I know of four different methods to playing that barre chord. Two involve an individual finger and two involve three fingers.

Stephen Seifert uses his ring finger to lay across all strings. Aaron O'Rourke uses his pinky in the same way. Either of those methods require some practice as you have to build up muscles and callouses in your finger. They have the advantage of leaving your other fingers free to fret strings above the barre. People who play like that a lot sometimes get dulcimers with a radiused fretboard, meaning a fretboard that is slightly curved, making it easier to use a single finger to depress all strings.

The other methods involve either your index, middle and ring fingers on the bass, middle and melody strings, or your middle, ring, and pinky. I learned the first from Linda Brockinton and the second from Mark Gilston. Both have their advantages depending on the other chords and notes that follow and precede the barre. Most of the time I try to use my middle, ring, and pinky fingers on the bass, middle, and melody strings, as that leaves both the index finger and the thumb to play strings above the barre.

Any of these methods require some practice (the first two a lot more), so don't get discouraged if they feel awkward at first and if you can't get a clear sound right away. Keep practicing and you'll get it.

--
Dusty T., Northern California
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As a musician, you have to keep one foot back in the past and one foot forward into the future.
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You might try light gauge strings they are easier to barr... Bob

As Rob mentioned, I use both techniques. It all depends upon the song. Some I find myself using a one finger barre and on others I use my pinky, ring and middle fingers to hold down each string. My thumb can then move up and down the fret board. It does take some practice.

Ken

"The dulcimer sings a sweet song."

Thanks Rob, it is a quandry for sure!

Julie, you're using a technique that requires a lot of practice to get right. I barre with a finger across the fretboard since, as a guitarist, I have used to doing it that way. Sometimes I use my little finger, other times I use my ring finger. An easier way might be to use 3 fingers, probably index, middle and ring, to make the barre. That allows the thumb to be free to move up the fretboard. Give that a whirl and see how it works for you.

Ok hopefully this comes out right; I have been trying to play a couple of songs, but in the songs there is a note when all three (or four) strings need to be depressed on the same fret. For instance, it would be 3 3 3 My problem is, when I put my finger down, the strings fall where the crease in my finger is, so I get a dead sound, or something that sounds very off key. I'm not sure how to compensate for this issue. Any ideas?

updated by @julie-semones: 06/11/15 07:40:16AM