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  #16  
Old 05-27-2013, 12:52 PM
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Norml Norml is offline
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Shouldn't require a picture. It is fingered with the pinkie on the high E 3rd fret, ring finger on the low E 3rd fret, and middle finger on the A string 2nd fret.

Here is a link to a picture, top row picture on the right.
http://drbanjo.com/chords/alt-chords-g.php

Last edited by Norml; 05-27-2013 at 12:57 PM.
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  #17  
Old 05-27-2013, 12:56 PM
HHP HHP is offline
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A variation that might be easier for some is to place ring finger 3rd fret low E, laid back slightly to mute the A string, and pinky on 3rd fret high E. Lets you easily play the G-C or add the D note from the B string into the chord.
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  #18  
Old 05-27-2013, 02:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RustyAxe View Post
That's not a "funky" G major, but a standard form, and much preferred by many of us. Work on it. You'll find transitions to other chords (F, C, Am, and many others) to be much easier.
Nothing "funky" about that shape at all to me. It's the way I've played an open G since day one.

And I agree with rustyaxe...it's much easier to transition to and from that shape than it is with the others. You can also do a lot of cool things within the chord with the index and middle fingers.
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  #19  
Old 05-27-2013, 03:14 PM
BluesBelly BluesBelly is offline
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I've been looking all over the internet and this is the closest I could find.
http://video.search.yahoo.com/video/...ge=0&b=31&tt=b

Blues
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  #20  
Old 05-27-2013, 03:30 PM
Mellow_D Mellow_D is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Norml View Post
Shouldn't require a picture. It is fingered with the pinkie on the high E 3rd fret, ring finger on the low E 3rd fret, and middle finger on the A string 2nd fret.

Here is a link to a picture, top row picture on the right.
http://drbanjo.com/chords/alt-chords-g.php
Oh ... that was the very FIRST chord along with the open C chord I learned when I started taking lessons. Why is that being called a Tom Petty chord and why is it being treated as something unusual?

(And thanks for the link.)
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  #21  
Old 05-27-2013, 06:06 PM
radarlover radarlover is offline
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because its "funky" to me and how I learned to chord the open g. I learned the 4 finger g first and then progressed to the 3 finger g which I play most of the time now. this g chord that some played from day one is the one I discovered yesterday after playing for 3 years. the stretch with the ring finger on the a string and the pinky on the high e was/is awkward for me. I am getting it so its nothing impossible, just something new. I am taking to heart helpful players who are encouraging me to add it to the arsenal so to speak and for the most part ignoring the ones who act like I am Neanderthal man for not knowing it. I called it the Tom Petty G because he was the first dude I noticed using it and because my theory is almost non existent.
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  #22  
Old 05-27-2013, 06:27 PM
Riverwolf Riverwolf is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by radarlover View Post
and for the most part ignoring the ones who act like I am Neanderthal man for not knowing it.
God, I have had a rather crappy day remodeling a bathroom and breathing glue in the process. You gave me a good laugh!
I love the Heartbreakers music!
That acoustic version is beautiful.
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  #23  
Old 05-27-2013, 09:15 PM
Mellow_D Mellow_D is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by radarlover View Post
because its "funky" to me and how I learned to chord the open g. I learned the 4 finger g first and then progressed to the 3 finger g which I play most of the time now. this g chord that some played from day one is the one I discovered yesterday after playing for 3 years. the stretch with the ring finger on the a string and the pinky on the high e was/is awkward for me. I am getting it so its nothing impossible, just something new. I am taking to heart helpful players who are encouraging me to add it to the arsenal so to speak and for the most part ignoring the ones who act like I am Neanderthal man for not knowing it. I called it the Tom Petty G because he was the first dude I noticed using it and because my theory is almost non existent.
Oh, I thought it was called a Tom Petty chord and I just hadn't heard of it before, the way some people talk about the "Jimi Hendrix chord."

When I started taking lessons, I learned open chords, then barre chords. But almost no theory and last year I figured it was time to start learning what was behind the things I was doing, so based on suggestions of some here I got Peter Vogel's book on theory and it helped a lot. But I still have a long way to go (with both theory and actual playing.) But almost everyone on this forum has always been very helpful with my questions, which I know at times must seem very basic. And I can't tell you how many times I have said in some manner I don't get it and others would explain again, often providing links and suggestions for further reading or viewing. They have a lot of patience.
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  #24  
Old 05-27-2013, 10:09 PM
radarlover radarlover is offline
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yeah I hear you. with my uncles prodding I bought a college level book package that's way over my head(tonal harmony) and have a couple more on the way(circa 1935 Applied Harmony part 1 Diatonic Harmony and Simple Modulation) and (New Beginning Theory for Adults: The Grownup Approach) I am hoping I can get some of it stuck in my brain so I can start to understand the craft of making chord shapes and deciphering chord progressions. sorry for the brusque reply btw, I had a rough day and a couple of replys hit me the wrong way.
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  #25  
Old 05-28-2013, 04:50 AM
Mellow_D Mellow_D is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by radarlover View Post
yeah I hear you. with my uncles prodding I bought a college level book package that's way over my head(tonal harmony) and have a couple more on the way(circa 1935 Applied Harmony part 1 Diatonic Harmony and Simple Modulation) and (New Beginning Theory for Adults: The Grownup Approach) I am hoping I can get some of it stuck in my brain so I can start to understand the craft of making chord shapes and deciphering chord progressions. sorry for the brusque reply btw, I had a rough day and a couple of replys hit me the wrong way.
Message boards I suppose are no different than all other venues in life ... you'll always find one or two perhaps who aren't as receptive as you'd like. But most here are receptive, and very helpful.

I'm only about six months into learning theory myself. And many times what I'm trying to learn -- from the books or from the replies to my questions -- just make my head spin, that feeling of "I'm just not smart enough to comprehend and I'm in over my head." But I still persist ... I'll ask further questions for clarification, and I'll ask for suggestions as to other material that might help me overcome these roadblocks I so often run into. It's an on-going process. Plus the fact, I'm still trying to learn how to play (which has its own set of challenges and produces another kind of frustration at times).

But I just keep trying. Because I realize even when I finally grasp one thing, there's another challenge to follow, and that's just the way it's going to be. I don't know if I'll ever be "good" or even competent, but I enjoy the instrument, so I just keep at it, realizing there's no endpoint, just growth.

So good luck on your journey ... it's one I share and understand.

Last edited by Mellow_D; 05-28-2013 at 08:50 AM.
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  #26  
Old 05-28-2013, 07:21 AM
Jim_G Jim_G is offline
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Haven't seen anyone mention it, but that G form is the quick route to G7 as well.

The funkiest G I've seen is the way Dave Van Ronk did it. He played alot (seemed to me almost exclusively in his later years) in dropped D. But besides D, he would do alot of tunes in G with that tuning. So he'd wrap his thumb around the low D at the 5th fret if he needed the low G. He did walk downs moving that thumb around too. I always hated that form, but I still did a cover of his cover of Leroy Carr's "Midnight Hour Blues" using it.
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  #27  
Old 05-28-2013, 07:42 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Another advantage of playing G with ring on 6th and pinky on 1st is it liberates two fingers:

-3- pinky
-0-
-0-
-0-
-x- (mute with ring)
-3- ring

The B on 5th string serves no useful purpose (seeing as you have one on 2nd string) and can muddy the bass end of the chord anyway. Played as above, you can now add these embellishments at will:

-3----
-0-h1---- index
-0-h2---- middle
-0-h2--- middle
-x----
-3-

Petty just uses the sus4 on 2nd string (in this song), but the 6th (E) on 4th string and 9th (A) on 2nd string are also often useful. This shape is C/G, of course:

-3----
-1---- index
-0----
-2--- middle
-x----
-3-
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  #28  
Old 05-28-2013, 08:32 AM
TJE TJE is offline
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I for one can't play the g chord with middle ring an pinky unless I mute the A string. My pinky is too short. The index middle ring was a god send to me when I was younger. I had been told cant mute that a string. Glad I learned u can!

Last edited by TJE; 05-28-2013 at 08:33 AM. Reason: Spelling.
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  #29  
Old 05-28-2013, 08:54 AM
Mellow_D Mellow_D is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonPR View Post
Another advantage of playing G with ring on 6th and pinky on 1st is it liberates two fingers:

-3- pinky
-0-
-0-
-0-
-x- (mute with ring)
-3- ring

The B on 5th string serves no useful purpose (seeing as you have one on 2nd string) and can muddy the bass end of the chord anyway. Played as above, you can now add these embellishments at will:

-3----
-0-h1---- index
-0-h2---- middle
-0-h2--- middle
-x----
-3-

Petty just uses the sus4 on 2nd string (in this song), but the 6th (E) on 4th string and 9th (A) on 2nd string are also often useful. This shape is C/G, of course:

-3----
-1---- index
-0----
-2--- middle
-x----
-3-

what does the h mean where you write h1, h2 and what do the numbers 1 and 2 refer to?
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  #30  
Old 05-28-2013, 09:03 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mellow_D View Post
what does the h mean where you write h1, h2 and what do the numbers 1 and 2 refer to?
"h" means hammer on, and the numbers are frets - although they also happen to be finger numbers in this case.
Of course you don't have to hammer on - you can pick and pull off too, the point was they are occasional optional notes, not part of the chord (except in the C/G).
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