[cbullock]

have recently begun playing using the " guitar barre method " using open c tuning. has anyone tried that? easy on the fingers, also would like to try this method in open e chord. what's the proper tuning of each string from 6th thru 1, and the chords of each fret barred?

[Fretsource]

You can tune to an E chord with the strings tuned to:
E B E G# B E
But don't blame me if you break a string.

The barred chords with that tuning are:
Fret 1 = F
Fret 3 = G
Fret 5 = A
Fret 7 = B
Fret 8 = C
Fret 10 = D

Personally, I would do it by tuning to D (D A D F# A D) and using a capo on fret 2

[cshude]

I guess my question is whether you are doing it to get out of learning chords in standard tuning?

[krissovo]

open E is great as you just single barre all up the frets but limited at the same time. You will break strings!

[Kasper]

My brother likes to use that tuning, since he is unable to fully use his ring finger. He had an accident with it 10 or 15 years ago, which makes it impossible for him to bend it the right way. With an improvised barchord on open C (alternate fingering) he can now play properly (?) again.

[cbullock]

trying now to learn standard playing method, hoping to last out to completion. any tips on books.

[cshude]

cbullock,
really, you don't need much more than what you can find on this site as well as a couple good chord sites to get started. The trick is starting to put it all together in a coherent fashion.

The way most people seem to start is to learn the 1st position chords- C, A, G, E, D. There are obviously many more than that, but with these chords you will be able to start playing many songs and that will keep you going! ALso, simply learning those chords and being able to smoothly change between them will take you some time. In the meantime, read all you can and try to find some songs that you would like to learn.

I don't think there are too many people here who learned from a book (other than maybe a chord book showing the fingerings for chords).