Why do they teach you to play the G chord this way?

[cheekygeek]

Well, tried the 2nd method tonight and as a newbie I have to say: "You've GOT to be kidding me!"

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by cheekygeek

Well, tried the 2nd method tonight and as a newbie I have to say: "You've GOT to be kidding me!"

So cg...

Did you like or not like it?

I cannot read your response...

[Bern]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

All depends on the situation.

I'm of the school of thought that's there's not really a "correct" fingering, just a "correct fingering for any given situation." Sometimes that's the "easiest" fingering, sometimes not.

Case closed !
I also play a combination of the two, OP, using the ring finger to double the 5th D on the B string.

[skitoolong]

Originally Posted by cheekygeek

Well, tried the 2nd method tonight and as a newbie I have to say: "You've GOT to be kidding me!"

As an advanced newbie... there are a couple of songs that I learned (eagles) that that 2-3-4 fingering was almost required. For the first couple of days I couldn't figure out how anyone could.

Now I can't figure out how I can't. It's strange. Depending on the progression my fingers kind of find the way.

Unless I'm playing a "big G" I like the second fingering more now. It's faster and easier to change from/to with the stuff I'm learning now.

[cheekygeek]

Well, that's encouraging skitoolong, because it feels like a physical impossibility to my 53 year old fingers tonight.

[carl365]

Perhaps your not giving it nearly enough time and work cheekygeek, have you tried to slowly form the chord a thousand times? Then, comes forming the chords up to tempo. It's something that grows slowly and and during that learning time, your training the brain to "see" the shape. One day you'll be surprised, what seems impossible today, you can do.

Have patience, lot's of it.

[MerryBee]

I was introduced to the 2-3-4 fingering of the G chord in a junior college guitar class after playing the 1-2-3 chord for a few years. Since the instructor took points off your grade if you did not use it, I had to practice it! It took my 63 year old fingers a couple months to do it well, but now I prefer it, especially going to/from a C chord. It is worth the effort to learn it.

[skitoolong]

Originally Posted by cheekygeek

Well, that's encouraging skitoolong, because it feels like a physical impossibility to my 53 year old fingers tonight.

Hang in there. I'm your age. If I can do it anyone can.

[Seanr]

Keep at it - I had first lessons as 8 yo and only played the top three strings in chords so third finger on third fret of first string was my first G chord. Later I learned the full G chord. Later I was using the pinky to fret the high G note - makes it possible to play a D note at third fret of second string - really popular in Bluegrass/country. Also good to add the C note at first fret of 2nd string - popular with pop or folk - get that piky working. Only do it and change between G, C, and D chords for about 5 minutes a day and work your way up.
Above all - enjoy your playing.

[pallec]

Well, try to do e.g. an open position Gsus4 chord with the first fingering, then you will know why you need to learn the second fingering...

However, if you are a beginner, I would recommend that you get comfortable with the most common chord fingerings, before moving on to alternatives. No need to overload the muscle memory from day one...

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by pallec

...However, if you are a beginner, I would recommend that you get comfortable with the most common chord fingerings, before moving on to alternatives. No need to overload the muscle memory from day one...

Hi pallec...

As a guitar teacher, I recommend beginners learn all the variations they can as soon as they can rather than delaying and getting stuck on the thought that there is only one way to finger any chord.

My students learn at least 5 ways to play a G all at the same time (with appropriate examples of each).

[cheekygeek]

Originally Posted by carl365

Perhaps your not giving it nearly enough time and work cheekygeek, have you tried to slowly form the chord a thousand times? Then, comes forming the chords up to tempo. It's something that grows slowly and and during that learning time, your training the brain to "see" the shape. One day you'll be surprised, what seems impossible today, you can do.

Have patience, lot's of it.

Of course you are right, carl365. This was just my first attempt, but I could not position/stretch enough to even get all six strings sounding clearly at the same time. I'll get back to you in another 900 attempts, or so.

[pallec]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi pallec...

As a guitar teacher, I recommend beginners learn all the variations they can as soon as they can rather than delaying and getting stuck on the thought that there is only one way to finger any chord.

My students learn at least 5 ways to play a G all at the same time (with appropriate examples of each).

True, but I have often seen beginners give up due to the amount of chords their instructor wants them to learn.

IMO it is much more motivating for a beginner to quickly learn some basic chrods and start having fun playing some simple tunes.

However, we are all (thankfully) very diffent, with different approches on how to learn new skills.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by pallec

True, but I have often seen beginners give up due to the amount of chords their instructor wants them to learn.

Hi pallec...

I've taught locally for 37 years, and the students I've seen who give up do so because an instructor is trying to teach them out of a book instead of song based teaching. They took lessons because they wanted to learn to play and sing a few simple tunes, but the teacher came at it from a classical perspective.

By the way, these are the students who used to end up in my lessons when I taught beginners. They were recovering from having given up.

Some people give up because they have no interest in learning music in the first place, and mom or dad are pushing them to learn an instrument. Same reason they gave up piano before they took guitar.

I've never had students become overwhelmed because we made the techniques more diverse, and the playing more fun. I also never handed someone a raw chord chart and asked them to memorize chords out of context.

I ask students to learn and play scales, chords, progressions in context of actual music. In 37 years, I've only taught 2 students who were devoid of talent or musical aptitude. The rest were able to be coaxed to move outside their comfort zones and learn new 'stuff'.

Asking someone to learn to play a G chord 4 different ways and showing them examples of each is a fun exercise - or can be. Or it can just be fingerings on a chart and an assignment scribbled in a lesson book...(boring).

[Mr Fixit eh]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi pallec...

As a guitar teacher, I recommend beginners learn all the variations they can as soon as they can rather than delaying and getting stuck on the thought that there is only one way to finger any chord.

My students learn at least 5 ways to play a G all at the same time (with appropriate examples of each).

+1 on this advice. Playing music is about keeping the beat solid. Beginners struggle like crazy to get the left hand to make a clean sounding chord, and they struggle to make the chord changes quickly enough to keep a solid beat. As said earlier, knowing a variety of left-hand positions allows youi to pick a shape that changes from the previous chord and to the next chord more easily and efficiently. When you're learning a song, I would experiment with Larry's different chord shapes and you'll find that one of them will be clearly easier for you. The huge payoff is that you will be able to keep a better, more solid beat.

Then, when you've got these 5 shapes mastered, you can start experimenting with F-shape barre chords at the 2nd fret - yet another way to get a G-chord.

Stick with it and practice - it gets easier. Well, at least the G- chord gets easier - as you progress, you'll find lots of other things to work on.

Steve