Good year for the roses...Bm barre, A inv chord

Hi

I've been working on this song from your lessons. Would you suggest any guidance on these 2 trouble spots I'm having, please?

1. Changing from the open A chord to the Bm barre? I can make the Bm barre pretty well. I can change off it to the open E better every day. But, A to Bm barre takes forever! Hints to make the change easier?

2. A inversion chord in the chorus. I can't get it. The index barre on the D, G, & B strings without barring or muting the high E just isn't working out, especially with the ring finger stretched to hit the C# 2 frets down. My hands aren't that big. Is there an alternative chord in the short run and a tip to practice it as is in the long run?

3. Question: In the chorus lesson re: A inv chord, you seem to suggest that part of the purpose of that chord allows for what I'd term a "walk down"..a few individual notes descending between chords. But, I don't see a walk down anywhere in the performance part or the music notation. ??

Thanks!

FWIW this Elvis Costello/ George Jones song is a great inclusion for my beginner level. Hopefully, it's not being overlooked by too many!

Hey there - thanks for your great questions!!

1) Check out this youtube video I just did for GuitarTricks on this very topic. Using this method to practice tough chord changes is an effective way to improve:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msWZsVkX5gA

2) You can use a regular open A chord instead of the first inversion A chord in that spot.

3) The walkdown melody starts with the D chord - and the melody goes D, C#, B, then A. If we look at the chords we are playing - the D and C# are the roots of the D and first inversion A chords. The B note is the 5th of the open E chord, then the A is the root of the open A chord. Make sense?

Hope this helps!! Let me know how it goes!

Mike

Originally Posted by: kund1

Hi

I've been working on this song from your lessons. Would you suggest any guidance on these 2 trouble spots I'm having, please?

1. Changing from the open A chord to the Bm barre? I can make the Bm barre pretty well. I can change off it to the open E better every day. But, A to Bm barre takes forever! Hints to make the change easier?

2. A inversion chord in the chorus. I can't get it. The index barre on the D, G, & B strings without barring or muting the high E just isn't working out, especially with the ring finger stretched to hit the C# 2 frets down. My hands aren't that big. Is there an alternative chord in the short run and a tip to practice it as is in the long run?

3. Question: In the chorus lesson re: A inv chord, you seem to suggest that part of the purpose of that chord allows for what I'd term a "walk down"..a few individual notes descending between chords. But, I don't see a walk down anywhere in the performance part or the music notation. ??

Thanks!

FWIW this Elvis Costello/ George Jones song is a great inclusion for my beginner level. Hopefully, it's not being overlooked by too many!