"A Chord" Shape? Which?
 

"A Chord" Shape? Which?

1) I have seen with index D , middle G, ring B strings and don't play high E

2) I have seen with index D , middle G, ring B strings and play high E

3) I have seen index only & it hits all D, G, B strings and mutes the high E

4) I have seen middle D, index G, ring B and play high E

Which do you use or WHY do you use which one? Thanks:)

It depends on a combination of personal preferences and the demands of the situation at hand.

I most often use middle finger on the D string, ring finger on the G string, and pinky finger on the B string.
Better fit in a small space and I also use A shape barres quite often where the index finger is being used
for the barre. I also often use the index finger to barre strings 2-3-4 - high E string free to ring, or not
depending on the circumstances.

Just tried this and the song I'm learning now I go from a 4finger G to an A, so my pinkie and ring are already formed for your A shape... gonna see if this works for me! Thanks!

I guess I was just wanting to know primarily if the index finger barring shape was more practical more often and if I needed to really work on it the most or work mostly on a 3 finger shape.

I always do it with just one finger. I don't mute the high E. I usually use my middle finger but, depending on where I'm headed next, it could be the index or ring finger.

We're talking about 1st position only I assume.

I had to get a guitar because I couldn't even think about how my fingers placed themselves - but it is index on A on g string, ring finger on C# on b string, and second fnger no E on D string. All opn strings can be played as they are root and 5th, but this possidction affords me an easy 7th by placing pinky on G on top E or, nore usually, removing index finger from G string.

It also enables me to move up to F# on D and D on the b. etc,

I'll use the index over all if doing the blues thing on the to E.

I also like to play an A7 on the EAD strings at 5th and 4th fret, which gives a nice bass run down to E.

Right from when I started to play, in the early 60s, I found I could hold down two strings with one finger. So I do a two finger A chord. Two adjacent fingers, usually the second and third, not first or fourth, get all three strings. I also do a two finger E chord. I never got arrested for it.

eventually you'll probably want to use quite a few of them, depending on, as derek put, the situation at hand. :)

the barre is good for a lot of situations, but other times you might want to hear the high open e or you are going to (or coming from) another chord (for example A7 or D) where it's easier and cleaner to use a different fingering.

you may never use every single one, but it's very useful to know most of them, it will help you get control over your fingers, and eventually they will all be pretty easy.

you don't need to tackle them all at once. you can use the barre until you have a reason to learn another (which might be pretty soon). then you can learn that one, and so on.

I use

Index D

Middle G and B

to make an A shape chord

When I move it up the neck to say a full B chord I use

Index the Barre

Middle D

Ring G and B

I use them all, depending on what else is going on. I very often substitute Amaj7 for A, so that has a C instead of a C# and opens up the fingering a lot. I often (maybe usually) would use a barre with my first finger and pinky on A first string fifth fret. Or the Ab if a major 7 sub.

I think you had a little mental slip there, as Amaj7 would have a G# note added to its notes of A, C#, and E.

Am would have a C instead of a C#.

+1 (but only with the A chord, I've never played a two finger E chord). So, for the A chord, I'm:

5) Index D, middle G and B strings (fretted closer to the fret), and I play the high E.

I usually play it with index on G, middle on D, and ring on B. This lets me hammer on my pinky for a sus4 or pull off my ring for a sus2. I can also move to a D major or E major very easily like this (index never comes up, just slides), making for fast transitions in most keys where I need an A major.

Sometimes I play it the traditional way, but very rarely...

Sometimes i play it by barring the D G B with my index and pinky on the E at fret 5.

Really, you just need to learn on the possible combinations and which ones help you move from one chord to another, and which ones leave your hand in the right place to move into a bass run or melodic lead. No point having limitations :)

It usually depends on what precedes the A chord. Sometimes a single finger barre using either index or middle finger; sometimes a two finger shape using either index + ring or middle, or middle + ring. I just can't fit three fingers in there.

So humbled and grateful for all the information!

It will probably take me a year to try all of this, but now I have some direction and will LEARN so much from y'alls' great info!

Thank You and God Bless!

you play it almost the same way as me. I used Index D and G middle B It makes hammering on from B to C# in finger picking songs very easy while still being able to hit the A and the E notes.