having trouble with C#m and Bm

noob_uke · Apr 25, 2013

I am practicing Aldrine's Drop Baby Drop. I got the strum with chunking down but having trouble with those 2 chord. Seems like I am having trouble having my index laying flat on all the strings and having the ring finger pressing down on the G string without touching the C string.
My strum ends up sounding dull. Any tips?
Seems like I have to playing around with the angles to make the strings sound right.

DannyPham · Apr 25, 2013

I had the same problem and for me I just kept practicing those barred chords until my fingers got strong enough

Kyle23 · Apr 25, 2013

I know exactly what you mean about your ring finger touching the C string. If you move your pointer finger up higher on the barre, it makes it easier to get that G string.

addicted2myuke · Apr 25, 2013

It's all a matter of arching your fingers enough. If your pinky is touching the c string, your fingers are not arched enough. The palm of your hand should be UNDER the neck of your uke and not behind it. Your thumb should be on back of the neck, not curved around to the front. When your thumb is behind the neck it forces the palm of your hand to be under the bottom of the neck. I hope this has not confused you too much. Barred chords are a challenge for beginners, but practice, and you will get it.

SailingUke · Apr 25, 2013

addicted2myuke said:
It's all a matter of arching your fingers enough. If your pinky is touching the c string, your fingers are not arched enough. The palm of your hand should be UNDER the neck of your uke and not behind it. Your thumb should be on back of the neck, not curved around to the front. When your thumb is behind the neck it forces the palm of your hand to be under the bottom of the neck. I hope this has not confused you too much. Barred chords are a challenge for beginners, but practice, and you will get it.

Wrist & Thumb position is the secret to successful barre chords.

OldePhart · Apr 25, 2013

noob_uke said:
I am practicing Aldrine's Drop Baby Drop. I got the strum with chunking down but having trouble with those 2 chord. Seems like I am having trouble having my index laying flat on all the strings and having the ring finger pressing down on the G string without touching the C string.
My strum ends up sounding dull. Any tips?
Seems like I have to playing around with the angles to make the strings sound right.

Make sure your index finger is far enough over the fretboard - i.e. don't try to barre the strings with the tip of your finger, but with the fleshy part one knuckle up from your palm. This gives you a better barre and positions that ring finger to drop more or less straight down on the G string.

John

mm stan · Apr 26, 2013

you can also just barre the second and forth fret instead.....until you develop you finger dexterity and strength...

BIGDB · Apr 26, 2013

The only thing i can suggest is make sure your knuckle closest to your finger nail is not bent

Pueo · Apr 26, 2013

SailingUke said:
Wrist & Thumb position is the secret to successful barre chords.

Yes this!
Also, be sure that you are holding your ukulele with the plane of the fretboard vertical. Many people when they are trying to learn something tend to be looking at their left hand, and this makes them tip the ukulele back so they can see what they are doing. This is a bad habit! It makes fretting more difficult. Relax your grip, hold the ukulele so that the fretboard is parallel to the wall, and drop your wrist below the neck. I know, I know it feels weird, but trust me it *will* get easier. This is the only way that you will be able to comfortably arch your fingers enough to hit individual strings without affecting their neighbors. Plus, it will force to you to make chords without looking at your fingers, which means you can focus on looking at all your adoring fans.

igorthebarbarian · Apr 26, 2013

Good advice here as always.

Having relatively weak small hands myself, I have found that it works best if I barre the entire fret - not just the 3 CEA strings. I leave the tip of my pointer finger just over the edge at the top of the fretboard, basically pointing at my face. Also, try putting your middle finger on top of your pointer finger for extra pressure (kind of like you were crossing your fingers telling a lie!)

Also, the action of the uke can have an impact. For example, my Flea is easiest to make a Bm on since the action is super-low. And I now have Worth Clears on it, which I think are easier/softer to barre than Aquilas.

TG&Y · Apr 26, 2013

Those two chords. There are plenty of others that I'm less than articulate with, but those two challenge even when I'm stopped and concentrating on them - on the fly, forget it. Will read the suggestions here with interest (and continue to employ mm stan's idea when out of patience).

Good luck.

noob_uke said:
I am practicing Aldrine's Drop Baby Drop. I got the strum with chunking down but having trouble with those 2 chord. Seems like I am having trouble having my index laying flat on all the strings and having the ring finger pressing down on the G string without touching the C string.
My strum ends up sounding dull. Any tips?
Seems like I have to playing around with the angles to make the strings sound right.

Pueo · Apr 26, 2013

Oh, I also for got to mention finger placement - your finger should be as close to the back side of the fret as possible, not on the fret, not in the middle between the frets, but as close as you can get to it. That will help with a clean tone.

having trouble with C#m and Bm

noob_uke

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DannyPham

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Kyle23

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addicted2myuke

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SailingUke

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OldePhart

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mm stan

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BIGDB

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Pueo

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igorthebarbarian

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TG&Y

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Pueo

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