I think this is a really good idea because one possible future for me is that I focus nearly entirely on barre and power chord work
Would love some additional material there.
Stay tuned! We’re currently trying to figure out a solution. It’s definitely a big topic, so we’re trying to tackle it in the best way possible.
Please please please include that lesson as a masterclass then? is there any reason not to? if we find them too difficult we can shrug our shoulders and come back to them if we feel like it at a later date, but i feel its a mistake to just remove them for everybody because of negative feedback.
We’re definitely trying to figure out a solution. The reason it got axed was that it left people feeling really discouraged, and we wanted to avoid landmines that may prevent someone from finishing the course. That said, it’s important and I don’t want to exclude it completely. We’re discussing a masterclass option, but I’ll keep you guys in the loop when we’re 100% on the route we’re taking.
Thanks for the input!
Also a possibility! Stay tuned.
Wait… what??? Barre chords are not in the course? Mind you, I am only up to Module 2 lesson 3 going back through things…
These are essential for rock! Power chords are still in there right? A5, C5, etc…
Yeah, see comments above—no barre chords at the moment. But we’re working on getting them in. Still figuring out how to make it fit with our course format.
Also… is there a GuitarBuzz YouTube channel??
Yes! No videos at the moment. Currently working on those as well. Best believe I’ll be letting ya’ll know when we put em out!
As someone who is just approaching the end of the course, I have to say that I think there needs to be some discussion around barring technique..
I’ve been playing for years and did the course as a brush up on the things I’ve missed as a self-taught guitarist, and although I’m probably not the target audience, I have some thoughts as I’ve helped a few people conquer barre chords in the past.
I consider myself to be pretty solid on barre chords, but honestly the more I play, the more I try to use interesting triad inversions instead of just barring.
I would start with the a minor or e major shape as it uses the least pressure with the index finger, and personally for me I have found that using the thumb as a fulcrum and pressing the side of the index finger into the strings, it’s pretty manageable. One thing that helped is to keep the elbow close to the body to really rotate the hand to drive the index finger into the strings.
By doing this, you need almost no grip strength, which was what most people struggled with in my experience.
The main complaint is pain from the strings, but on a well set up electric that’s manageable in short bursts.
It’s very similar to the way you teach bends, and I feel like the technique I use for barre chords would fit around that part of the course… Out of course in a master class.
Just my 2c, and I’m not an expert, but hopefully I’ve explained a technique I’ve used to help friends with some success.
Edit: in not sure what the original lessons were like, so forgive me if I’m rehashing or going rogue!
I’m not great at barre chords, and since I just got an acoustic I’m planning on using them a lot less in the near-term. That being said, what helped me was not only playing them higher up the neck, but also tuning the guitar to D-standard. Then, if I wanted to play a song in normal tuning, I would capo the 2nd fret and then use power/barre chords. It helped lower the string tension and allowed me to practice my usual songs with the closer frets.
I never thought of that. Thanks for sharing!
I happen to have a guitar tuned to D-standard. Im gonna try it in the morning
One thing I noticed in the beta was that just doing the course at some point I was finally able to consistently nail barre chords well before getting to the barre lessons. Just the structured practice closed the last gap there for me, which had eluded me for years
On the topic of alternate tunings for barre practice, open tunings are a lot of fun. I particularly enjoy open g…
Great for Delta Blues and slide, but equally good for playing fretted.
Thanks for your input, Jimi! Your description is pretty similar to how I teach barre chords. As I’ve mentioned a number times throughout the thread, we’re working on a solution to the barre chord issue 
Yep, lower string tension can be super helpful when trying to nail barre chords! This is also why it’s easier to nail them on electric vs acoustic.
Great to hear, Howard! I’m stoked it worked out for you.
Hell yeah. Open tunings are where it’s at. I’m big on open D for playing slide. But as a big fan of Ry Cooder and Keith Richards, I do love open G.
I just got an acoustic and am focusing a lot more on older country, bluegrass, and roots-style music so I am essentially starting at the basics using a thumb-over grip for muting or playing the low-E string on occasion. So now barre chords are pretty much impossible for me again.
I’ve hit that part of learning where a lot of the rules are starting to be less strict, like trying to keep my fingers parallel to the frets and not letting the thumb go over become things I am trying to actively unlearn to improve.
E: Another one is keeping the neck down. I’m playing with it almost parallel to the floor now, while when first learning I kept it up at like 45 degrees. So essentially, all the things that make barre chords harder. But its pushing me to learn my 3 and 4 string chords.
Thumb fretting is a great technique. I usually wait til students are deep into the intermediate level to show them though. Glad you have a private instructor guiding you through it!
