Acoustic Guitarists: How does one . . . ?/Are there drills online for . . . ?

[Not Heidi]

Either I don't know how to search, or there's nothing out there. It's probably the former, because I highly doubt the latter.

How does one strengthen one's fingers and hands for decent bar chords? Mine are sometimes buzzy, but most often have dead strings. I'm sure the best solution is practice, practice, practice, but I don't want to get to Carnegie Hall. I just want to learn how to play good bar chords. Are there strengthening drills or strengthening tools?

As for finger picking, I know there have to be drills and other instructions.

Can you direct me to some help? Help for these two things that are plaguing my attempt to return to the a-couple-of-levels-above-mediocre-player I was, from my current state of fifth-graders-play-better.

Thanks for your help!

PS You may be wondering, "Why do you need so much help?" "How did you lose your ability?"

Injuries to shoulder and hands; other physical afflictions; a years-long depression that robbed me of my love/need for making music. I haven't played but for sporadic noodling for 22 years but I am determined never to lose it again.

[dchill]

1. YouTube, my friend.

There are literally hundreds of guitar exercise videos - some 9f them excellent. Here's an example something for barre chords. (Believe me, at 72, I lose something I could do on guitar, every day.)

?si=YHpZ8sDANDPvTbmg

[Not Heidi]

2. So *that's* where I failed:

I didn't search YouTube.

Thank you very much, dchill. Happy new year. 🎉🎉

[dchill]

3. No sweat - It's one of the few things...

... YouTube is still good for. Happy exercising while you play!

[Old Crank]

6. You tube is amazing for stuff like that

The best part is you can quickly skip the chaff.

My wife took up knitting again and she says everything is there. I look for medical procedure videos. Caution, some will show actual cutting, if you are blood adverse.

Good luck on your guitar.

[Raastan]

12. https://www.justinguitar.com/

I decided to learn guitar at @ 50yrs old as a way to deal w trump getting the R nomination in 2016...

Justin Sandercoe offers a free online lesson program that taught me everything....

I highly recommend it.

Best wishes!

[rampartc]

4. yea, the rubber ball squeezes are pretty free form and

you can do hundreds of them while walking.

i like the simple spring device from dicks (cheap, too).

there is also a spring loaded gizmo looks a little like a disassembled harmonica with a spring for each finger. less than $20. i might have bought one but i think i'd laugh too hard to exercise.

good luck. i'm kinda rehabbing . strength is no problem but where did those fingertip callouses go?

[Not Heidi]

5. Callouses - where indeed?!

😠

Thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like good, inexpensive strengthening devices.

[Lasher]

7. Get a nylon stringed guitar.

They are easier to fret.

[DarthDem]

8. Congrats on taking guitar up again!

It sounds like it will be very nice for you to rediscover it after what you described. (And I'm sorry to hear about those events.)

For some reason, barre chords always came very naturally to me, whereas other things, like finger-picking and sight-reading, did not and were (and remain, lol) far more challenging. But the idea behind barre chords is, as you may already know, to get your first finger as close to the fret as possible without touching it, while stretching the finger across the strings involved. The YouTube suggestions above are great; I would also start practicing with barres starting on the A string instead of the low E as you'll have one less string to worry about. (You can mute the low E without really even trying to do so, or alternatively you can let it ring - a lot of chord voicings can benefit from an open E at the low end.) As you get more comfortable, incorporate the low E string. I'll assume you're a righty - you can strengthen your fretting/left hand with a number of cool doodads that are generically called "grippers" but are usually sold under some similar name like "grip master" or "the grip" and so forth. They work for non-fretting/right hand strengthening as well. (And if you're a southpaw, the gripper products aren't handedness-dependent and will work equally well.) Finally, start slow, but as you build up strength and speed, occasionally see if you can arpeggiate the notes you're supposed to be playing in the barre to see if they all ring out. If some are muted as you get back into things, that will help you identify which parts of your hand may need to get stronger. I find that so much of playing guitar (as opposed to some other instruments including piano) is feel rather than strict technique - you'll get back into the groove right quick, I suspect.

I hope some of that helps. Best of luck!!!

[Not Heidi]

15. Thank you so much

for your compliment and your suggestions. I appreciate it. 😘

[OneBlueDotS-Carolina]

9. String guage, neck & frets.

Maybe use some lighter gauge strings. Ensure the guitar is intonated. Learn to use the truss rod to ensure correct string tension. Take your time, play for a few minutes several times a day, Have fun & play things that are easy, things you could play in your sleep. I'm sure youtube has stuff on Travis finger-picking. Watch a John Prine video, his picking style is sweet & simple, most important, have fun.

[Not Heidi]

16. Thanks very much. 😀. n/t

[gibraltar72]

10. You Tube University has online courses.

[Not Heidi]

17. Thank you. n/t

[justaprogressive]

11. Some good advice here..

Been playing for 63 years. Some thoughts..

A rubber ball is safer than the spring-loaded exerciser. I damaged
my right hand with one of those. (popped a tendon off the top of a knuckle!)

NOBODY sez you have to hold all six strings down...partial barres are much
quicker to finger and give you all the notes you really need...unless you're establishing a bass
line or beat...

ex. Take your 1st position F, move it up two frets and you have the top 4 notes
of a barre G two more frets up is A...

2nd ex. Take your 1st position A (which you should be playing with your 2nd and 3rd fingertips)
move it up two frets, put your index finger on the high E on the 2nd fret and you have
the top 4 notes of a Barre B etc.

Assignment: learn the descending intro to "Suite Judy Blue Eyes"

On a steel string, action (distance between string and fret at various points in the neck, is very important.

[link:Guitar Action Guide: How to Measure and Adjust Action|

Once you have the action adjusted, on EACH string, start at the nut and press down the string at each
fret going all the way up the neck. Does the string buzz anywhere? Up in the high frets, does the note
stay the same even though you've changed frets? If so that's bad.

Have you had a setup done on your guitar. Can make a huge difference if your guitar has
issues...

One more thought: Most people think that once you've hit the barre chord that you must
hold it down continuously. Nothing could be further from the truth. Only hold it down
for the strum you need then release it. It is the releasing of the chord, resting your hand
that enables it to reliably grab the barre next time.

HTH

[Not Heidi]

18. Thanks, justaprogressive

Re the intro to Suite: Judy Blue Eyes: I'm glad I can play by ear!

You've given me a lot of information, and I appreciate it tremendously.

[justaprogressive]

19. My pleasure...

I could have written it out for you, but it's better if you figure it out yourself..,.

play on!

[rubbersole]

13. Generally speaking an electric guitar is easier to play than an acoustic.

I'm 71 and played sporadically since I was 9. Mild arthritis in my hands has me playing my electric only. Pain free so far. Had to put the acoustic away.

[retread]

20. I hear you. Arthritis in my left hand and fingers(fretting hand) has led to seldom playing my acoustics.

That includes my mandolin. I need to suck it up and put them in their cases and quit staring longingly at them. I also have a square neck dobro and a Fender strat. Both I need to setup and see if they are less painful.
I think if I raise the action on the Strat I can use a slide on it.
I will need to resurrect one of my amps that have been in the garage for 25 years. That means an isolation transformer and a variac will be needed. Maybe I'll just start with a string change on the square neck.

[rubbersole]

21. My Les Paul is the easiest guitar I've ever played.

The action is low and the neck is thin. Friends that have played it agree. A Telecaster owner not only agreed, he went and bought one...twice as nice as mine. Rich bastard 🤑 .

[ProfessorGAC]

14. There's Thosands Of Things On YouTube

As to strengthening the left hand, I'd be very wary of such efforts.
The best way to strengthen the specific muscles needed for guitar is by playing guitar.
Since with a normal barre chord, only 3 strings are not fretted in front of the bar, dead strings can be caused by insufficient pressure, but just as often, maybe moreso, is that the other 3 fingers aren't clean over the intended strings. Instead, they are making contact with the 2nd or 6th string, which deadens the note above the barre.
One thing to try, is to play the minor chord not the major. This should help you keep that finger straight and firm, by leaving the middle finger angle to the next fret up moving the whole hand. When you can grab the Am barre every time, then try adding the major 3rd.
As to finger picking, I've seen lots of exercises online. I don't play much fingerstyle because I don't have the nails for UT, and I hate fingerpicks. I can do stuff like "From The Beginning", "Bron Yr Aur", "Blackbird", but that's a few songs out of the hundreds I know. Can't provide more help. I'd look for exercises in videos about classical guitar. Or flamenco. Those players are extremely diligent about accuracy & consistency so they probably come up with really good exercises.
One last thing: one of the things we can do on acoustic is different chord voicings. One example: instead of playing FM barre, try this: little finger on 6th fret, 2nd string (there's your F); ring finger a fret back, one string up (C); now, index finger 2nd fret, 4th string (F again).
When playing it, use the 5th string open to get the major 3rd. Just play the middle four strings. To add flavor and some edge, play the 1st string open, too. Gives you the major 7th. And uses those open strings which adds richness to the sound.
Now, you still get a 5 string, 4 tone chord with no barre. I mess around with inversions all the time.