Do I need six fingers?

[Perroquet Magique]

Hi... sorry, another question,

I'm a beginner (hence the beginners section) and I was wondering about a few songs by Jack Johnson, I looked up the tab and quite a few of the chords seem to need six fingers? I've tried but I find it almost impossible to play just one of them, let along switch between.

Take this for example, sorry that it's not MX but I couldn't get it to work:
http://www.guitartabs.cc/fetchfile.php?fileid=332744

Could someone kindly explain?

Thanks. :)

[Happy]

Barre chords? You bar the 5th fret (as an example) with your index.

[Perroquet Magique]

Ok thanks, so where should my fingers go, for example for this chord:
E -x-5
B -x-5
G -x-6
D -x-7
A -x-7
E--x-5

[Happy]

Have your index bar all the 5's, 2nd finger fret the 6 and the 3rd and fourth fingers fret the 7s.

[Perroquet Magique]

Have your index bar all the 5's, 2nd finger fret the 6 and the 3rd and fourth fingers fret the 7s.
Wow ok thanks, but that gives me arthritus just looking at it...
Is that considered 'hard' to play?
(Thanks for your help)

[Happy]

Wow ok thanks, but that gives me arthritus just looking at it...
Is that considered 'hard' to play?
(Thanks for your help)
Nah. Bar chords are difficult to get down at first, when I first started using them it made my hands hurt but after a week or so it became easier.

[Alive]

What kind of strings (width) are you using? Acoustic or electric guitar?

[HoefNugz]

Im presuming its acoustic cuz thats what jack johnson plays. I remember learning that song before I knew barre chords, Just stick with it its not too bad

[Grutte Pier]

Don't be expecting to be able to play that song well soon, barre chords are hard at first, it may take a month (maybe longer) to properly play them.

[Perroquet Magique]

Don't be expecting to be able to play that song well soon, barre chords are hard at first, it may take a month (maybe longer) to properly play them.
Yeah I've been trying to put my index finger across all of the strings on fret one and get a sound out of all of them, it seems impossible! My finger seems to just curl over the strings instead of pressing down on them, is my finger not long enough? Are there any exercises I can do?

Thanks...

[Alive]

Perroquet (wow, thats a hard word), you need to make sure your thumb is pressing against the back of the neck so that you have more strenght. Also, just try pressing the highest 3 strings down, then highest 4, highest 5, then all of them. Practice on different frets.

[noshfs]

Keep practicing and you'll get it. Remember to press your finger down on the fretboard so that you can evenly hold each string down on the fret. Watch someone else play and you'll get the idea.

[Ganon]

Yeah I've been trying to put my index finger across all of the strings on fret one and get a sound out of all of them, it seems impossible!
Don't start at the first fret, there is more tension on the strings there, making them harder to barre. At first you should try around the fifth fret, and once you get the position down slowly move down the neck until you can do it on the first fret.

[Timm]

Yeah I've been trying to put my index finger across all of the strings on fret one and get a sound out of all of them, it seems impossible! My finger seems to just curl over the strings instead of pressing down on them, is my finger not long enough? Are there any exercises I can do?

Thanks...
while barring, press with your right arm against the body of the guitar and pull the neck with your left arm to your body
that way you don't have to press so hard with your thumb

also: at first you probably won't be able to put your index finger flat on all 6 string, don't worry just put it on the fretboard so all the strings are fretted and none is muted.
after some time your index finger will be more flexible and you can put it flat on all 6 strings amking it more comfortable

just practice and you will get it down :)

[Perroquet Magique]

Ok, thanks guys, a big help you have been. :thumb:

/Presses 'delete thread' button

[blkdeath09]

Yea thats a good explanation....bar cords are tuff to get used to at first it takes alot of paratice.....i dont like to beg of my guitar skills but im playing hard satriani stuff right now......but if u ever get into soloing i sugest pick up some finger wieghts and play solos with them....and what i am doing now is playing thunderstutct by AC-DC with fingerwieghts...they help alot

[coontc]

practise moving ur bar chords up and down the neck with different formations, eg, minor, major, ect!

[Brewer14]

Barre chords are a bitch at first but once you get the hang of them they're really easy. Just work at it everyday

[Timm]

but if u ever get into soloing i sugest pick up some finger wieghts and play solos with them....and what i am doing now is playing thunderstutct by AC-DC with fingerwieghts...they help alot
placebo ;)

[Karg45]

Hmm, what if a guitarist had 6 fingers...

[Hutch306]

Well, technically, they do, if you count the tapping finger. But that is only if you count it.

[Nebbie]

sorry im jumping in late but i have a thing that will help with barre chords... lust play it like a power chord (it is on the lowest three strings) and lay down your index finger across the rest of the strings, and insert your middle finger on the next highest number, that helped me a lot learning it!

[Kool Aid]

Yeah, like everyone else said, it just takes practice. My teacher recently started trying to show me some barre chords. I was HORRID at first and hated them, but after a few days I think I'm in love with them.

Though, if you did have six fingers, you could be a guitar prodigy.

[iloveblink182]

bar it...but six fingers would be awesome to have...rafael palmaro is one lucky son of a gun

[Nebbie]

gosh i wish i had six fingers... maybe even seven including your thumb, but now we're getting too technical... ill shut up now

[standard!]

That would be crowded though when it came to some things.. I like my 4 just the way they are. :) (Plus my thumb)

[broken_]

my guitar teacher has 4 fingers, think of how he must feel haha

[broken_]

my guitar teacher has 4 fingers, think of how he must feel haha

NOTE: guitar players make horrible carpenters

[WindowLedge]

Django Rienhardt had 2 fingers and a thumb. Think about how he must have felt.

[Kenny86]

Barre chords are the b****** of all b******s at first, eventually your hands adapt. 6 fingers would be nice though. OK Placebo, you want to be clever and use strange chords/tunings? HA! Take that! :D

[benfan]

my guitar teacher has 4 fingers, think of how he must feel haha

i guess he feels like the rest of us.........you know all of us with 4 fingers and a thumb

[Nebbie]

yeah... believe it or not, it's natural to have four fingers and a thumb. I know... it sounds odd but it is