Ok, this may or may not be something that you've encountered before in guitar playing. I broke my left wrist around 15 years ago. 10 years ago I had an operation on the wrist to cut away bone (as it was growing at a weird angle due to the prior damage) and insert a metal plate to hold it together.
The wrist does ache occasionally, especially when typing, but it's never really bothered me.
However, recently I began attempting barre chords and through bending the wrist into unnatural angles and applying pressure, I felt my forearm cramping like the muscle was going to burst out the skin. Lasted about 2 or 3 days and I had to put deep heat on it.
I just wondered, is this normal? Is the muscle just building and adapting to change? Is my technique incorrect? Or should I give the barre chords a miss as this could be damaging?
I really wouldn't want to give up on the barre chords....so I'm hoping it's a normal thing.
This might sound strange....
This might sound strange....
Last edited by AJ23 on Sat Sep 25, 2010 5:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.
electrics usually have lighter guage strings ( thinner ) and are easier to press onto the fingerboard
the height of the strings ( action ) are usually lower on an electric also...so having one could be useful
for you to practice barre chords and gradually build the strength in your hand....they are also very handy
to have around so it woudn't be a waste of money.....have both no need for either or...
the height of the strings ( action ) are usually lower on an electric also...so having one could be useful
for you to practice barre chords and gradually build the strength in your hand....they are also very handy
to have around so it woudn't be a waste of money.....have both no need for either or...
Last edited by polyal on Sun Sep 26, 2010 1:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
When I was teaching I found a lot of people tending to try to apply immense pressure when playing barre chords. This did lead to some serious aching.
Often this is a common mistake as if all the notes do not sound the actual reaction is to press harder. In fact you may find that it is the positioning of your fingers that is preventing notes ringing.
So my advice would be to press as lightly as you can to try and work out how much pressure is really needed then play each note and see why individual notes might not be ringing.
You obviously need to apply some pressure for barre chords, especially on the acoustic but it would be worth looking into your technique a little to see if there can be any improvements.
As Polyal has said, electric guitars with a light gauge of strings makes barre chords much easier!
Often this is a common mistake as if all the notes do not sound the actual reaction is to press harder. In fact you may find that it is the positioning of your fingers that is preventing notes ringing.
So my advice would be to press as lightly as you can to try and work out how much pressure is really needed then play each note and see why individual notes might not be ringing.
You obviously need to apply some pressure for barre chords, especially on the acoustic but it would be worth looking into your technique a little to see if there can be any improvements.
As Polyal has said, electric guitars with a light gauge of strings makes barre chords much easier!
