Impossible Pro Guitar Chord Shape

[Tr1cky Tpr]

I'm on the Hard Lesson, 3-Note Power Chords and Barre Chords. On the Eb to C Barre Chords, you are asked to do the following hand positions:

E 6 3
B 8 5
G 8 5
D 8 5
A 6 3
E

The way the game teaches you to play this hand position is IMPOSSIBLE. I have tried for a while now and all i've achieved is a dull pain in my wrist from twisting it in a way it's not meant to go.

The way the game teaches you it is as follows (for the Eb chord):

Barre the 6th fret, index finger
8th fret, D string, middle finger
8th fret, G string, ring finger
8th fret, B string, pinky finger

The only way i could achieve the chord without delivering serious pain to my wrist was to barre the 6th fret with my index, then press the D G and B strings all at once with my middle finger, and from practice i know this wont work too well for playing my own music, as my middle finger will be muting the High E string!

So can someone tell me how the hell you do this without muting any strings or hurting yourself?

[Magist]

I did the same thing. I barred the 6 fret and barred the 3 strings on the 8th fret. This was the same technique I saw in a chords book, so I do not feel to bad about it. I am curious to see what the real players say.

[TheFunto]

Some songs do chart those chords having the E string muted (the thin E, below B string), like Jenny (867 5309) by Tommy Tutone.
In the video below check those B chords for example:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dkgrXN_3mA

[TheHundredDollarHeadache]

I actually play it the way the game says. Either my fingers are tiny or your fingers are huge.

[Rednaz]

It isn't impossible. However, most guitar playing techniques are for standard people. I have trouble with some things too since my hands are small.

[Idolatry]

Technically, the game is right, using all four fingers is the correct way to play that type of barre chord.

However, I've never seen anyone actually play barre chords that way consistently. For those kind of chords, its much quicker to just barre the three strings with your ring finger. You'll learn to lift your ring finger in such a way as to allow the E string to ring out clearly. Or, you'll learn to not strum that string while playing the chord. Either way, it still sounds the same.

Edit: Of course, you still use your index finger to barre, in addition to your ring finger. Just wanted to make sure that was clear.

[ricecake]

For those kind of chords, its much quicker to just barre the three strings with your ring finger. You'll learn to lift your ring finger in such a way as to allow the E string to ring out clearly. Or, you'll learn to not strum that string while playing the chord. Either way, it still sounds the same.

Edit: Of course, you still use your index finger to barre, in addition to your ring finger. Just wanted to make sure that was clear.

I've been playing guitar for over 15 years, and I have pretty small hands, so I've always played them this way.

[atalkingfish]

I play real guitar (have never played Pro guitar), and this type of barre chord is very common, and I can play it. Heck, I can play it on a 3/4ths sized guitar, so I know you can do it on a full sized one.

If anything, it may be your wrist position and such. Otherwise, holding all three down with your middle finger works perfectly fine (and is also very common)

[n00b09]

Always used the ring finger to fret these notes in barre chords, i'm a lazy guitar player though ....guess it's lucky that my distal interphalangeal joint has always let me fret the entire chord cleanly.

Also to the guy in the OP, if you you ever get wrist pain when attempting chords like that, I advise you stop immediately. Take a good look at where your thumb is postioned at the back of the guitars neck too, it can make a big difference when fretting chords like that or doing big stretches.

[ChodTheWacko]

I have fairly large hands, and I do it the way the game tells you to.
Two angles of this chord:
http://lishutterbug.com/blog/chord1.jpg
http://lishutterbug.com/blog/chord2.jpg

The hand is slightly out of position as it's rather hard to hold a chord and shoot a picture at the same time. Most important thing I think is to use the side of the index finger (like all barre chords, for the most part)

And imho, it's the most annoying chord to play.
Dual bar is kind of an option. It's 'close enough' sound wise and it depends on what is around it.

And I had the same problem you did, just gripping way too tight when learning. This happens with all chords the first time you learn them.

- Frank