# Bar chords on large radius???



## Willyjacksonjs22-7 (Mar 15, 2017)

why is it so difficult to bar a full chord on a large radius like ibanez , esp , schecter? has anyone solved this problem? ive seen people playing full bar chords on fender guitars , telecaster and acoustics with small radius. but on a metal guitar type (like mention above) only easy chords, riffs and shred.


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## jerm (Mar 15, 2017)

That's exactly why some people prefer smaller radiused guitars, chords are easier.

That's also why some guitars have compound radius' (radii? SP?)


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## Glades (Mar 15, 2017)

There is absolutely no difference in playability. We are talking millimeters. It's all in your head.


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## Willyjacksonjs22-7 (Mar 15, 2017)

Glades said:


> There is absolutely no difference in playability. We are talking millimeters. It's all in your head.



But when i play a fender or tele bar chords are easier and when i grab an ibanez 16 inch radius u have to put your index finger a little flatter, that makes harder to bar and hand gets tense and numb.


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## jerm (Mar 15, 2017)

Glades said:


> There is absolutely no difference in playability. We are talking millimeters. It's all in your head.


Millimeters can easier be felt by a player.

Certain neck profiles are literally a couple mm in difference and you could definitely tell the difference.


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## Rawkmann (Mar 15, 2017)

Glades said:


> There is absolutely no difference in playability. We are talking millimeters. It's all in your head.



Was over at my cousin's house a few days ago and played a couple of his Ibanez guitars after playing nothing but Gibson and PRS for over a year and there is most definitely a difference. I'd been transitioning away from 'shred' style guitars for a while and the radius used to not be an issue until I started getting hand cramps from trying to play anything more complex than a power chord. I'm not saying it can't be done, but a more rounded radius absolutely makes it more comfortable to play chords.


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## MetalHead40 (Mar 15, 2017)

Surely it boils down to the individual player, but between my 14" radius fretboard and my 12", I find it more difficult to chord on the 14". Maybe its all in my head IDK? I have an Ibanez 7 string coming with a 16" so I guess we'll see. If the Ibby is even more difficult for me to chord on, I may opt to go Schecter KM7-MKII as they've got the compound radius.


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## marcwormjim (Mar 15, 2017)

There are bigger differences between these guitars than fingerboard radius: String spacing, how well the neck shape lends to your thumb supporting the barre, whether or not the "shoulders" of the neck shape impede your index finger reaching over the top, string gauge, action, scale length, perceived tension, etc.

It's easier to barre on the 10" radius at the end of my Parker neck than it is on my infinitely-flat Vigier Shawn Lane - But spending time with either instrument is all that's needed to do it comfortably when you're used to the other.


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## budda (Mar 15, 2017)

I'd say it depends on the size of your hands and length of your fingers as well as other factors already mentioned. I don't recall having a tough time making barre chords on my RG, but I also haven't owned it for a few years. Next time I'm near my brother's Schecters I'll check.


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## MaxOfMetal (Mar 15, 2017)

It's mostly technique. 

When I started guitar I took classical and flamenco lessons, so I was very used to wide, flat fretboards. Needless to say, when I played my first 9" radii guitars a couple years later it was pretty jarring.


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## Rachmaninoff (Mar 16, 2017)

Willyjacksonjs22-7 said:


> why is it so difficult to bar a full chord



Because you're still a beginner. 

But worry not, with time and practice it'll become easy, no matter what type of fretboard you're playing.


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## Willyjacksonjs22-7 (Mar 16, 2017)

Rachmaninoff said:


> Because you're still a beginner.
> 
> But worry not, with time and practice it'll become easy, no matter what type of fretboard you're playing.



Thanks for the positive comment!


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## Hollowway (Mar 16, 2017)

MaxOfMetal said:


> It's mostly technique.
> 
> When I started guitar I took classical and flamenco lessons, so I was very used to wide, flat fretboards. Needless to say, when I played my first 9" radii guitars a couple years later it was pretty jarring.



Same here. While I don't have many infinite radius boards, I do prefer 16 to 20" for 8s, and can deal with a 14" on 7s. Playing a 9" feels ridiculous. And in classical technique you have to barre a lot of stuff, and move around the FB from lower to highest string quite a bit, and classical players get along fine. The trick is to keep your thumb on the back of the neck. If Iu wrap it around the neck it's impossible to straighten your index finger. 

Here's a test I use to show people this: Hold your index finger and thumb straight, about .75" apart from each other, almost like you're holding something between your finger and thumb. It's easy to do, and is like a barre chord with your thumb on the center of the back of the neck. Now hold your index finger and thumb in an A-OK circle. It's also easy, and is like wrapping your thumb around the back of the neck and barring a chord on a 9" radius FB. Now make your thumb straight and bend your index finger. It's also easy, and is like fretting a single note with your thumb on center of the back of the neck. But here's where it's different: try to keep your index finger straight, but curve your thumb. It's either impossible or hurts a lot. This is trying to wrap your thumb around the back of the neck and holf a barre on a flat fretboard. It will cause cramping and hurt quite a bit.


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## MetalHead40 (Mar 17, 2017)

Rachmaninoff said:


> Because you're still a beginner.
> 
> But worry not, with time and practice it'll become easy, no matter what type of fretboard you're playing.



I wouldn't say practice and time will guarantee you won't continue to have issues with a flatter radius. I've been playing for over 20 years and the flatter radius still seems harder for me to chord. 

Will practice, time, different hand positioning techniques, and experience help for some, yep, but IMHO your personal hand/wrist/finger mechanics are what they are and certain aspects of the guitar (I.e. neck profile and board radius) will be more conducive than others.


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## Willyjacksonjs22-7 (Mar 17, 2017)

MetalHead40 said:


> I wouldn't say practice and time will guarantee you won't continue to have issues with a flatter radius. I've been playing for over 20 years and the flatter radius still seems harder for me to chord.
> 
> Will practice, time, different hand positioning techniques, and experience help for some, yep, but IMHO your personal hand/wrist/finger mechanics are what they are and certain aspects of the guitar (I.e. neck profile and board radius) will be more conducive than others.



I was looking at classical guitar players, and they can achieve this on flatter radius guitars, flatter than an ibanez. Even players with small hands like Andres Segovia can do it. I think is all technique and patience. Ill probably take some lessons.


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## MetalHead40 (Mar 17, 2017)

Willyjacksonjs22-7 said:


> I was looking at classical guitar players, and they can achieve this on flatter radius guitars, flatter than an ibanez. Even players with small hands like Andres Segovia can do it. I think is all technique and patience. Ill probably take some lessons.



In no way was I trying to imply it can't be done and done with ease for some. There's guys that flat out (pardon the pun) love 20" radius and play them with ease. I also know there are also players with physical limitations like myself that can play easier on the rounder radius. 

To each is own, go for it


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## Anu Custom Guitars (May 12, 2017)

It just depends what your used to playing. I play a lot of really wide necks that make some strays feel like a mandolin. Regardless of how wide though chords feel so much more difficult for me on a flat fretboard. Switching around though sometimes has cool effects on your playing style.


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## bostjan (May 12, 2017)

I find bar chords easier to perform on flatter fretboards. Maybe it's a personal preference?


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## vilk (May 12, 2017)

And I suppose you eat salad more easily with a spoon as well, huh


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## bostjan (May 12, 2017)

vilk said:


> And I suppose you eat salad more easily with a spoon as well, huh



Haha, no, but I have eaten dry salad right out of the package with my fingers more than once. 

My technique is a weird mishmash of actual legitimate techniques and stuff I just made up. I tend not to slide my thumb up and down (perpendicular to the strings) when playing.


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