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

[51 Relic]

Me too I also love playing a G chord with an added D , favourite chord

[saxonblue]

Either/or, as others have said depends on the context i.e. preceding/following chords & any additions. Same principle applies to any chord really. Never give it much conscious thought, fingers seem to know.

[Earl49]

My father grew up back in the hollers where "blue met grass" so I did it the bluegrass way at first (1, 2, 3). But when I started fingerpicking, it quickly became obvious that fingering as 2, 3, 4 was much more versatile for adding melody notes in, and I play G major that way 90% of the time.

Context sometimes suggests the bluegrass way, but usually not. YMMV.

[Mandobart]

Ever since I picked up guitar several decades ago G major in first position has always been the 2nd, 3rd and 4th fingers. I know many players do it with 1st, 2nd and 3rd but that seems like it makes transitioning to any other first position chord more of an effort than needed. If you have a pinky finger - use it.

[RodB]

Originally Posted by Mooh

Context should dictate what fingering you use.

+1. To adopt just one fingering, or even consider there are only two alternatives can be self-limiting.

I also don't feel that one alternative or the other lends itself to a particular style of music either, necessarily. True, using 2nd, 3rd, 4th frees the 1st finger, but conversely 1st, 2nd, 3rd allows the pinky to roam free, and can be quite useful.

I can recall one tune at least where I use both plus the 3rd pos. barred G.

My advice (OP) would be practice the alternative fingerings and then consciously choose which suits where. As others have said, the choice should become automatic in time

[Puerto Player]

Just keep playing/picking/plucking open; F, C, G, C, F, C, G......using mostly the 2,3,4 (except F), till you don't even think about it any more.

[RRuskin]

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

All the time. That fingering is far more efficient for most moves.

[JonPR]

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.

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)

[jim1960]

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 think most people start out playing it with the 1,2, and 3 fingers. When I was first learning (out of a Mel Bay book or something similar), that was all I knew. Now 2,3,4 is my default unless I need my pinky free to hammer a note on the bridge side of the 3rd fret.

If I'm being totally honest, I'm really only playing a G with the 3.4 fingers (3x0003) most of the time because I mute the low B with my 3 finger unless I want the note there for some good purpose.

[Myvalk]

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

Now I have to wait to go home and try it. I'm pretty sure I use my index finger my middle finger and my pinky. Would that be fingers 1 , 2 + 4?

[CaptJack]

After a year with justinguitar, I started taking live lessons. The very first day, when he was assessing what I knew, he insisted I play both Gmaj and Amaj using 2-3-4, not 1-2-3 as I was accustomed. As noted above, it does help with a lot of chord changes but my 4 still has a mind of its own sometimes.

[Jonathan_Reaux]

For me, I play them both, and it depends on if I'm playing in the key of G or C. If I'm in the key of C I play the G with 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers. If in the key of G, I use 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. It's all about making transitions within a chord family easier, even if you have to learn the same chord 2 different ways. At least in my opinion, that's the most efficient way. You can check out this tutorial on YouTube that shows 3 chord families (G, C, and E) and their respective chords, which are variations chosen for their ease of play within their respective families.

http://youtu.be/fE0jtjXPwdM

[Mandobart]

Originally Posted by 51 Relic

Me too I also love playing a G chord with an added D , favourite chord

A great sound for sure. I play it with the pinky covering the D on the B string as well as the G on the high E. Many have weak or non-dexterous (is that a word) pinky's from lack of use.

[rick-slo]

If you are just strumming I suppose 2nd, 3rd, and 4th would be a good choice for most chord changes. If you are picking out a melody line within the chords then use whatever fingering works best for the situation.

[jfq722]

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

Definitely! The first guitar phrase of Don Mclean's 'Vincent' depends on exactly that.