That Hendrix Chord explained

[robert]

Check this out!

http://www.dolphinstreet.com/guitar_video_lessons/lesson-117.php

My favourite chord is the 7#9 chord. 

[zagatron1]

I can relate! Me and those chords in the video go waaaaaaaaay back!

[Beth]

I find the A bar chord done with the thumb a little harder to do...don't get clear sound...stretch for my hand...not so easy to hit other notes...I will practice it and hope it gets easier...I wish my hands were a little bigger!

[Beth]

That bar chord is getting easier and easier to do....yeah

[pygmalion]

I think my hands are too big! at least, the first joint of my index finger. If I try to fret just the first two or three strings, when I bring my middle and ring fingers over to grab the other strings my index finger rises and just mutes the E and B. Bummer. My solution so far has been to fret the top FOUR strings with my index and then the rest normally. Seems to work - kinda - still have to watch that index finger rising though. Am I missing something or do I just have weird hands? I've  also seen somebody teach this chord using the ring finger to catch both the A and D stings. On a good day I can do it a little but it falls apart quick. Seems ridiculously hard and unnecessary. BTW Robert, the Hendrix lessons are great stuff; hope to see more.

[robert]

I think my hands are too big! at least, the first joint of my index finger. If I try to fret just the first two or three strings, when I bring my middle and ring fingers over to grab the other strings my index finger rises and just mutes the E and B. Bummer. My solution so far has been to fret the top FOUR strings with my index and then the rest normally. Seems to work - kinda - still have to watch that index finger rising though. Am I missing something or do I just have weird hands? I've  also seen somebody teach this chord using the ring finger to catch both the A and D stings. On a good day I can do it a little but it falls apart quick. Seems ridiculously hard and unnecessary. BTW Robert, the Hendrix lessons are great stuff; hope to see more.

Hi, thanks!

Are you referring to the chord where the thumb is doing the bass note? Or the 7#9 chord?

[pygmalion]

Sorry, should have made that clear; I'm referring to the thumb-over barre chord. Other than my pinky occasionally misbahving and not following along, the 7#9 isn't much of a problem, just need some practice moving it around.

[robert]

That thumb chord is tricky, but there isn't any barring going on. For that major chord, you only play the bass note with the thumb, and then D, G and B strings with ring, middle and index finger. No barring. The other strings are muted. You can add the pinky on the 9th, for extra Hendrix points.

[pygmalion]

Ok, now I get it: root note and triad. I called it a barre chord for lack of a better designation. I’ve been trying to get the whole chord, with the exception of the 5th on the A string. In other words, trying to make a little mini-barre on the E and B strings. Getting both the hi-E and B strings to ring out is a real bugger with my thumb over the top - makes my index finger rise up. In playing around just now though I see it’s a pretty simple matter to just roll your finger down onto the E string if you want it while you're picking out notes – it doesn’t have to be fretted all the time. And the minor triad is pretty simple as well. I guess sometimes I just over complicate things. As for the extra Hendrix points, I have an abnormally short pinky. That 9th is reeeealy stretchy. I’ll work on it though. Thanks for clearing that up.

[VikingBlues]

My favourite chord is the 7#9 chord. 

Agreed - my favourite too!! An essential chord for me when trying out a guitar - gives a lot of help to hearing how well the guitar speaks.

Enjoyed the lesson - I hadn't cottoned on to the shape up at the 11th and 12th frets - useful to know.

Oddly I first became aware of this E7#9 played by Paul Kossoff in Free on Mr Big, and then noticed it in Hendrix after - I guess I was slow on the uptake there!

[weelie]

I've only played the 7#9 two ways. The open E chord, the barring the B and e strings with pinky. Or then the "regular way" 7th fret.

I play "thumb over" style a lot. I originally learned the open G chord like that (3x0003), muting A string with the thumb as well. I have reltively short fingers, and played a nylon strung Yameha C-40 (= very wide neck).

But the Merle Travis style fretting both E and A strings with thumb is a bit too much for me. He played the D7 like this for example: 554535. Which is like the C7 up two frets... but two strings fretted with the thumb!

[robert]

Cool guys. Perhaps I should make a lesson for how to play inversions of common chords. There are several cool voicings for chords (including this one) that are worthwhile to learn.

[pman57]

Hi Robert! Hey, I'm LOVING that Hendrix Chord riff right at the outset of the video! But I've a question: How do you mute the strings when you switch from the E7#9 chord to the single notes on the E and A strings? I'm having an incredibly difficult time trying to play that great riff without the strings buzzing.
Any suggestions would be most appreciated.

Thanks for another challenging and satisfying piece of guitar goodness!

               Perry

[pman57]

Hello zagatron1! Is that axe in the photo by chance an Agile AL-2500 Albino?! I have one too, and it is my favorite of all my guitars! A great axe indeed! You've got good taste my friend!!

Perry

[robert]

Hi Pman! I leave my left hand fingers touching the other strings. That way, I can strum pretty hard with my right hand and I get no buzzing.