Differences In Same Chord

[Whitey#1]

First let me say I am an absolute beginner so this might seem like a dumb question. But........

I have a book/dvd that gives one version of the G chord and I am seeing YouTube videos that give a different G chord. The difference is significant too.

Why? How do I know which one is the correct G chord?

r/Mike

[MrDB]

There are multiple ways to play a G chord but most common is 3rd fret 6th string, 2nd fret 5th string and 3rd fret 1st string. I play it with my 2nd 3rd and 4th fingers to leave my index finger free to noodle.

[The Bard Rocks]

Using the G chord as an example, it consists of three notes: G, D, and B. Those three notes are found in various places on the fingerboard and any time you play all three of them together, it is a G chord. Since you have six strings, you may have the opportunity too play more than one G note, more than one D or more than one B. Any combination of those three notes, 3 G's, 2 Ds, and one B for instance, is still a G chord.

Here's where it gets fun. You may notice that not all the possible G chords sound precisely the same, and by utilizing these differences creatively, you can create nuances that fit the music in different ways. Now you are an artist as well as a musician! So you use the G that works and sounds the best in the particular situation. Notice I used the word "works". You will quickly find that some of the possible G chords are harder to form than others. Some are easy, some come with work, some are functionally impossible and you job, should you choose to accept it, is to find one you can do that adds the most to your interpretation of the music.

[TBman]

Like everyone has said, there are different places to play a G chord and they all look different. You might ask now, "Well how do I know which one to play?" Well, it just depends on the flow of the song itself.

[KDepew]

I always say there are a dozen ways to "play" a song. Based on where you are as a player. There are so many different ways to strum, pick, arrange a song.

Same thing with chords. They are all G chords because of the notes making up the chord. But different ways to play them on your fretboard.

[Whitey#1]

The G chord that Susan Mazer shows in her book/dvd shows the 3rd finger on the 1st string, 3rd fret. She refers to that as the G chord.

So.......do I assume she is correct?

[ombudsman]

Originally Posted by Whitey#1

The G chord that Susan Mazer shows in her book/dvd shows the 3rd finger on the 1st string, 3rd fret. She refers to that as the G chord.

So.......do I assume she is correct?

if that's the only fingered note, then look for an indication that some of the strings are played open, normally an o above the strings in a block chord diagram. Open D, G, B, and then that fingered note would be a G chord.

[FwL]

Originally Posted by Whitey#1

The G chord that Susan Mazer shows in her book/dvd shows the 3rd finger on the 1st string, 3rd fret. She refers to that as the G chord.

So.......do I assume she is correct?

If you play the 4th, 3rd and 2nd strings open while fretting the 1st string at the third fret, that is indeed a G major chord. There are many other ways to play a G major chord as well. Part of learning chords is getting to know several different ways to play each chord.
.
.

[Silly Moustache]

Hi, I'm not a fan of "books/Cds" for learners. I think it is better to learn from a real live person..... but :

1. a chord is a group of , at least, three different notes.

2. The notes for the chotrd of (e.g.) G are G, B and D.

So, if you fret at 3rd on the treble e string - that gives a G, and the 2nd string open gives you a B, and the 3rd string open gives you a G.
So you have the chord of G. But it won't sound very nice.

Most of us prefer 4, 5 or 6 string chords, using all the bass and treble strings.

Fretting the 6th string (the fattest one) at 3rd, gives you a bass G, Fretting the 5th string at 2nd, gives you a B, and playing the third string open gives you a D - so adding them to the ones you did earlier gives you GBD and GBD - so all relevent notes are played twice.

There are not really "hundreds" of ways to play a G, but there are essentially five shapes that can be repeated up and down the fretboard.
We call this the "CAGED" system which shows that you can play a particular chord, in the "chord -SHAPES" and those shapes are C, A, G, E, D.

I advise you to find a human teacher.

[devellis]

Originally Posted by Silly Moustache

Hi, I'm not a fan of "books/Cds" for learners. I think it is better to learn from a real live person..... but :

1. a chord is a group of , at least, three different notes.

2. The notes for the chotrd of (e.g.) G are G, B and D.

So, if you fret at 3rd on the treble e string - that gives a G, and the 2nd string open gives you a B, and the 3rd string open gives you a G.
So you have the chord of G. But it won't sound very nice.

Most of us prefer 4, 5 or 6 string chords, using all the bass and treble strings.

Fretting the 6th string (the fattest one) at 3rd, gives you a bass G, Fretting the 5th string at 2nd, gives you a B, and playing the third string open gives you a D - so adding them to the ones you did earlier gives you GBD and GBD - so all relevent notes are played twice.

There are not really "hundreds" of ways to play a G, but there are essentially five shapes that can be repeated up and down the fretboard.
We call this the "CAGED" system which shows that you can play a particular chord, in the "chord -SHAPES" and those shapes are C, A, G, E, D.

I advise you to find a human teacher.

Of course, you can get a 4-string G chord simply by including the open 4th string (D) in what you strum when you have the first string fretted at the third fret. So, that would be 1st string fretted at third fret along with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings played open (unfretted) -- a perfectly good G chord. Just be sure not to play the two fattest strings unless you fret them appropriately. Their pitches are E and A, which aren't part of a G chord.

I think playing one-finger partial chords (chords that don't use all 6 strings) can be a good way to get started, especially if the player also sings. It gets you making music pretty quickly. Then, as confidence builds, the player can learn fingerings that involve fretting more than one string. A one-finger C chord (second string fist fret, play only the top (skinny) three strings) and one-finger G chord (described above) can get you accompanying a whole lot of songs. Yes, it's essential to learn more complete chord fingerings (and more chords) but if those one-finger chords help maintain interest in playing, they can make all the difference.

[JonPR]

To sum up:

Common beginner G shape:

-3- = G - any finger will do, but 3rd is recommended.
-0- = B
-0- = G
-0- = D
-x-
-x-

Standard G shape (1):

-3- = G ring
-0- = B
-0- = G
-0- = D
-2- = B index
-3- = G middle

Standard G shape (2) - my preference:

-3- = G pinky
-0- = B
-0- = G
-0- = D
-2- = B middle
-3- = G ring

Standard G shape (3) - aka "Rock G":

-3- = G pinky
-3- = D ring
-0- = G
-0- = D
-2- = B index
-3- = G middle

Useful "lazy G":

-3- = G any finger (I use pinky)
-0- = B
-0- = G
-0- = D
-x- = mute with whatever finger is on 6th
-3- = G any finger (I use ring or middle)

And that's just the open position choices...

[BFD]

All the info you need on what makes a G chord and where your fingers go has been covered well here.
As to which one is correct . . . . to begin with the one that's easiest to play is the right one. After you are able play several versions, the one that sounds best to you is the right one. They all have their strengths.

[Matt McGriff]

A lot of the variations shown here come into play when you begin playing with other instruments in a band situations, for tonal continuity. The G chord you describe (XX0003) is actually a G/D chord, with a D note in the bass. The bass player would be playing a D note at that point and if the guitar player was playing a G bass note within the chord, it could sound less than optimal.

As far as other fingerings of chords, it often depends on how that chord fits within the chord progression. For example, if the G chord is followed by a Gsus, then play the G with the Middle, Ring and Pinky fingers to allow the first finger to hammer-on the suspended C note. You will also begin to learn "pivot fingers" which allow you to leave one finger on the same note and form chords (like G, C2, D) pivoting around that finger. Keep at it and things will start to make more sense.

[mr. beaumont]

Originally Posted by Matt McGriff

A lot of the variations shown here come into play when you begin playing with other instruments in a band situations, for tonal continuity. The G chord you describe (XX0003) is actually a G/D chord, with a D note in the bass. The bass player would be playing a D note at that point and if the guitar player was playing a G bass note within the chord, it could sound less than optimal.
.

Well, IF the bass player was playing a D, maybe. If he played a G, It'd sound just fine as a G chord.

The root does not need to be the lowest note in a chord.

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by Whitey#1

First let me say I am an absolute beginner so this might seem like a dumb question. But........

I have a book/dvd that gives one version of the G chord and I am seeing YouTube videos that give a different G chord. The difference is significant too.

Why? How do I know which one is the correct G chord?

r/Mike

hello mike, welcome!

playing guitar and making music are two related topics that any answer to your question touches on.

there have been some good responses here, and I don't think I can add much, but only say the same thing with maybe some different words that might help.

The elements that make up a G chord are (loosely) like the ingredients for a frosted layer cake.

Take the pieces, assemble them in any order, you still have a G chord, or a frosted layer cake, albeit one that might sound or appear a little different than the one you are most familiar with.

Best of luck to you!