throw another bear in the canoe

Stupid question, but does it HAVE to be the F# in the bass, or have you tried various inversions and simply not found one that sounds right, yet?

I ask this because, while I'm not a veritable encyclopedia of chords and inversions, I AM a songwriter, and I have on occasion stumbled across variations on certain chords that work just as nicely in the piece and don't cramp my hand as much during the changes. Sometimes, the inversions feel and sound more natural, especially if they're easier on your digits. < /stupid>

I need to learn the damned barre chords eventually, and none of the chords I know work. (I will cheerfully sub in something similar when I can. Fmaj7 is my cure for everything *g*)

Chords are hard. I could almost-almost play one song if I could make my short little fingers switch chords much more... fluidly.

Sometimes when I play C and then stop, readjust, and play G, and then stop, readjust and play D, I start to feel bewildered that people play the guitar at all.

The way to learn to switch chords fluidly is to sit in front of the TV and switch mindlessly, endlessly, back between two or three chords.

Stultifying, but it works.

I like how Clapton does the minor barre chords. He gives the world the finger. Very rock & roll. However, when I do them, I keep my finger curled up close to the fingerboard so it doesn't have to travel so far when I need it again. Just call me "even slower hand".