Capos and Barre Chords

Stuckfast

I just looked at the live version from Jools Holland and he seems to play a few open chords in there. Can't imagine it making a huge difference though.

CaseOfAce

Stuckfast said:

I just looked at the live version from Jools Holland and he seems to play a few open chords in there. Can't imagine it making a huge difference though.

Just watched the same performance.
If it were me I'd capo it - the open position D -> A chord change against the 2nd fret capo (hence E and B chords) ringing out is a central motif of the song. Playing it without capo won't sound the same.

Incidentally who told Graham Coxon he could sing?! Flat as a pancake even by indie rock music standards....

spev11

To be fair, when i'm playing it its never going to sound the same as i'm trying (worse than Graham Coxon) to sing at the same time I may just stick to all barre's , but i'll try with the capo and use open positions to see how that goes.

As for who told him he could sing, as with nearly everyone who shouldn't sing publicly I suspect relatives saying " oooo he/she/they have a lovely voice, you should be on telly " may have had something to do with it. And I Iike his voice to be honest (it gives me hope)

viz

I’ve got six fingers on my left hand so I don’t need one. 

Lestratcaster

I regularly arrange songs for beginner learners who haven't quite grasped barre chords to play in the same key as the original recording with a capo so they can just use their familiar open C - G - Am - F etc shapes. All they need to do is move the capo up and down the fretboard depending on its key so makes it easier for them.

spev11

weirdly I grasped barre chords quite quickly, i have no idea why everything else is so bloody difficult 

Benm39

viz said:

I’ve got six fingers on my left hand so I don’t need one. 

Ah, for playing Nor-folk music...

guitarjack66

spev11 said:

weirdly I grasped barre chords quite quickly, i have no idea why everything else is so bloody difficult 

Me too. And Ive found most of the triads within them that has helped me a lot. Still a long,long way to go though.

Danny1969

I actually prefer using the thumb over the neck these days for the bass notes rather than use a bar. You can then add in open strings which create a more interesting voicing. 

I did struggle with bar chords when I was a teenager but then the only guitars I could afford back then had 15mm actions ... and I'm not even joking 

guitarjack66

Danny1969 said:

I actually prefer using the thumb over the neck these days for the bass notes rather than use a bar. You can then add in open strings which create a more interesting voicing. 

I did struggle with bar chords when I was a teenager but then the only guitars I could afford back then had 15mm actions ... and I'm not even joking 

I cant do the thumb over myself. My hands are small and they simply wont reach. Barring is much easier for me. It can also help you target certain string sets better with practice.