[chorizo]

...Maybe too much. Am I strange?

I tend to play ONLY using barred chords (I find them comfortable to play), sometimes I may not get every note clean everytime but most are (it sounds ok to me and i can get away with focusing on those that are clean). I only venture down to the open positions when the song really demands it or I force myself to out of guilt. Is this a bad habit? Can anyone advise on potential problems with this.

[Fretsource]

I can't see any problems. You say you mostly prefer barre chords but you can play open chords whenever a song needs them, so you're not limiting yourself in any way as far as I can see.

[chorizo]

I guess its from when i started to play, there's so much emphasis on learning the open chords that i feel i should be using them too as if they're somehow better. Also wondering if only using full barres may cause the sounds to be a bit monotonous so i think i should throw in some open chords for a change. Maybe i should try partial bars to (don't really do that at the moment).

[TenThumbs]

I've been trying to learn one tune recently and I've been experimenting with both barre and open chords and a mixture of both.

I too am a newb (not in playing years but in ability) and can easily play barre chords - as easily as open chords.

The chords that my tune has needs Dm, Bb, F & C so they can all be barred around the 5th - 8th frets and as open chords. I much prefer to do F as a first fret barre than an eighth fret barre so this leaves me with some interesting mix choices. I guess all that matters is efficiency.

In fact the tune opens with (in the sheet music) 4 bars of fingerpickin' using the open chords and them moves to barre chords for the backing part. I think my nose pickin' is much better than my geetar fingerpickin'.

[allthumbs]

I don't play open chords much myself, it's all good.

[cshude]

It's a mix for me- all depends on the tune- there's a time and place for all chords. If you're comfortable using primarily barre chords, then go right ahead.

[wcostley]

I wish I had your problem.
Skip............

[pamelody]

Wcostley took the words out of my mouth-

[lorispencer]

I don't use open chords or open strings often because it makes a change of key a bit harder. I play jazz standards and to be able to change the key instantly based on a different singer or different mix of instruments is a requirement. with no open strings, the muscle memory of the song is always the same. I tend to center my playing around the 5th to 7th fret so that i can move down or up without any big jumps.

the times that i will use open strings is when i arrange songs with note or notes used as a pivit point for every chord such as a song where the E and B strings are open through the entire song. For example if the song were E / C#m / A / B7 i would play E / C#m9 / A2 / Bsus. All chords have the low and high E and the B open playing all fingered notes on the 5th, 4th, and 3rd strings with the inversions being used in the 5th to 7th fret range. This is a pretty common guitar 'thing' and you hear it in many songs.

[Stratrat]

As Cshude said, they both have their purposes. Barre chords can lend different voicings, and they're also very useful when you're doing songs with a walking bass line. I'm pretty comfortable with either/both of them, and use them according to which makes the song easier to play! I think it's good to be familiar with both of them, and even better if you can switch between them comfortably....just adds a little more versatility, IMO.

[Kirk Lorange]

Chords are chords, no matter where you find them ...

[Aunt Doty]

Originally Posted by pamelody

Wcostley took the words out of my mouth-

Originally Posted by wcostley

I wish I had your problem.
Skip............

Right on!! I'm with ya'll as we say in the South!!!

[chorizo]

Thanks for the all your thoughts on this. Now I feel i can "come out" and use those barre chords without guilt, fear of going blind, growing hairy palms etc...etc...

[krisling]

Originally Posted by wcostley

I wish I had your problem.
Skip............

Yeah sounds like a real blessing to me. I'm a beginner and I'm having trouble with the barre chords. Practice makes perfect though....that's what I keep telling myself.

[Dewy]

Its good to know how to find chords all over the guitar... Barre are excellent to know well for that reason if no other.

When composing additional guitar tracks, changing chord form is a quick and tasteful way of embellishing an idea without coloring it too much.

Sometimes thats open chord to barre, or reverse. Need to learn them both, as you will no doubt if you keep at it.