The 6th string roots (beginning guitarists)

[Larry]

The beauty of bar chords is they are moveable. Once you learn the basic 'F' chord, welcome to the world of easy.

Let me explain. First, this is the tab for F:

----1---
----3---
----3---
----2---
----1---
----1---

Now, your index finger is laying down, over all 6 of the strings, and your other fingers are forming a backwards 'L' form on the neck, right? Its really ackward at first, but bear with it, in due time you will be comfortable, and will unlock the secret of chords on your guitar neck. Now, the next step:

Moving the chord. Hold the same position as the "f" chord, and move up the neck to where your index finger is laying on the 3rd fret. This chord is..... yup, you guessed it, 'G'.

As long as you hold the same chord position, no matter where you move it to on the guitar neck, it will be the major chord for whatever note your index finger is laying on with the 6th string. In other words, on the 6th string (low E) we know its tuned to 'E' when played open (without fretting at all), and we also know that the guitar neck is 1/2 step per fret, therefore one half step up from E is F, hence the position of the above chord (f). Slide it up two frets (1 whole step) and you have.... yup, G! Two more... Yup, A!....two more... you got it, B!

Welcome to the world of barre chords!

[transcendent]

What are some scale exercises to improve speed and accuracy

[Larry]

:?: What are some scale exercises to improve speed and accuracy

Thats a great question. There are many scale forms to exercise, but if you would like to exercise speed and accuracy, I would suggest something different. To begi with, its not musical by any means, but it is a great exercise to work on your muscle memory, and your speed. Here is how it works:

1st, you need to remeber that you only want one finger per fret (you dont want to be using your index finger on the second fret when your middle finger is perfectly capable).

Next, you need to be exercising your ring finger and your pinky finger just as much as your index and your middle. this exercise I will show you will help.

alright, here is the tab:

1--2--3--4--3--2--1-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------1-2--3--4--3--2--1-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------1--2--3--4--3--2--1-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4--3--2--1------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4--3--2--1------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4--3--2--1

Ok, Now be sure that you keep one finger, per fret. dont worry about accuracy first, just worry about keeping one finger per fret. After you have the basics done of per finger, then start working on doing it in rythm. Like i said before, this will not "sound" good, like a scale would, but it will def get your fingers more adapted to the neck.
When you are working on this, try to get your pick to alternate from up pick to down pick. That will also make you faster in the future.