Ari Eisinger's Acoustic Blues Message Board: Re: The country blues F chord

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Re: The country blues F chord

Posted by John Miller on February 7, 2004, 12:57 am, in reply to "Re: The country blues F chord"
67.75.196.82

--Previous Message--
: Thanks for the support guys...I'm keeping at
: it!
: --Previous Message--
: Hi Chuck
: I guess I'm about the same stage as you. I
: can play all the stuff on Ari's BBF video now
: but equally have trouble with the full F
: chord. Woody Mann gave some useful advice,
: don't try to hook the thumb right over,
: simply use a fold of skin by pulling the soft
: pad of the thumb against the fret board. It
: does work. I also find that with most songs
: you can actually use a partial chord ie you
: don't ususally need to fret and play all of
: the strings and this makes life much easier.
: One of the most difficult tunes that I have
: encounterd is Freight Train, which requires
: fretting of the entire chord. It is very
: difficult to get all of the notes clear, in
: fact I find most difficulty in not fouling
: the first and second strings. I don't think
: the neck of the guitar really makes much
: difference, I play a number of different
: instruments and the chord is just about as
: difficult on all of them!Hope all this helps.
: You and me are just going to have to keep on
: trying!
: Dan
: --Previous Message--
: I've been playing guitar for awhile, to the
: point that I guess I would be considered
: intermediate level. With a lot of practice,
: I can put together a reasonable version of
: something like "Untrue Blues" as
: taught by Ari on his video. However, even
: after all this time I still have a lot of
: trouble playing (cleanly)songs that require
: the version of the F chord where your thumb
: comes over the top to play the bass. The
: main guitar I use is similar to the one Ari
: uses in the Blind Boy Fuller video. I'm
: despairing that my fingers are just not long
: enough to ever really play it right. Does
: anyone know anything that might help?
: Also, a quick question for Ari if you're
: listening. I imagine that you have, at one
: time or another, tabbed out many more songs
: than what appear on your videos. Is it
: possible to purchase photocopies of tabs for
: specific songs from you? I know your ears are
: better than mine. Specific songs I'm
: interested in at the moment are Aint it a
: Crying Shame by Blind Boy Fuller and Devil
: Got my Woman by Skip James. Thanks.
Hi Chuck,
One other thing you might try to make the Fchord with the thumb fretting the sixth string easier to play. I was teaching a song that required that chord to a student and he was having a hell of a time playing it. I noticed that he had his guitar positioned in such a way that the plane of the top was perpendicular to the floor. I noticed that mine was tilted, with the part of the guitar making contact with my leg farther away from my torso, and the upper portion (the bass side) tilted back toward my chest. I suggested he try that position, he did, and he could instantly play the chord cleanly. One of the advantages of tiliting the guitar in this fashion is that your wrist on the left hand ends up in a much more relaxed, neutral position. You might want to give it a try and see what you think.
All best,
John
: : :
:
:

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--Previous Message-- : --Previous Message-- : Thanks for the support guys...I'm keeping at : it! : --Previous Message-- : Hi Chuck : I guess I'm about the same stage as you. I : can play all the stuff on Ari's BBF video : now : but equally have trouble with the full F : chord. Woody Mann gave some useful advice, : don't try to hook the thumb right over, : simply use a fold of skin by pulling the : soft : pad of the thumb against the fret board. It : does work. I also find that with most songs : you can actually use a partial chord ie you : don't ususally need to fret and play all of : the strings and this makes life much easier. : One of the most difficult tunes that I have : encounterd is Freight Train, which requires : fretting of the entire chord. It is very : difficult to get all of the notes clear, in : fact I find most difficulty in not fouling : the first and second strings. I don't think : the neck of the guitar really makes much : difference, I play a number of different : instruments and the chord is just about as : difficult on all of them!Hope all this : helps. : You and me are just going to have to keep on : trying! : Dan : --Previous Message-- : I've been playing guitar for awhile, to the : point that I guess I would be considered : intermediate level. With a lot of practice, : I can put together a reasonable version of : something like "Untrue Blues" as : taught by Ari on his video. However, even : after all this time I still have a lot of : trouble playing (cleanly)songs that require : the version of the F chord where your thumb : comes over the top to play the bass. The : main guitar I use is similar to the one Ari : uses in the Blind Boy Fuller video. I'm : despairing that my fingers are just not long : enough to ever really play it right. Does : anyone know anything that might help? : Also, a quick question for Ari if you're : listening. I imagine that you have, at one : time or another, tabbed out many more songs : than what appear on your videos. Is it : possible to purchase photocopies of tabs for : specific songs from you? I know your ears : are : better than mine. Specific songs I'm : interested in at the moment are Aint it a : Crying Shame by Blind Boy Fuller and Devil : Got my Woman by Skip James. Thanks. : : Hi Chuck, : One other thing you might try to make the : Fchord with the thumb fretting the sixth : string easier to play. I was teaching a : song that required that chord to a student : and he was having a hell of a time playing : it. I noticed that he had his guitar : positioned in such a way that the plane of : the top was perpendicular to the floor. I : noticed that mine was tilted, with the part : of the guitar making contact with my leg : farther away from my torso, and the upper : portion (the bass side) tilted back toward : my chest. I suggested he try that position, : he did, and he could instantly play the : chord cleanly. One of the advantages of : tiliting the guitar in this fashion is that : your wrist on the left hand ends up in a : much more relaxed, neutral position. You : might want to give it a try and see what you : think. : All best, : John : : : : : :

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