If you’ve been playing guitar for a while, chances are you’ve been playing bar chords. Maybe you’re good at them, maybe you’re just learning how to play them. Bar chords can always be a challenge, because your index finger needs to put all this pressure on multiple strings at once. Not always the easiest thing to do, especially if you’re playing a steel string guitar.
So, if you’ve never been properly trained to play a bar chord, you might be doing it incorrectly. If you’re really starting to hurt while you’re playing a bar chord, you’re definitely doing it incorrectly.
The wrong way to play a bar chord is if you use your thumb and the rest of your hand for the pressure on the strings. This causes a lot of hand tension immediately, since you’re using so much hand strength. If you’re playing a song with a lot of bar chords, pressing on the chord like this will make the last minute (or way more) of a song excruciating.
The way you play a bar chord is you actually use the gravity of your arm to push your hand against the strings. The distance between the strings and the fretboard of the guitar is so very tiny, you only have to move your index finger a little bit to fret the notes.
The very simple trick is to use the gravity of your elbow to bring the barring finger closer to the fretboard. With your elbow relaxed at your side, play the bar chord. Move your elbow back slightly, making sure not to raise your shoulder in the process. This should make it a lot easier to press down on the strings, so you can release some tension in your hand.
For a visual, please check out my video about using the elbow for bar chords!
In the world of guitar playing, there are many ways to get by without learning to read music. Tablature, chord boxes, YouTube videos, lyric sheets, and simply having a decent ear are all the tools a beginning guitar student needs to start playing. To prove this, I will refer to a joke most of you have already heard. If you haven’t already heard it, I’m delighted to be the first person to tell you.
“How do you get a guitarist to stop playing?”
“Put music in front of them.”
I have had countless lessons with new students who say to me, “I don’t want to learn how to read music.” I get it. As a young guitarist I suddenly lost interest in the note reading portions of my guitar lessons when I first discovered guitar tabs. Sadly, I’m not easily swayed when a new student resists learning to read music. When a student is learning chords, scales, and licks without learning to read music, there finally comes a point in lessons where the teacher will eventually sit back and say “You would definitely understand this more if you learned how to read music.”
I’ve had to give many “You definitely should learn to read music” pep talks over the years, so I decided to condense them down to a concise list.
1. You will have a deeper understanding of the music you are playing
When I have students who are struggling to learn something by ear, I always write out the passage so they can see the rhythms in front of them. Suddenly the veil of mystery has been lifted. The students stop second guessing themselves and start playing the music with true understanding. Vocal students have a much easier time finding pitches when they look at a written melody and see the direction the melody is moving in. Musical notation also serves as a roadmap, so you will know the form of a song on a deeper level.
2. You will have more opportunities as a musician
There are lots of ensembles out there, and many of them require you to read music. Whether you’d like to play with ensembles to make some extra money or just to have fun, being able to read music will help you pass that audition.
3. Your musical world will open up
There are so many resources for musicians out there. Method books, massive songbooks, technique books, solo transcriptions, sheet music collections, etc. etc. Let’s say you become obsessed with Charlie Parker and you want to learn his art of bebop improvisation. The Charlie Parker Omnibook exists, and the only key to Bird’s mind is the ability to read music.
4. You can learn music at a much faster rate
It is an incredible skill to be able to play by ear. In fact, I do not mean for this article to discourage you from learning songs by ear. By all means, go out and do it. Sometimes you need to learn music quickly, and the best way is to crack open the sheet music. Having the music in front of you will also help you to learn the music as accurately as possible.
5. You will be able to play other instruments
If the curiosity ever strikes you to take up the piano, clarinet, or violin, having the ability to read music on the guitar will instantly begin to help you. While some other instruments have their own forms of tab, there is only one instrument that reads “guitar tab.” Sadly, guitar tab will not help you learn how to play the oboe.
6. You can learn music theory
The biggest pre-requisite to learning music theory is being able to read music. Don’t have an interest in learning Music Theory? Well from one music nerd to another potential music nerd, it’s fascinating. Music Theory helps you understand all the hidden secrets behind what makes your favorite music work. With a good knowledge of music theory, all of the music you listen to will be changed for the better.
7. It helps with composition/songwriting
Many musicians are just full of ideas, and the better they are at reading (and in this case, writing) music, the easier it is to turn these ideas into songs, whether they are simple jingles or massive symphonic works. In addition to being able to record your ideas, being able to give other musicians sheet music of your song will make it much easier to put an ensemble together to play your music.
8. Create professional quality scores with notation software
If you find that you have become quite good at composition and/or songwriting, a big next step is to turn this music into a professional looking score. There are many great programs out there – Finale, Sibelius, and for those looking for free software – MuseScore. Since this is “notation software,” being able to read music is a pretty obvious prerequisite.
9. Become an expert at transposition
Transposing is a very important skill when it comes to being a musician. Many times you will need to learn music in a key that is different than what you have. Perhaps you are working with a singer that needs the music in a different key. If you get into making arrangements of music for solo guitar, you will need to know how to transpose the key so the music fits on the guitar easily. Being able to read music means you are able to simplify the very complicated process of transposing music.
10. Keep a record of the music you need to remember
When you see a truly organized musician at a rehearsal, you may notice they are constantly jotting little notes down in a notebook. There is nothing more embarrassing than showing up at a second rehearsal and realizing you completely forgot what the ensemble went over at the first rehearsal. By taking notes, you will be able to remember what you need to work on at home. You will also have a “cheat sheet” of the music you need to know for future rehearsals/performances.
11. Make money teaching music!
Let’s say you take your guitar playing to the level that you would like to make some extra money giving private lessons. It’s pretty important to be able to read music for this job. Teaching your students how to read music is a crucial part of training them as musicians. It’s also very helpful to be able to write music well. There are points in almost every lesson where you will need to write music down.
You’re flying through the new tune you learned. I mean, really playing at rapid speed, imagining yourself as a truly great guitar player – the wind in your hair and a roaring crowd. Then, Plunk! A mistake. Plunk! Another mistake. You end up really struggling to get through the rest of the song.
I’m sure we all have had this experience time and time again. We have the urge to play fast, but we are doing harm to ourselves. We are doing harm in the short run because it will take longer to master the song or new technique, and harm in the long run because we are building up very bad habits of playing sloppily. I don’t let my guitar students play more than a measure of music if they are playing it faster than their ability. This requires a lot of consistency on my part, but the results are worth it. In order to become a more precise player from the beginning, be sure to slow down. Here’s why.
It’s Easier
This is the most obvious and straightforward reason. If you are a beginner, think about all of the new activities your brain has to process for every note you play. What is the pitch? What is the Rhythm? What is the left hand doing? What is the right hand doing? Is the guitar being held correctly? If you are playing really quickly, you simply can’t process all of this. You are essentially moving your fingers in hopes it will be correct. As you might imagine, this is not the way to advance your skills correctly.
You are Building a Habit of Precision
From the very first notes you play on the guitar, you should be focused on precision. Although the material is new to you, let’s face it, it’s pretty simple stuff. (If you are just picking up the guitar and what you are playing isn’t simple, please consider choosing easier material or a method book.) Spend this time really focusing on playing everything correctly. Only move forward when you feel confident that what you are playing is precise.
In doing this, you will be setting yourself up for success as the material gets more complicated. This is because you are developing the skill of practicing. This is one of the best skills you can possibly learn.
You Have a Stronger Connection with the Rhythm
Try this: Count 1, 2, 3, 4 at a very fast pace. Tap your foot along while you’re counting. Now try counting again, but much slower this time. Notice how your voice really connects with the tapping of your foot. Maybe your head will subconsciously start to nod along with the beat. Slowing down gives your entire body an opportunity to feel the beat, which means you will really connect with the rhythms you are playing on the guitar.
Success on any instrument relies on rhythmic proficiency. Since guitar is a plucked string instrument, it is extra important to have a very solid sense of rhythm. By playing fast, you are missing the opportunity to connect with the beat. Think about all of the music you listen to. What would it be without a good beat? Especially consider pop music. The songs that show up in the Top 40 usually have a moderate tempo.
It Strengthens your Fingers
One of the hardest parts of learning how to play guitar is learning how to play legato. (Italian for connected, it is the musical term for smooth playing) Many beginners hold the string down for long enough to get a note, then move on to the next note. This is because playing guitar requires left hand finger strength and mobility. By playing at faster speeds, your fingers are not spending enough time pressing down on the strings. This will cause your playing to sound choppy and disconnected.
During your practice. Play slowly and play the notes for their full duration. This means playing a whole note for 4 full beats, a half note for 2, etc. Your fingers will learn to connect with the strings and the rhythm. As music starts to get more complicated, your fingers will have the ability to move forward.
Play with a Metronome
The metronome is one of the best tools a musician can own. Nowadays you can get one for free on a smart phone or tablet. I definitely recommend getting a simple digital metronome because they don’t have Facebook. (Using apps for practicing can be great, but smart phones are practice session killers. I say this from an enormous amount of experience.)
Many guitarists associate playing with a metronome to building up speed. I find one of the best uses of the metronome is to make sure you don’t build speed. When you are learning a song on the guitar, especially as a beginner, set your metronome at a low tempo so you don’t have the urge to play any faster. Is playing along with the metronome very difficult? Work with it a little every day, when you have the ability to play along with the metronome you will have achieved a new level of mastery.
When I was studying a very complicated Bach piece, I would essentially blow through it as a show off piece. During my performance, I would make a decent number of mistakes but shrug them off because I was getting most of the notes right. When I played the piece for my guitar teacher, he downgraded me to practicing it at 40 BPM to the 8th note. It was unnecessarily slow. The 6 minute piece would take 20 minutes to play through, but I played every note with the perfect right and left hand fingerlings. I also focused on the tone of every single note.
The process was tedious, but after putting the time in, the slow playing had done its job. I breezed through the piece flawlessly with perfect tone. The improvements I made to how I played the Bach piece immediately found their way into the other pieces I was performing. In other words, I had become a much better player.
My message about playing slowly applies to the most basic beginners to concert professionals. It is so easy to lose self control and start playing at top speed. Cut the speed in half or more during your practice and you will see your playing improve exponentially.
Learning an instrument can be very difficult at first. There are new fine motor skills to learn, and you have to decipher a new written language. After doing all that work, you certainly want to make sure you’re having fun. Musicians get to have so many amazing experiences, and so can you. Here are some things to do to make sure you’re having the best time you can have learning guitar. Some of these may seem pretty obvious, but they are what really makes a difference. If you check all the boxes, you will most definitely find that you are enjoying yourself.
1. Take Guitar Lessons
In our modern world it’s easy to skip out on this step. There are tons of resources on the internet, especially with the amount of video lessons on YouTube. While most YouTube lessons don’t come with a price tag, there’s nothing like a live guitar teacher to help you along the way. Many people have success with self-study, but it is very easy to get overwhelmed by all of the information available. A good guitar teacher will put you on the right path and make sure you stay on it.
If you’re already taking guitar lessons and you’re not having fun, be open with your teacher about any confusion you’re having. Guitar teachers will be able to pick up on the fact that you are not practicing, and not progressing because of it. By letting them know what you are experiencing when you play at home, you can help them find a way to keep you inspired. It’s also important to make sure you are in the method book that works for you. I did a review of four of the most popular books for guitar for beginners in my previous post. Read it here.
2. Practice!
Before you roll your eyes, really think about this. Learning an instrument can be very fun, but it also takes some dedication. The only way to really enjoy yourself is to have a sense of knowing what you’re doing. This of course, takes practice. Knowing how to practice is just as much of a skill as knowing how to play the guitar, and if you don’t spend time doing it, you’re not going to learn!
It can be very difficult to fit a practice routine into a modern schedule, no matter what age you are. I have so many younger students who are busier than my adult students. Planning your week of practice ahead will really help. If possible, try to find a consistent time during the day. It is also very helpful to set a goal to practice every day for a month (or even a week or two). Results come after these periods of time, not just a couple days. If you stay consistent with your practice for this amount of time, you will start to figure out how to hone in on your guitar skills. You might just have fun while doing it too!
3. Listen to Music
I have many students who don’t know what to say when I ask them what music they like. Especially with younger students, the act of learning an instrument sometimes come before they really have learned to enjoy music. I also have plenty of students who love to listen to music, but do not listen to anything that has guitar as a prominent instrument. Listening to music trains the ear, it also helps you build up an emotional connection to music. It is because of this that the most inspired musicians are the best listeners.
You may already listen to music, and you may be very inspired by some notable guitarists. Perhaps this is why you started learning guitar in the first place. Take your listening a step further, learning an instrument is an opportunity to expand your musical interests. Start broadening the genres you listen to in order to learn about even more notable guitarists. If you’re taking guitar lessons, ask your guitar teacher for recommendations. If you’re not, please first reread #1, then do some research into notable guitarists in all genres on your own. It’s important to have an open mind. If you allow yourself to enjoy a genre you are not used to listening to, you could possibly find your new favorite artists!
4. Go see Live Music
Going to see live music is taking listening to music to the next level. There is no better way to get inspired and to learn about the instrument than to see people play. Live music can take place at a huge variety of venues: stadiums, concert halls, bars, churches, restaurants, and even on the street. If your favorite artists are still performing and happen to be coming to your area, spend the money to go see them. The inspiration will be worth every penny. Find out about where live music happens in your town. With social media, this is easier than ever to keep track of. If there are musicians in your town that you enjoy, become a fan. Go to a bunch of their shows. You will learn from them and enjoy yourself all while supporting local music.
In addition to seeing live music in person, there is an unlimited amount of concert footage on YouTube. Watching live performances helps you focus on the music better. Plus you get to see how your favorite artists performed, they may be really wild performers!
5. Learn the Music You Want to Learn
Being successful at an instrument means starting out with a goal. If you have a favorite type of music, or if there is something that is inspiring you to play the guitar in the first place, then your goal should be to learn how to play it. If you are curious how one of your favorite songs is to play on guitar, there is no harm in looking up how to play it. There are online resources for practically every song. You can even watch guitarists playing more simplified versions on YouTube.
If you are taking lessons, be open with your teacher about what you want to learn. Your teacher can then help guide you in the right direction when the time is right. It is very important to listen to your teacher however. If he or she is giving you specific materials to practice, be sure to practice them well.
6. Play Music with Others
I can’t emphasize this enough. In essentially every culture around the world, music has been used for community building for a very long time. There is something very magical that happens when you play music with other people. The great news is you are working towards experiencing this. Not only is this an opportunity to get inspired while increasing your skills, it is also an opportunity to meet new people. If you have any friends or family who play music, reach out to them right away. If the genre or instrument they play doesn’t seem to match yours, see if you can make things work.
In order to meet new people to play music with there are many ways to put out feelers. Putting an ad on a community board at a music store, library, or anywhere else is a good way to start. You can also try posting ads on online outlets such as craigslist. Most areas have many events you can take part in. These include open mics, meet ups, jam sessions, or community ensembles. If you don’t feel comfortable playing guitar in front of or with other people just yet, it’s always fine to observe. It’s still a great way to see what musicians live nearby and to be inspired by their playing.
7. Perform
Performing can be very scary at first, but it does get to be an enormous amount of fun. For a beginner, performing does one major thing: it gets him or her to practice. If you practice diligently for a performance, you will be very satisfied with your results. It is also a great way to show off your new skills to friends and family.
Finding ways to perform can be a bit tricky. If you are taking guitar lessons, there is a chance the school you are part of will hold a recital. If you have not performed in a recital, ask your teacher if there will be a recital any time soon. Open mic nights are a good way to get comfortable performing in front of people. All open mic nights are different, but they will generally be very supportive of any beginners who have the courage to take the stage. If it’s your very first performance, let everyone know! You will receive a lot of encouragement afterwards.
It’s also just good practice to get comfortable playing around people. If you are happy with your progress on a new song, don’t be afraid to share it with everyone you can. If it’s a nice day, take your guitar to a park and practice. Just knowing there are other people around makes practicing feel a lot like performing.
8. YouTube/Social Media
Making videos of yourself playing is a way to perform without leaving the house. This helps you practice as well, because if you want to make a quality video you need to have a quality performance. YouTube is full of amateur musicians performing their covers and originals, so your videos may even be an opportunity to connect with them. If you don’t feel comfortable having your videos out there for the entire internet to see, post them on your favorite social media outlets so your friends can see your progress.
To find out more about Lambertville, New Jersey based guitar teacher Alan Rigoletto, please read his About Me page.
