Playing G with 2nd, 3rd & 4th finger

[Pitar]

Whatever way suits the piece at the time.

[rlb9682]

Originally Posted by D.Traylor

I learned to play G chord with the first 3 fingers but when fooling around with doing it with the 2nd, 3rd & 4th, while it felt weird I was amazed at how smooth it was going between G & C.

I was wondering if anyone here actually uses the 2nd, 3rd & 4th to play G.

Personally I've always seen it played the way I learned but I'm seriously considering practicing the other for a while.

Don

I've never tried that, I'll give it a go and see how it works out for me. Thanks for the idea!

[annw]

I do because I can use change from G to C easily.

[jfq722]

Also, Operator by Croce uses that G - keeping pinky on as fingers 1,2,3 play C

G.................C...........................G
Isn't that the waaayyy they say it goes....

[rwmct]

Funny, I learned the 2, 3, 4 fingering first. The fingering in the book I had was 1,2,3 but getting between the C and G made the other a natural. I figured it was "wrong" but it seemed to work.

I like the 1,2,3,4 the best though. I see that as the "classic rock" G, as I associate it with songs like Wish you Were Here and Southern Cross.

[Sagebrush Tom]

Usually don't play it with last 3 fingers, i use 4 fingers for my G chord. Have practiced switching back and forth between C, G, C so many times i don't even think about it. To me 4 fingers gives the G chord much more depth, more feel.
That's the beauty of playing guitar, so many different paths leading to the same place.

Tom

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by JonPR

All the time, always have. Mainly for the reason you say.

I do sometimes use the 4-finger G (3-2-0-0-3-3), if changing to and from D, because then the 3rd finger stays on 2nd string as an anchor. But even then, I usually find myself using the 3-finger "3-2-4" shape - with that one, the middle 2 fingers flip across from strings 6-5 on G to strings 2-1 on the D, in the same configuration.

Another option I like is what I call "lazy G" (and I have seen it recommended here before too):

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

You don't need the 5th string - you already have a B on 2nd string - and arguably the chord sounds better without it anyway. And it frees up two fingers! You can then play this C/G shape easily as a passing chord:

-3- pinky
-1- index
-0-
-2- middle
-x- mute with ring
-3- ring

- and of course you can use middle and index for various other embellishments.

I also use this fingering for a C (technically another "C/G"), because it works with the G, saves having to mute the open 6th, and sounds fine as just a plain "C":

-0-
-1- index
-0-
-2- middle
-3- pinky
-3- ring

...and then I might use my "lazy F" with that:

-x- mute with index
-1- index
-2- middle
-3- pinky
-3- ring
-x- mute with thumb (or fret 1 with thumb)

Laziest G chord I can think of is xx0003. The first one you described is not exactly a G because you're adding a major second with that open A (Gadd2?). That's why you either add the B note on the A string (major third) or mute it (major third happens on the open B).

[s0cks]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

Laziest G chord I can think of is xx0003. The first one you described is not exactly a G because you're adding a major second with that open A (Gadd2?). That's why you either add the B note on the A string (major third) or mute it (major third happens on the open B).

He's muted the A string in his example, so it's definitely a plain old Gmaj.

[macmanmatty]

I use 32000X for a G the only way to hammer on from the C to the D note is use 32000 and fingers 2 and 3. If I need to hit all 6 strings then I use 320003 or 320033 depending on the sound I want I use fingers 2 3 and 4 unless I'm going to a d7th chord next then I might use 1 2 and 3 as long I don't need to hit the C note on the G
.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by s0cks

He's muted the A string in his example, so it's definitely a plain old Gmaj.

In this example he's not muting the A string.

[s0cks]

Originally Posted by 1neeto

In this example he's not muting the A string.

Yes he is, you're reading it backwards. Pinky is on the 1st string, ring on the 6th string. 5th string muted.

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by s0cks

Yes he is, you're reading it backwards. Pinky is on the 1st string, ring on the 6th string. 5th string muted.

lol that truly speaks how often I read tab. [emoji23]