Barre Chords Refresher Guitar Lesson
Barre Chords Refresher
Hawkeye provides a few useful tips on playing barre chords.
Taught by Hawkeye Herman in Blues Guitar with Hawkeye seriesLength: 13:18Difficulty: 2.0 of 5
Many beginning guitarists struggle with barre chords. Some beginners find them so frustrating that they simply give up on the guitar and quit playing altogether. If you find yourself struggling with the same dilemma, don't worry! EVERYONE struggles with barre chords when first trying to learn them. Like Hawkeye mentions in the lesson video, it usually takes most players several months to a year to master barre chord shapes. However, with patience, practice, and the proper instruction, you will eventually get them down.
The first full or "grande barre" that most students learn is the "E shaped" major barre chord. When this barre chord is played in first position, an F major chord is formed. Most problems that arise when playing the F chord are a result of a lack of flexibility and finger independence. Thus, you must enhance your abilities in these two specific areas in order to master the basic F chord. There are several technical exercises available on JamPlay that help immensely with this process. A few of these exercises are listed below.
Matt Brown - Rock Lesson 1 (The Most Important Exercise Ever)
Matt Brown - Rock Lesson 28 (Kirk Hammett Hammer-on Exercise, Kirk Hammett Reach Development Exercise
Dennis Hodges - Metal Lesson 5
Danny Voris - Classical Lesson 5
In addition to these exercises, there are some technical guidelines that must be followed in order to fret the the "E shaped" barre chord. When first learning this chord, place your third fingers on the fretboard before the barre. Keep your fingers as close to the fret wire as possible. Then, without moving your second and third fingers at all, place the barre down. Keep your first finger parallel to the first fret. Do not angle it. When you place the first finger down, your second and third fingers should not move at all.
Most beginning students encounter the same two problems when learning this chord. The first problem is an issue of finger reach. This problem can be solved by practicing the finger stretch exercise demonstrated in Dennis Hodges' first Phase 2 metal lesson. Second, most students have problems with getting the first and second strings to ring clearly. They have issues with performing a full or "grand" barre across all six strings. This problem usually results from a lack of detailed instruction.
When playing the F chord with a full barre, a few technical issues must be addressed. Similar to the basic F chord, the thumb has by far the most important job when playing an F chord with a full barre. Once again, make sure that the thumb is perpendicular to the middle of the neck. Watch Hawkeye carefully for a demonstration of proper thumb position.
Although the index finger must cover all six strings with the barre, it is not actually used to fret the notes on the fifth, fourth, and third strings. Instead, playing this barre properly requires that the index finger applies the most pressure at two specific points. Since this finger is really only used to fret the sixth, second, and first strings, it must apply the most pressure at these two points on the fretboard. When you feel like you have your fingers (including the thumb) positioned correctly, pick each string individually to ensure that they all ring properly with a clear tone.
Playing with strict "classical" left hand technique will also help you play barre chords. Keep your fingers bent and relaxed at all times. Do not flatten any joints! Even though the thumb is not used to actually fret a string, it is the most important factor when fingering the F chord. Keep the thumb perpendicular to the middle of the neck. Do not angle it sideways or bring it up over the top of the neck.
Practicing Barre Chords
Mastering new chords, especially barre chords, can be a very difficult and frustrating process. For this reason, practice barre chords in very short intervals. Due to the frustrating nature of learning new chords, your focus will dwindle very quickly. Practice a new chord for five or ten minute intervals at a time. Then, practice something totally different for a while that is less frustrating for you. Block the tricky chord out of your mind while doing so. When you return to practicing the chord, you will hopefully have a fresh new perspective and a clear state of mind.
The "A Shaped" Barre Chord
Several other major barre chords can be performed on the guitar. One example is a barre chord based on the shape of the "open" A major chord. The root of this movable voicing is found on the fifth string. When translating this shape into a barre chord, the first finger must fret all of the notes that were once open strings. Consequently, the third finger must barre the remaining notes in the chord.
Many chord diagrams indicate that the first finger frets the fifth and first string with a barre. However, fretting the note on the first string is simply impossible for some people. No matter how long they practice, they still can't fret this note. This has nothing to do with improper technique or hand strength. Some peoples' hands are just not built to fret this note. Laying the barre down with the first finger is the easy part. The difficulty arises when you try to arch the third finger enough to allow the first string to ring properly. Due to this difficulty, many guitarists choose to omit the barre performed by the first finger. Instead, they simply fret the root note on the fifth string and leave out the cumbersome note on the high E string. Or, they choose to finger this chord in a totally different way. Be sure to watch Jim Deeming's Phase 1 lesson pertaining to "A Shaped" chords to learn this particular fingering.
A Few Thoughts on Acoustic and Classical Guitars
Typically, it is much more difficult to play barre chords on a classical or steel string acoustic compared to an electric guitar. This is due to a number of factors. First, electric guitar necks are usually not quite as wide as their classical and acoustic counterparts. As a result, the finger performing the barre has less ground to cover on an electric. Second, acoustic and classical guitars are generally set up with higher action. Action refers to the height of the strings above the fretboard. As a result of higher action, your fingers must press the strings down harder in order to produce a clear tone. Finally, steel string acoustics are generally strung with larger gauge strings than electric guitar. The larger a string is, the harder it is to fret within the context of a barre.
Regardless of what type of guitar you are playing, the action gets higher as you move further up the fretboard. As a result, certain barre chord such as the E shaped barre chord become much more difficult to fret once you reach roughly about the ninth fret. The eleventh fret is roughly the highest position in which this chord shape can be played. Also, your fingers run out of room as the frets get smaller. These are just a few reasons why it is important to learn a variety of barre chord shapes at different locations on the fretboard.
Barre chords also become more challenging as you move closer to the nut. This is due to the fact that the left hand must stretch further from a horizontal standpoint. As you first begin to tackle the "E shaped" barre chord, begin around the 5th or 6th fret. Once you have mastered barre chords in this general location, work your way towards the two opposite extremes of the fretboard. For example, work on barre chords at the 4th and 6th frets after mastering barre chords at the 5th fret. Then, work on chords at the 3rd and 7th frets.
Supplemental Learning Material
Blues Guitar with Hawkeye
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsThe blues is a distinctly American style of music. Many popular genres such as jazz, rock, and country music draw upon basic blues concepts. Consequently, it is advantageous for any guitarist to study the blues.
Lesson 1
Introduction to Blues
Hawkeye Herman introduces the blues. He explains the 12 bar blues chords and the poetic format that blues lyrics typically follow.
Length: 19:25 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Understanding Blues Chords
Hawkeye explains how the I, IV, and V chords are used in a 12 bar blues progression.
Length: 12:12 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Blues Rhythm
Hawkeye demonstrates common strumming patterns used in blues music. He also explains how country music evolved from the blues.
Length: 19:42 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Intro to the Blues Shuffle
The shuffle is one of the most common rhythms used in blues music. Hawkeye introduces the most basic shuffle rhythm pattern.
Length: 18:12 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
More Blues Shuffle
Hawkeye covers the blues shuffle in greater depth.
Length: 13:13 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
The Blues Turnaround
Hawkeye introduces and explains a common blues turnaround.
Length: 7:45 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Interesting Blues Turnaround
Hawkeye demonstrates various ways of arpeggiating the blues turnaround from the previous lesson.
Length: 8:08 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Moving the Turnaround
Hawkeye explains how the turnaround from the previous lesson can be transposed to all 12 keys.
Length: 5:57 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Turnaround in the Bass
Hawkeye explains how the blues turnaround can be played on the bass strings.
Length: 11:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Turnaround Practice
Hawkeye provides some tips regarding how to integrate turnarounds into the context of the 12 bar blues form.
Length: 3:58 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Turnarounds as Lead
In this lesson Hawkeye will explain how you can use turnarounds as a way to play basic lead.
Length: 0:00 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Subtle Changes
Hawkeye demonstrates how subtle changes made to the blues shuffle can have a profound impact on the overall sound of the 12 bar form.
Length: 7:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Blues Shuffle Variations
Hawkeye demonstrates more blues shuffle variations. He discusses playing individual notes and palm muting.
Length: 7:23 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Bass Blues Shuffle
In this lesson, Hawkeye teaches a bass version of the blues shuffle that mimics a common left-hand piano pattern.
Length: 10:49 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Turnaround Exercise
Hawkeye presents an exercise that will enable you to play a turnaround over the blues form in all twelve keys.
Length: 10:44 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Delta Blues Turnaround
Hawkeye teaches a Delta blues turnaround in the key of A. This turnaround is played in the style of Robert Johnson.
Length: 10:45 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Delta Blues Turnaround #2
Hawkeye Herman teaches a new Delta blues turnaround. This lick was inspired by Robert Johnson.
Length: 7:12 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Robert Johnson Style
Hawkeye Herman teaches more components of Robert Johnson's signature sound.
Length: 27:38 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Movable Chords
Hawkeye introduces some common, movable chord shapes.
Length: 17:42 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Movable Chord Review
Hawkeye reviews movable chords in this lesson. He explains how these chord voicings can be used in a practical blues context.
Length: 5:41 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Basic Blues Scale
Hawkeye Herman introduces the minor pentatonic scale in this lesson, the most commonly used scale in blues lead guitar.
Length: 23:54 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Passing Notes
Hawkeye builds on the pentatonic scale. He introduces "blue" notes, which transform the pentatonic scale into the minor blues scale.
Length: 12:50 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Scales and Keys
Hawkeye explains how to transpose the minor pentatonic and minor blues scales to different keys.
Length: 21:18 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Finding the Key
Hawkeye Herman explains how to determine the key of a blues song. This information is essential if you wish to play lead over a song.
Length: 15:31 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Lightnin' Hopkins Style
In this lesson, Hawkeye will bring together much of what he has taught in this lesson series and apply it to the style of Lightnin' Hopkins.
Length: 16:36 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Treble Shuffle
Hawkeye explains how to play the blues shuffle on the treble strings.
Length: 9:22 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Great River Road
Hawkeye Herman teaches you how to play his original song, "The Great River Road," in this phenomenal lesson.
Length: 16:39 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Mississippi John Hurt Style
Hawkeye covers the guitar style of Mississippi John Hurt. This style makes heavy use of alternating bass lines.
Length: 14:48 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Piano Blues
Hawkeye teaches an original piece called "Piano Blues." He teaches this song to further demonstrate the alternating bass line.
Length: 13:20 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Blues Accompaniment
Hawkeye Herman teaches a beautiful blues accompaniment pattern.
Length: 10:11 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Stop-Time Blues
Hawkeye introduces the stop-time blues rhythm.
Length: 17:21 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Sweet Home Chicago
Hawkeye Herman explains how to play Robert Johnson's "Sweet Home Chicago."
Length: 16:17 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Eight Bar Blues
Hawkeye introduces the eight bar blues progression.
Length: 22:28 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
8 Bar Blues Key Transposition
Hawkeye takes the 8 bar blues material from the last lesson and explains how to transpose it to different keys.
Length: 6:39 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Classic 8 Bar Blues
Hawkeye teaches a classic 8 bar blues tune in the style of Brownie McGhee and Big Bill Broonzy.
Length: 25:10 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Playing Multiple Notes
In this lesson Hawkeye revisits the blues/pentatonic scale and talks about playing multiple notes at the same time.
Length: 9:42 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Classic End Tag
Hawkeye Herman teaches a classic blues song ending. He also explains how it can be played in different keys.
Length: 9:42 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Basic Blues Slide
Hawkeye Herman covers the basics of slide technique and provides exercises to demonstrate them.
Length: 25:49 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Slide Guitar and Open D Tuning
Hawkeye Herman introduces open D tuning. He explains how to play a 12 bar blues progression with a slide in this tuning.
Length: 14:56 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Ramblin' On My Mind
Hawkeye Herman demonstrates the classic Robert Johnson song, "Ramblin' On My Mind" in open D tuning.
Length: 8:41 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Blues Shuffle in Open D
Hawkeye explains how to play the blues shuffle in open D tuning.
Length: 0:00 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Open D Harmony Shuffle
Hawkeye teaches the "harmony" version of the shuffle in open D tuning.
Length: 5:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Open D Turnaround
Hawkeye teaches a simple blues turnaround in open D tuning.
Length: 9:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Open D Slide Licks
Hawkeye Herman teaches some open D slide guitar licks. These licks are inspired by the song "Ramblin' On My Mind" by Robert Johnson.
Length: 8:14 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Pentatonic Scale in Open D
Hawkeye Herman explains how to play the D minor pentatonic scale in Open D tuning.
Length: 4:00 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Ramblin' On My Mind
Hawkeye challenges you to play "Ramblin' On My Mind" using the techniques from the past couple of lessons.
Length: 4:03 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Rock and Slide Guitar
Hawkeye shows that open D tuning and slide guitar are not exclusive to the blues. He provides an exercise that demonstrates how this tuning can be used in rock music.
Length: 15:55 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
D Tuning Chords
Hawkeye returns to the world of open D tuning. He introduces various chord voicings and explains how they can be used in the blues.
Length: 10:00 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
You Got to Move
In this lesson, Hawkeye teaches a classic blues song by Mississippi Fred McDowell - "You Got to Move."
Length: 9:03 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
You Got to Move Melody
Hawkeye Herman demonstrates how to play the melody of "You Got to Move" with a slide.
Length: 6:51 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Slide Guitar and Blues Licks
Hawkeye Herman talks about playing and creating blues licks with the slide.
Length: 9:53 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Elmore James Style
Hawkeye Herman breaks down important aspects of Elmore James' style.
Length: 23:11 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Blues Licks and Riffs
Hawkeye teaches some versatile blues licks and riffs that can be used in open D tuning.
Length: 11:15 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Open G Tuning
Hawkeye Herman teaches the basics of open G tuning.
Length: 7:28 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
G Tuning Chords
Hawkeye gives a brief overview of chords and how they are played in open G tuning.
Length: 6:11 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Blues Scale in Open G Tuning
Hawkeye gives a brief rundown of how the blues / minor pentatonic scale can be played in open G tuning.
Length: 4:48 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
G Tuning Accompaniment
Hawkeye talks about playing accompaniment using open G tuning.
Length: 7:44 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Improvising in G Tuning
Improvisation using the minor pentatonic / blues scale is discussed in open G tuning. Hawkeye also touches on Robert Johnson's song, "Walkin' Blues."
Length: 7:26 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Open G Shuffle Rhythm
In this lesson, Hawkeye Herman talks about playing the blues shuffle in open G tuning. He also shows some basic turnarounds.
Length: 10:37 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Open G Shuffle Variations
Hawkeye reviews the blues shuffle in open G tuning. He demonstrates shuffle variations as well as a few licks, turnarounds, and other tidbits.
Length: 15:45 Difficulty: 2.5 Members OnlyLesson 61
Robert Johnson Licks
Hawkeye teaches several Robert Johnson licks in this lesson. These licks are played with a slide in open G tuning.
Length: 14:40 Difficulty: 2.5 FREE
G Tuning and the Capo
Hawkeye introduces the capo and explains how it can be used. This lesson is still in the context of G tuning.
Length: 10:28 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Come On In My Kitchen
Hawkeye Herman showcases the power of slide guitar by demonstrating the classic Robert Johnson song, "Come On In My Kitchen."
Length: 6:33 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Skip James Style
Hawkeye Herman gives a brief rundown of Skip James' blues guitar style. This lesson also focuses on playing in open tunings without a slide.
Length: 19:15 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Open D to Open G
Hawkeye demonstrates how to take a song from open D tuning and play it in open G. He uses the song "No Expectations" by the Rolling Stones as an example.
Length: 10:26 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Drop D Tuning
Hawkeye shows you the wonders of drop D tuning and teaches his rendition of "Big Road Blues."
Length: 30:30 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Statesboro Blues
Hawkeye goes over the fantastic song "Statesboro Blues" by Blind Willie McTell in Drop D tuning.
Length: 27:12 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Blind Lemon Jefferson
Hawkeye discusses some history behind the great blues guitarist Blind Lemon Jefferson. He covers the song "Matchbox Blues" to provide an example of his style.
Length: 19:40 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Minor Blues
Hawkeye explains the chord changes used in a minor blues progression.
Length: 12:53 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Capo
Hawkeye talks about the capo and its many uses.
Length: 22:32 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Song Endings
By user request, Hawkeye shares ideas on how to end songs in this lesson.
Length: 21:26 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Stop Time Blues
In this lesson, Hawkeye Herman returns to the wonderful world of stop-time blues. He teaches a few more ways to play in this glorious style.
Length: 17:53 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Eight Bar Blues
Hawkeye talks about the eight bar blues and uses some classic blues songs as examples.
Length: 26:19 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Blues Mambo
Hawkeye talks all about the blues mambo in this lesson.
Length: 16:09 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Movable Endings
Hawkeye explains how all the endings you've learned up to this point can be transposed to any key.
Length: 31:53 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Movable Blues Scale
Hawkeye talks about transposing the minor pentatonic scale to various keys.
Length: 16:58 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Blues Scale Lead
Hawkeye explains how the blues scale can be used to play lead in any song.
Length: 30:57 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Spanning the Neck
Hawkeye explains how the blues scale can span the neck in any key.
Length: 22:09 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
The Blues Had a Baby
Hawkeye talks about the background of rock 'n roll and how it is connected to blues.
Length: 21:42 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Fun Licks
This lesson is filled with fun licks and lick techniques.
Length: 17:32 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Spanning the Neck Continued
Hawkeye brings more blues wisdom to you in this lesson about spanning the neck.
Length: 18:18 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Barre Chords Refresher
Hawkeye provides a few useful tips on playing barre chords.
Length: 13:18 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Chord Relationships
Hawkeye discusses how the visual shapes of chords relate to one another on the fretboard.
Length: 15:06 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Chord Relationships Continued
Hawkeye explains how to find the I, IV, and V chords in all 12 major keys.
Length: 8:43 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Shuffle Rhythm Review
Hawkeye answers member questions on the shuffle rhythm.
Length: 16:19 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Key of A Idea
Hawkeye shares an idea in the key of A that you can apply to your blues playing.
Length: 18:15 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Thumbpick Vs. Flatpick
Thumbpick Vs. Flatpick: A most common question asked among guitarists is discussed in this lesson.
Length: 15:13 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Capo Ideas
Hawkeye shares his ideas on the capo and explains why he thinks it is important for every guitarist to own one.
Length: 18:34 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Everything is Movable
Hawkeye reiterates that everything is movable on the guitar and provides some fresh new ideas.
Length: 12:27 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Bass Notes in Treble
Hawkeye explains how to add variety to the shuffle pattern by transferring the bass notes to the treble register and by adding palm muting. He also explains how you can create your own shuffle variations.
Length: 21:21 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Treble Shuffle
Hawkeye provides more amazing tips and tricks on moving your shuffle rhythm to the treble for a unique sound.
Length: 16:50 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Creating Solos
Hawkeye revisits the techniques learned in the last few lessons and explains how to tie tie them together to create solos.
Length: 9:46 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Transposing Songs
Hawkeye provides some great tips for transposing any song you want to learn to a different key.
Length: 17:31 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
History of Blues
This exciting lesson dives into some of the earliest history of blues music and how it has shaped popular music today.
Length: 13:52 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Blues is the Roots
Hawkeye Herman explains why "blues is the roots, and everything else is the fruits."
Length: 8:41 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
The Style of Hank Williams
Hawkeye discusses the history and style of Hank Williams.
Length: 17:07 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
The Style of Jimmie Rodgers
Hawkeye demonstrates some key aspects of Jimmie Rodgers' style.
Length: 12:30 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Boom-Chicka Strum
Hawkeye demonstrates the "boom-chicka" strum and explains various ways you can incorporate it into your playing.
Length: 22:44 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Fun Runs
Hawkeye Herman explains how to spice up your rhythm playing by incorporating bass runs between chord changes.
Length: 16:20 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Review & Practice
Hawkeye Herman celebrates lesson 100 with a short but sweet review of what you've learned in the past couple of lessons.
Length: 6:51 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Song Medley
Hawkeye Herman demonstrates rhythmic concepts from earlier lessons by playing a fun medley.
Length: 13:08 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Hawkeye's Favorite Licks
Hawkeye shares some of his favorite licks in this lesson.
Length: 22:35 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
More Fun Licks
Hawkeye teaches more fun licks to add to your blues bag of tricks.
Length: 31:20 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
More Licks Up the Neck
Hawkeye Herman is back with some more classic blues licks that span the length of the fretboard.
Length: 26:20 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Bass Licks
Hawkeye explains the importance of playing licks over the entire neck of the guitar.
Length: 21:33 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Rock Me Lick
Hawkeye Herman shares a lick that is commonly known as the "Rock Me Baby" Lick. He explains how this lick can be incorporated into a performance of this classic B.B. King song.
Length: 19:09 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Turnaround Positions
Hawkeye discusses how ideas derived from turnarounds can be incorporated into blues solos.
Length: 8:19 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Instrumental Themes
Hawkeye Herman talks about instrumental themes and how you can add lead fills to them.
Length: 18:03 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Instrumental Themes Continued
Hawkeye continues his discussion on instrumental themes and blues.
Length: 23:42 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Ninth Chords
Hawkeye Herman explains how dominant 9th chords are formed and how they can be used in blues music.
Length: 15:16 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Ninth Chords Continued
Hawkeye Herman continues his discussion on 9th chords.
Length: 26:52 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
More Eight Bar Blues
Hawkeye Herman shares more eight bar blues knowledge in this fun and information-packed lesson.
Length: 23:57 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Using a Tuner
Hawkeye shares his thoughts on tuners in this lesson.
Length: 6:38 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Introducing the Capo
In the 114th installment of his Blues Series, Hawkeye introduces the capo. He demonstrates how this valuable tool allows you to transpose chord voicings to various keys.
Length: 23:21 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Forming Barre Chords
Having trouble getting those fingers to form barre chords? In lesson #115 of his Blues Series, Hawkeye covers some tips and techniques to help with these problematic chord shapes. Any beginner can master...
Length: 10:03 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
4 Up, 5 Down Applied Concept
Hawkeye explains why the adjacent strings on the guitar are tuned in perfect fourths and how this relates to left hand fingering.
Length: 18:44 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Relative Chord Shapes
Hawkeye continues where he left off in lesson 116 and explains how the tuning of the guitar relates to commonly used chord shapes.
Length: 16:43 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Transposing Notes / Changing the Key
Hawkeye Herman reviews important transposition concepts. Here he demonstrates how to change the key of a song so that it is appropriate for your vocal range.
Length: 20:31 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
All About Finger Picking
Hawkeye takes a look at this important right hand technique.
Length: 20:54 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Bo Diddley Beat
Hawkeye provides a history lesson on Bo Diddley. He also demonstrates how to play the classic "Bo Diddley Beat." This rhythmic pattern appears in countless blues and rock songs.
Length: 20:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Thematic Bass Lines
Hawkeye teaches some blues bass lines that can be applied to the twelve bar blues form.
Length: 19:04 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Bass Lines Continued
Hawkeye continues on from his 121st lesson with more examples of blues bass lines for guitar.
Length: 7:14 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Lead Bass Ideas
Hawkeye dives into some lead bass ideas. He demonstrates how a classic Eric Clapton riff can be used over the twelve bar blues form in any key.
Length: 12:57 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Willie's Bounce
Hawkeye teaches the bass line riff to his song "Willie's Bounce."
Length: 16:31 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Finger Picking Part 2
Hawkeye continues his discussion on finger picking.
Length: 12:27 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
The Texas A
Hawkeye Herman teaches a version of the A chord that he calls "The Texas A."
Length: 13:59 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Blues Scale: Adding the Major 3rd
Hawkeye breaks down the blues scale and demonstrates how to appropriately add the major 3rd.
Length: 26:16 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Double Stops
As demonstrated in previous lessons, Hawkeye opens up the world of double stops. Hawkeye teaches some classic Chuck Berry licks to demonstrate how double stops can be used effectively.
Length: 11:53 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Scrapper Blackwell
Hawkeye introduces the guitar stye of Scrapper Blackwell. He uses the song Scrapper called "E Blues" as a starting point.
Length: 20:46 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Influence of Blind Lemon Jefferson
History flows deep in blues music. Hawkeye discusses the influence of Blind Lemon Jefferson. This lesson is one for the history books.
Length: 22:43 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Humming and Strumming
Hawkeye opens up some ideas on how to "plan ahead" in your playing. Similar to riding a bike, you need to look forward to see where your going. Humming what you want to play allows you to anticipate the...
Length: 18:49 Difficulty: 4.0 Members Only
Katrina, Oh Katrina
Inspired by the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, Hawkeye was commissioned by the BBC to write a song about Katrina. Hawkeye demonstrates this song and recalls his thought process in writing this song.
Length: 29:53 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
All About the Hammer-on
Hawkeye demonstrates how a hammer-on can be used to open up doors in your playing. Hawkeye shows you how to achieve this technique and use it successfully in your playing.
Length: 24:07 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
The Pull-off
Hawkeye covers the pull-off, best friend of the hammer on. This technique is used to achieve the same goal as the hammer-on, yet with a completely different finger movement.
Length: 15:02 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Using Hammer-ons and Pull-offs Together
Hawkeye combines lessons 133 and 134 and demonstrates some examples of how to utilize the hammer-on and pull-off techniques together to enhance your overall blues guitar skills.
Length: 10:27 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
The Quick Change
The 12 bar form is a staple in the world of blues music. However, there are plenty of different ways to arrange it. This lesson covers what is commonly called "The Quick Change."
Length: 15:15 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Starting on the IV Chord
Hawkeye demonstrates how to change up a traditional 12 bar blues progression by starting on the IV chord.
Length: 16:51 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
The Talking Blues
Hawkeye demonstrates yet another form of blues known as the "Talking Blues." This style is indicative of its name. It features a talking vocal style played over a I, IV, V chord progression.
Length: 24:43 Difficulty: 4.0 Members Only
Utilizing 9th Chords
Need a slightly different voicing to spice up your playing? 9th chords will give your blues playing a colorful, urban sound.
Length: 24:53 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
Minor Tuning, Major Sound
Hawkeye breaks out his slide and demonstrates how chord progressions in major keys can be played in open minor tunings.
Length: 4:43 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Style of Elmore James
Hawkeye offers up some tricks and techniques that Elmore James utilized in his style of playing.
Length: 25:52 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
Style of Son House
In lesson 142, Hawkeye dives into the style of Son House. House pioneered an innovative style featuring strong, repetitive rhythms often played with a slide.
Length: 14:32 Difficulty: 3.5 Members Only
About Hawkeye Herman
View Full Biography
""One of America's finest acoustic guitarists and blues educators."
Cascade Blues Association
"Herman plays with a sensitive, reflective touch that continually draws
attention to his vocals, which are effectively understated and free of
affectation... Herman can rock with the best of them. A solid choice for fans of
traditional acoustic blues."
Living Blues Magazine
" ...plays haunting music on a mournful guitar."
Los Angeles Times
"The only thing better than hearing this live album is seeing Hawkeye Herman
in the flesh. Whether adding his own spin to blues classics or offering his
own songs, Herman is a one-man history of blues, noteworthy guitar player and
inimitable communicator. Miss him at your peril."
Blues Access
With over 40 years of performing experience, Michael "Hawkeye" Herman
personifies the range of possibilities in blues and folk music. His dynamic blues
guitar playing and vocal abilities have won him a faithful following and he leads
a very active touring schedule of performances at festivals, concerts, school
programs and educational workshops throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
His original music has been included in video dramas and documentaries and in
four hit theatrical productions.
In 2000, Hawkeye was awarded Philadelphia's
Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre for best original music in a
theatrical production. "Everyday Living," Hawkeye's first nationally released album
from 1987, now reissued on CD, features the late blues giants Charles Brown and
"Cool Papa" Sadler, and established the demand for his now long-standing
festival and concert touring. His latest CDs and DVD, "Blues Alive!" (CD), "It's
All Blues To Me" (CD), and "Hawkeye Live In Concert" (DVD) have been greeted
with rave reviews. Hawkeye's journalistic efforts have been published in numerous
national and regional blues and music-related periodicals.
In 1998 he was the
recipient of the Blues Foundation's "Keeping The Blues Alive" award for
achievement in education. He served on the Board of Directors of the Blues
Foundation for six years. Hawkeye was inducted into the Iowa Blues Hall of fame in
2004. In September of 2005, Hawkeye composed, at the request of the British
Broadcasting Company (BBC), "Katrina, Oh Katrina (Hurricane Blues)," detailing the
hurricane disaster on the Gulf Coast. The song was aired to over 7 million
listeners on the popular "BBC Today" program. He is the cofounder of the Rogue
Valley Blues Festival, Ashland, OR.
This musician has definitely carved out a
spot for himself in the contemporary acoustic blues/folk field, and has earned a
reputation as one of the most accomplished artists in the genre, and
audiences throughout the US/Canada/Europe have come to know and appreciate Hawkeye's
talent, dedication, and captivating performances.
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Hawkeye teaches several Robert Johnson licks in this lesson. These licks are played with a slide in open G tuning.
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Nick starts his series with Alternate Picking part 1. Improve your timing, speed, and execution with this important lesson.
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Albert Collins brought a lot of style to the blues scene. In this lesson, Kenny breaks down Albert's style for you to learn.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Hi Hawkeye, I've been playing guitar for more than 40 years and I still find bags of new things/styles/licks, etc to play. Here's a question that I have never found an answer to. If you play an E shape barre chord up the neck you have: F, F sharp, G, A flat, A, B flat, B, C, D flat, D, E flat, F. I understand enharmonics but if someone asked me to play an A sharp or G flat I reckon I'd just stare at them and blink my eyes a few times before it dawned on me that what they want is an B flat or F sharp. I have never found any sort of rule for this and just assumed that it was just the way it is. Is there any set rule on naming barre chords when either sharp or flat. Great lessons, I'm learning loads and usually back to playing 5-6 hours a day. And loving it! Thanks
The easiest way to answer your question about the naming of a chord is that a chord is named in relationship to the key being played. If a tune is in the key of G the IV chord ('fa' chord) is C, if a song is in the key of G# the IV ('fa') chord is C# ... if a song is in the key of Ab the IV chord is named Db ... this is the most basic building block of understanding scales and reading music. A chord is named after the note in the (major) scale in a specific key. The II chord (re) in the key of G# is A#m ... in the key of Ab the II (re) chord is called Bbm. If this is not clear to your, may I suggest re brush up on the notes of the major scale in all 12 keys: http://www.musictheorysite.com/major-scales/list-of-all-major-scales/ ... or here: http://www.howmusicworks.org/208/The-Major-Scale/Major-Scales-in-All-Keys ... or here: http://justinguitarcommunity.com/index.php?topic=20338.0 ... http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/forum/archive/index.php?t-17203.html ... http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Music_Theory/Chord_Structures ... Thanks again for your question.
I hope this information is helpful to you in some way, Ken. It is quite possible that I did not understand your question(s) ... if so, I apologize for for the misunderstanding(s) on my part. I'm so glad that you're continuing to expand your 'blues horizons' via these lessons, and enjoying the process of learning/practicing/creating the music we love.
Thanks for the questions, Ken. I'll try to answer the, although your example is not clear to me. "I understand enharmonics but if someone asked me to play an A sharp or G flat I reckon I'd just stare at them and blink my eyes a few times before it dawned on me that what they want is an B flat or F sharp. " I don't have a clue what you mean by that statement. Using an E/F shaped barre chord at the fourth fret creates a G#/Ab chord. If that's what somebody wants, that's what you give them. I don't understand what you mean by giving them B flat or F sharp chord if they ask for a G sharp or an A flat. ????????? Please explain ... or not ... I'm confused enough. What I told you is what you need to know ... please, read on ... So ... the 2nd part of your question, if I understand your question ;-) ... the answer is as follows: ... a chord is usually referred to/'named' in music theory according to the KEY in which the song is placed ... for example, if a song/tune is in the key of F we refer to its IV chord as the Bb, no as an A# ... in the key of G#, the IV chord is referred to as C#, not Db. If a song is in C#, its IV chord would be named F#, not Gb. If a song tune is notated as being in the key of Ab, then we call its IV chord the Db, not C#. If a song is in the key of BB, its IV chord is called Eb, not D#. Etc., according to the KEY a song is placed in is how we decide' to name the other chords in that KEY. So, my answer to your question has little to do with advanced enharmonic theory, it has to do with a basic rules/building block on how to read music ... that applies to any instrument, not just the guitar. The study and understanding/knowledge of enharmonics is good stuff ;-). Glad you know something about enharmonincs. For now, please put enharmonics aside and teach yourself the basics of understanding and applying the proper names to chords according to the KEY a song is in. Here ya go, look over (and memorize) this chord chart and answer the rest of your question regarding the naming of chords on your own so that you 'get it' in any key: ... http://www.google.com/search?q=guitar+chord+charts&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=qtlXUfupJ4fxiwLproEo&sqi=2&ved=0CDgQsAQ&biw=1083&bih=680#hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=I-IV-V+guitar+chord+charts&oq=I-IV-V+guitar+chord+charts&gs_l=img.12...1358.6440.3.7753.8.8.0.0.0.0.235.1013.3j4j1.8.0...0.0...1c.1.7.img.RvrBvzaMmhg&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.44442042,d.cGE&fp=da355f8711e785fc&biw=1083&bih=680&imgrc=Sj8tLFTOOTYL6M%3A%3BD4EGMgQmc8F_VM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flithe.files.wordpress.com%252F2009%252F09%252Fmajor-key-chord-chart.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Flithe.wordpress.com%252Fcategory%252Fmusic-theory%252F%3B450%3B583 ... Thanks again for enjoying these lessons.
Done Sir. Been around for some time now. Thank you!!
Gracias muchisimas, Guillermo, por tu mensaje amable. Espero que usted continua a gozar este lecciones. Por favor, mira a mis videos/cantos represntaciones aqui ... http://www.youtube.com/user/HawkeyeH ... toca conmigo y usa ('roba') mis ideas en la guitarra ;-). Otra vez, gracias por sus palabras amables. Que le vaya bien, compadre.
Hi Hawkeye. Another good lesson. Am 'sort of" getting barre chords and this will help a lot. Another trouble spot is bending notes. Maybe you could add a lesson specifically on that, too? That would help a lot. Cheers.
Hey, did you ever hear the late John Weston, from Brinkley, Ark., perform in Little Rock years ago? He was a good friend of mine, and a fine songwriter, harmonica player, and guitarist. I miss his music and his friendship.
Much appreciated. I'll keep your suggestion in mind regarding a future lesson on bending notes. Keep working on the barre chord ... it's worth the effort ... you might not think so, but you improve, incrementally, every time you practice. So keep up the good work. Thanks again.
Hi Herman. I am a complete beginner to guitar and have been following Steve's lessons. But with Barre chords when the chord shape shows that the low e, b and E strings are covered, does this mean that your index finger should only be across those strings? i.e. not touching the a, d and g strings. Thanks.
... also, if you're a complete beginner ... I think it would be wise to learn all of the basic guitar chords in first position ... be able to make each chord (C/D/E/F/G/A/Am/Dm/Em/C7/D7/E7/F7/G7/A7/B7) ... and be able to change chords easily ... without looking at a chord chart ... before you attempt to play barre chords. Barre chords should be learned after you've memorized and can accomplish playing all of the simplest chords. It is very unwise and self-defeating to attempt barre chords before you have the basics down. This is lesson #82 ... not lesson #1 ... have you worked your way through the previous 81 lesson in my series? If not, I suggest you start at the beginning of this series of lessons ... barre chords are not introduced early on in my series of lessons ... for the reasons I previously stated. I hope you'll take my advice ... and not put 'advanced pressure' on yourself as 'total beginner.' You have to crawl before you walk, and walk before you run ... I've been playing the guitar for 50 years, and I didn't attempt to play barre chords until I knew, by heart, all of the simplest first position chords and I could change between them all without making any mistakes ... I began working on bare chords after about 3 years of learning guitar (I was 13 years old when I started learning/playing guitar, and about 16 when I first attempted barre chords) ... some folks learn faster than others ... regardless ... in my humble opinion, you need to back off and learn the true basics ... before you jump into barre chords. Again, I hope you'll take my advice ... and be a patient 'total beginner.' :-)
Thanks for the question. Sorry, but I have never viewed Steve's lessons ... I've got plenty to do right here ... Have you asked Steve about this or for a clarification? At any rate I don't know what shape barre chord you are referencing. Are you referring to an E/F shaped barre chord or a first position A shaped barre chord ... Perhaps some graphic illustrations might help: Please read the following; http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/barre.html .... http://www.guitarchordsmagic.com/basic-guitar-chords/guitar-bar-chords.html ... I hope this helps you out. (BTW, my last name in Herman ... not my first name ... most folks call me Hawkeye, or Michael ... or not :-) Thanks again and, Cheers in 2010.
I picked up a guitar many years ago. Never never never could play a barre chord. Gave up many times. Sometimes more than once a day. After about 5 years A new friend played my guitar and said the strings were very heavy. I changed to thinner strings and was able to play barre chords very easy. All the practice with heavy strings I guess helped. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I also found pushing my index finger up against the fret closed the crease on my second joint. Your lessons are great and thank you for teaching online.
Thanks so much for your comments and for enjoying these lessons, Steve. Very much appreciated. Glad you're 'on board' with the barre chords ... there are many roads to the same goal. I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons.
Great lesson. My Barre Chords are starting to show improvement thanks to your tips.
I'm happy to hear that you're barre chords are improving as a result of these lessons/tips. I hope you continue to improve and that you enjoy the process of learning/practicing/playing the blues.
hey think you did a great job,and just love your enthusiasum.
Thanks for the message and kind words, David. I've been playing guitar since 1958, teaching guitar for over 40 years, and I've been employed as a musician/performer/instructor, exclusive of any other kind of work, since 1974 ... I have good reason to my show my 'enthusiasm' ... I love playing and teaching blues guitar. I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons. There's much more to come. Thanks again.
I have been working on barre chords for about a month with very little success. After this lesson I saw an instant improvment. The thumb tip and mostly the elbow tip really helped. Thanks so much
Thanks for the message and report on your recent 'success' with barre chords as a result of this lesson. Keep the tips I shared with you in mind ... don't let your elbow get tight against your body , and don't let it wave too extremely out to the side ... find the happy medium that works for you ... and fidget with your index finger until you can securely put pressure on all of the strings equally. I'm so glad that you're making progress. Keep it up. The more you practice, with 'good habits,' the easier it gets.
I think the discussion of the Thumb is important, however, would it be possible to show this on Video and add to this lesson. New people may be confused. Also, I think a 4th tip would be to angle the Index finger sometimes helps avoid that "crease" where the string is not being fully depressed because the index finger has two major creases behind the joints and causes a buzz or mutes it.
IMHO ... once one finds the index finger position (pressure and angle) for making a barre chord that works for them ... one must make that index finger position a part of their 'playing memory' ... so that when you go to grab a barre chord, you quickly/automatically/habitually (through practice/repetition) place your index finger down at the angle and with the pressure that is needed for your particular finger shape/length/mass ... also, the gauge of strings being used and the width of the neck of guitars can vary ... all of these things must be 'considered' and adjusted for when making barre chords.
Thanks for your comments and suggestions, Jerry. Much appreciated. This lesson will have to stand as is ... jamplay.com studios are in Colorado, and I'm on the West Coast ... I go to film lessons in Colo. a few times per year. Perhaps I'll bring up the issue of thumb placement in a future lesson. As for the index finger, I think I've stated a number of times when discussing barre chords that you must 'fidget' and adjust your index finger placement until you clearly hear all the notes ... whether placing your index finger straight across the neck behind the fret, or at a slight angle .. each of us has a different shape, length, and mass to our fingers, so the 'how to' placement of the index finger for making a barre chord will vary from one person to the next. If each of the strings don't sound clearly, usually the problem is the amount of pressure being applies to the index finger that is creating the barre is too light, or the index finger (or another finger in the barre chord being attempted) is not contacting all the strings evenly due placement (straight across or at an angle) ... and each of us must 'fidget' with the pressure on the index finger and the placement of the index finger ... until one succeeds in getting each of the strings to sound clearly. Again, thanks so much for your comments and suggestions. I hope you continue to enjoy these lessons.
I have the slimmest fingers ever, but I practised the barre chords alot for some time and now I can play them without any pain
Thanks for the message, for enjoying these lessons ... and for hanging in there with your barre chord efforts. Great! The guitar is made for the human hand ... it may not seem like it sometimes, but it's true. :-) Keep up the good work.