Some good news for you, Mary: once you learn barre chords, which you have to do, you will spend the rest of your playing career learning how to avoid them, unless you are playing rock music. As a chord form they are overrated, probably because their difficulty for the beginner suggests that they must be a "better" chord. Really, there aren't too many situations where there isn't another way to do it most of the time. A barre chord is simply one of many ways of getting the notes you need, in any key. Facility with a capo will take you a long way in the same direction.

But learning barres are a prelude to learning some cool things like movable 4-string chord patterns, partial barres, and playing bass notes with your thumb--which, once you get the hang of it, is a _lot_ easier than playing barre chords for a long period of time. Also my favorite, learning how to play chords up the neck that include open bass strings.

Keep on practicing those barres though, but look for a teacher--or ask your teacher if you have one--about some of these other approaches.

As for guitar comfort, it's all good advice that you've received. It's not just the action and the neck width that makes a guitar comfortable to play. Try out all sizes of guitars--small bodied guitars are very habit forming cause they're so comfy to hold. (Generally referred to as a "concert size" or the even smaller "parlor guitar".)

Keep at it and you will be rewarded many times over.

Willie-O






Um, when you say "then....
slide down one fret...." I think you mean slide UP one fret.