Open Chords....

[4hisglory]

Why do books start beginners out with open chords when it is one of the hardest parts to play on?

[gtrdave]

Hardest compared to?

Open chords can be much easier to learn than barre chords, so that's typically why a beginner would start with those.

[funkStrat_97]

Hardest compared to?

Open chords can be much easier to learn than barre chords, so that's typically why a beginner would start with those.

I don't know.  For me, open chords seem more difficult than movable shapes, but then again, I never had what would be considered as "formal" musical training.  But to your point, one of the singers on our worship team has recently picked up guitar and she is currently a keyboardist.  She actually feels more comfortable with open chords than barres because she feels that she has more strength in her fingertips than the side of her fingers.

[4hisglory]

Also, with the open chords you can't play in the flat keys where a lot of gospel songs are

[gtrdave]

Also, with the open chords you can't play in the flat keys where a lot of gospel songs are

Well, that's a given, but I still don't see why the open chords are more difficult. In my 30+ years as a player and teacher, I've never experienced a beginner struggle with open chords the way that they struggle learning barre chords.
Granted, once you get the strength and proper technique to play barre chords your chord options are extremely diverse, but getting over that initial barre chord hump can take people weeks or more. It did for me, but I kept at it.

[4hisglory]

You are the expert so I trust you.

[Adekunley]

hi my key brothers...I'M NEW HERE.

[baggettcindy]

I will google this question....but what do you all mean by open chords/barre chords?

K...I looked it up. I plan to play Bar chords on the higher Fret of my bass...to me open chords are easier.

[funkStrat_97]

K...I looked it up. I plan to play Bar chords on the higher Fret of my bass...to me open chords are easier.

Thou shalt not chord on the bass..........JK.  I don't play full chords on bass, but I do like to add some upper register harmonies (one or two notes) here and there.

[jonesl78]

Took me no time to learn open chords. As a matter of fact, I was playing multiple songs in a matter of hours after picking up the guitar for the first time. However, it took me like two months to barre.

[gtrdave]

Yeah, and the point of learning those initial open chords is to get to playing songs quickly. It doesn't matter that you can't play in any flat or sharp keys yet; it matters that you learn some chords, learn some progressions and then learn some songs using those chord progressions.

4hisglory, what are you finding so difficult about the open chords? Is it the spacing of your fingers or getting your fingertips right on the strings without other strings buzzing or something else?

[Gemini47]

Learning to play open chords were easier for me than maneuvering my fingers to play barre chords.

[SketchMan3]

also, open chords help get the fingers accustomed to being in different shapes, as opposed to just using one or two shapes that you move around the fretboard. And they require less dexterity and finger strength, generally.

I learned on an ukulele first, and went through the open and barre chords alike without really batting any extra eyes at the barre chords, maybe because of the soft strings and such...

[SketchMan3]

Open chords can be more challenging to learn because they require a wider variety of finger positions. Each one is unique , whereas barre chords, you can play major and minor chords  for every note in every key with just two (four if you're adventurous) simple finger positions. Opens are a challenge of mental dexterity whereas barres are more of a physical challenge.