Posted: Sun Jan 03, 2010 11:34 pm Post subject: B chord woes
Hi all
I have just joined I found the forum whilst looking up ways to cheat at playing B I have had a vintage EKO Ranger 6 made in the late 60's early 70's for about 25 years and was taught a few chords by a friend at the time and learned a couple of tunes. But over the years the guitar has mainly sat there gathering dust which is a shame because its a lovely sounding guitar and great to play. Every so often I would pick it up and tinker away for a bit playing the same couple of things over and over again. The result being I got very good at quite a few chords but not B of course!
Recently I had the opportunity to join a wonderful local band which is an amazing eclectic mix of people and instruments that comes out during the local festivals where I live in Cornwall. There can be as many as 30 of us on the street playing together and we all get to dress up in what's know as Mock formal and wear masks. This has given me the drive to actually push my playing on and actually learn whole songs! shock horror. I even own a second guitar now an Ashton D35 electric acoustic which I use with a little busker amp slung over my shoulder.
Everything is going great I have even played and sung! at the local folk evening I go to something I never thought I could or would ever do. The only fly in the ointment is playing B and I have a problem as well which has started in the last few months. I get pain in my first finger on my left hand its either arthritis or RSI I am not sure which. I am taking Glucosamine and Chondroitin tablets as I have a bit of arthritis in my middle finger right hand which has totally cleared up since taking the tablets. But the problem remains in my other finger this really makes it hard to play certain chords and B is one of them. Because of my problem I don't think I will ever be able to play B the right way as I simply cannot put enough pressure on the strings.
The solution so far for me has been to play B7 in the couple of tunes we play with B in and it seems to work for me. Especially as with so many of us playing the odd bum chord goes unnoticed.
I will give the alternatives suggested here a try.
I have had a vintage EKO Ranger 6 made in the late 60's early 70's for about 25 years and was taught a few chords by a friend at the time and learned a couple of tunes. But over the years the guitar has mainly sat there gathering dust which is a shame because its a lovely sounding guitar and great to play. Every so often I would pick it up and tinker away for a bit playing the same couple of things over and over again. The result being I got very good at quite a few chords but not B of course!