Thanks for the info.
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by JR#97 | 03/03/01 at 11:58:02
Personally, I strive not to play only bar chords or only open chords 1st position. I look at chords in terms of voicings and shapes. open E, A, Em, Bm, are the basics of the most common bar chords. Try mixing it up.. maybe play the open G shape at the 8th fret and you have C. how about the open C shape at the 5th fret for a great sounding D... move the D shape chord up the 7th and 9th frets. Open voicings higher on the neck sound great on a 12 string and really accentuate the open ringing character of the 12 strings. Hope that helps!
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by Jon_B | 03/03/01 at 17:02:10
Now that you mention it, those recordings were pretty primative by today's standards. But the only time I ever played a 12 string in a pro studio, the engineers looked at my guitar, said you don't want to use that thing, and gave me a better one to use, a Takamine 12 string jumbo flattop. And just made sure it was in tune. I also played piano, electric piano and hammond organ on that song, so the twelve string wasn't prominent in the mix.
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by The login feature is haywire | 03/03/01 at 17:45:51
I wish I knew what the problem was with my being unable to login. Huddie Ledbetter...you bet! I'm reading a great book about him and his travels with Alan Lomax and all those Library of Congress recordings they made. Very cool. I think I was born in the wrong time;)
12 string guitar has it's place, like any other instrument. Sometimes it's just the ticket, other times not. They offer very unique sounds for fingerpicking,if you have the chops to play one cleanly. Leo Kottke comes to mind...
Capos are great. Anyone worth his/her salt uses one. It certainly isn't any kind of a "cheater". They are great tone shapers. I have one that allows for capo-ing of individual strings. Endless possibilities, especially with alternate tunings. If I'm stuck in a rut or bored, I just start messing around with it. Always fun. And you can come up with some beautiful things just by fiddlin' around with it.
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by old_dan | 03/03/01 at 17:58:16
What happens when you try to login? Do you get an error message? does it say invalid password? If you've forgotten your password email me and I'll send you a new one. Or you can try reregistrating.
I know there are still a couple of bugs in the board, I'm trying to clean one up now for JR#97. Thanks for your patience.
Take care,
Dan
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by Bluzdelux | 03/03/01 at 18:22:06
This is a test. do not be alarmed..
Subject: Re: Bar Chords vs standard on the guitar...
by Haywire | 03/03/01 at 19:02:11
Ok, with some trial and error, and ultimately Dan's black magic I am once again able to login. Thanks Dan..