Guitar Technique Question

Nola

Nola

Well-known member
When playing 16th note barre chords, or any barre chord that has the last beat held, do you hold the chord on that beat then try to change quickly to the 1 beat, or do you hit open strings in order to give yourself time to change chords?

This tab explains what I mean: Smooth Moves: 6 Steps to Seamless Chord Switching | GuitarPlayer

You can see the last "a" of a "4 e & a" 16th note pattern is played open with the first and second exercises. I can play cowboy chords fine with 16th notes, but I can't play the "a" beat on the barre chords and have to either mute it or play it open like in the tab above. Is this normal?

In this video at the 3:15 mark this guy says it's normal to lift the finger off and play open chords. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhVMJrecrNo

When I asked about this in a different thread, GregL said that's not normal, and I think a few guys agreed with him and said to practice more. So is this normal or not? I have been practicing it and still can't find the time to make a clean/fast change at any normal tempo.
 
I do that but only if the "open chord" which is usually a "G" on the 234 strings fits the key of the song. I don't think I play 16ths though - maybe 8ths.
 
ido1957 said:
I do that but only if the "open chord" which is usually a "G" on the 234 strings fits the key of the song. I don't think I play 16ths though - maybe 8ths.
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thanks, what do you do if the notes don't fit the key of the song but you still need the time to change?

Just play the way you play and don't worry about what's "normal" or not.
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yeah. i want to clean up my playing and have good foundation for one reason, but it's more that when i play clean barre chords those open strings can sound bad because it's basically an Em chord which doesn't fit most keys. i can use a mute instead, but then it can sound crappy like jack johnson. so i want to play the "a" and let it ring the full length! but there's no time...it's really annoying me.
 
So are you trying to just fly from barre chord to barre chord without missing a beat? If so, practice. Practice with downstrokes as your count. That's all it is. Put on a Ramones record and play along. That will set you straight, and then you can move on from there.
 
Nola said:
yeah. i want to clean up my playing and have good foundation for one reason, but it's more that when i play clean barre chords those open strings can sound bad because it's basically an Em chord which doesn't fit most keys. i can use a mute instead, but then it can sound crappy like jack johnson. so i want to play the "a" and let it ring the full length! but there's no time...it's really annoying me.
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The more you over-think shit like this, the harder it will seem.
There are so many rhythmic right hand moves that can be used...that worrying about an open hit with 16th notes *at speed* is pretty pointless.

Think about rhythmic feel rather than notes.
Not saying you can play any old notes...but with rhythm guitar, you can practically mute ALL the strums, and as long as the feel, the "chunk-chunk" is good....them it will sound good. :)
 
miroslav said:
The more you over-think shit like this, the harder it will seem.
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This^^^^

It's amazing how people complicate things. Just fucking play. Thank God there was no internet when influential music was actually being made. Nothing would have ever gotten done.
 
RFR said:
Just that right there.
Turn off the computer, put your phone in an other room and discipline your self to play and practice.

When you're done with that do it some more
:D
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I do just play, and I don't have a smart phone, and I practice 2hrs per day. There are weird assumptions and judgements on this forum that i've never see anywhere else on the internet. It's really hard to stay on topic and get a discussion or an actual answer instead of a flippant answer or judgement.

anyway back to the question: when playing the pattern in the link above, do your last quarter beat (the "a") of a 16th note pattern ring out fully or do you mute them or play an open chord to facilitate the change?

I was playing just now and realized that it's easy to do if going from something like a G barre on the 6th string/3rd fret to a C barre on the 5th string/3rd fret because you don't have to move the hand much and can keep the finger on the G note, then just go back and forth. So it rings out. But say you're going from a D chord on the 6th string/10th fret and down to a G barre on the 6th string/3rd fret. Then it doesn't seem possible at anything around moderate tempo or above. The article implies that by saying to play the open chord, but I don't know if they're just setting the bar low with a shortcut. If anyone can play the exercises in the first post without the open chord I'd love to hear a recording.
 
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People seem to want all solutions on the internet.

The advice given by all was, and is valid.
If there is a specific technique you are looking to master, the best thing is to get with a private teacher.

No one is going to type the magic words to make you get it.
:D
 
:laughings:

Dude...."just play" is not a "flippant" answer. :)

You are OVER ANALYZING A SINGLE BEAT IN A RHYTMIC PATTERN.
Just play it either way.

Oh...the answer to your questions is....I have no fucking idea which of the two I do...sometimes it's one, sometimes the other...
...I just play. ;)
 
miroslav said:
:laughings:

Dude...."just play" is not a "flippant" answer. :)

You are OVER ANALYZING A SINGLE BEAT IN A RHYTMIC PATTERN.
Just play it either way.

Oh...the answer to your questions is....I have no fucking idea which of the two I do...sometimes it's one, sometimes the other...

...I just play. ;)
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That's not helpful.
 
Playing rhythm guitar isn't some orchestral thing where the conductor stops you and tells you that on the 3rd note of measure 4, the music calls for a single accent on the upstroke....etc.


It's only rock-n-roll...but I like it. :cool:

Look...if it's THAT important to you to chose one over the other...pick the one you prefer, move on.
Stop looking at all those stupid tabs....and just listen to how it sounds....play it how it feels right to you.
 
Nola said:
That's not helpful.
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It actually is helpful. Just play it the way you play it. There is no one way it has to be played. How many different people does it take to tell you in just as many different ways to just play the damn thing? Do you need someone to come over and actually move your hands for you? I don't understand where your hang-up is.
 
Greg_L said:
How many different people does it take to tell you in just as many different ways to just play the damn thing?
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It just takes one who actually knows what they're talking about.

If I go to a guitar teacher, they don't say "just play it how you play it." They give you the established technique on how to play that beat, and I want to know what that is. If you don't know, then don't answer. That's better than giving bad advice. Thanks
 
Nola said:
It just takes one who actually knows what they're talking about.

If I go to a guitar teacher, they don't say "just play it how you play it." They give you the established technique on how to play that beat, and I want to know what that is. If you don't know, then don't answer. That's better than giving bad advice. Thanks
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Then take your ass to a teacher. Don't get mad at us. No one's giving you bad advice. We've already mastered the rudimentary day-one technique of strumming barre chords. It's not this fucking difficult. If you can't tell how to play that simple pattern, then go get actual lessons and stop bitching at people giving you advice for free.
 
Nola said:
It just takes one who actually knows what they're talking about.

If I go to a guitar teacher, they don't say "just play it how you play it." They give you the established technique on how to play that beat, and I want to know what that is. If you don't know, then don't answer. That's better than giving bad advice. Thanks
Click to expand...


Everyone here KNOWS how to play it...you're the one that doesn't.

We are all giving you the right answers...and if your teacher tells you there is only one "right" way to play it...he is an idiot.
 
Sky Blue Lou said:
If I were playing that TAB I would play the open chord. They don't show it for no good reason. If they didn't show it I wouldn't play it. They do so I would.

Why is this a question? It's right there.
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Read the 1st post.
 
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