The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 05-25-2020, 06:00 PM
dwasifar dwasifar is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,473
Default Your "cheater" chord fingerings

I don't know about you, but I know I don't play some chords "right." I have fingerings that work for me for various reasons, which confuse people who are trying to watch what I'm doing and follow. Probably the weirdest one is this:



I like that one because it's nice to be able to add the 7th to an open Em already in progress, but you don't usually see chords played just with the index and pinkie.

This one confuses a lot of people, because at a glance it looks like I'm playing an open Am7:



Whereas if I am actually playing an open Am7 it's usually like this:



There are others. What are yours?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-25-2020, 06:16 PM
Goodallboy Goodallboy is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: East TN
Posts: 6,847
Default

I have a lot of triads that I play using the one-finger covering two strings, but I don't ever use it on the ones you show in your post.

The reason is that I employ hammer-ons and pull-offs on each of those chords to gain single nots, much like a fingerstylist which regrettably I'm not.

Get a big poster of triads, up and down the neck. It opens up the fretboard more than any other method ever did for me. If you do, you'll see how everything is related.

It will feel like cheating.
__________________
McCollum Grand Auditorum Euro Spruce/Brazilian
PRS Hollowbody Spruce
PRS SC58
Giffin Vikta
Gibson Custom Shop ES 335 '59 Historic RI
‘91 Les Paul Standard
‘52 AVRI Tele - Richie Baxt build
Fender American Deluxe Tele
Fender Fat Strat
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-25-2020, 06:18 PM
frankmcr frankmcr is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 5,336
Default

My copy of Mel Bay's Deluxe Encyclopedia of Guitar Chords shows 17 different ways to play Am7.

Which of them are "cheaters"?
__________________
stai scherzando?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-25-2020, 06:39 PM
Deliberate1 Deliberate1 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,522
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodallboy View Post
I

Get a big poster of triads, up and down the neck. It opens up the fretboard more than any other method ever did for me. If you do, you'll see how everything is related.

It will feel like cheating.
This is exactly what I am working on with my teacher. And it has been a revelation. Knowing where the roots are with the three different fingering forms I am learning essentially makes the chord for you. It does feel a bit like "cheating." Finally, one for the home team.
Thanks.
David
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-25-2020, 07:07 PM
wguitar wguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,810
Default

Here's one of Mel Bay's wall charts. It's a great reference tool. For me it's about learning and always adding to my musical toolbox. Another great way to learn new chords is to transpose a song -- I do it all the time to match my vocal abilities. Takes time and practice, but it feels great when you learn how to play new chords. For example, the song Love is in the Air (John Paul Young) -- in the key of A -- has the following chords -- Edim E6 E9 and E11 and Dbm7. Took me a while but I figured it out.

Love playing guitar,

Cheers!
Attached Images
File Type: jpg guitar chart.jpg (40.9 KB, 621 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-25-2020, 07:26 PM
Kittoon Kittoon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2016
Posts: 541
Default

In reference to your Am vs. Am7. I can’t count the number of times I’ve watched YouTube videos and such where half the fingers “hide” what is really going on! Perhaps this is a blessing in disguise as sometimes I’ll say to myself, after being frustrated, “fine, I’ll close my eyes and open my ears!” Maybe this is just me because I don’t hear others having this problem!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-25-2020, 07:38 PM
Goodallboy Goodallboy is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: East TN
Posts: 6,847
Default

https://images.app.goo.gl/gwKiZAZALMujjwcD7

This is the chart I suggested for "learning how to be a cheat".
__________________
McCollum Grand Auditorum Euro Spruce/Brazilian
PRS Hollowbody Spruce
PRS SC58
Giffin Vikta
Gibson Custom Shop ES 335 '59 Historic RI
‘91 Les Paul Standard
‘52 AVRI Tele - Richie Baxt build
Fender American Deluxe Tele
Fender Fat Strat
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-25-2020, 07:47 PM
Deliberate1 Deliberate1 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,522
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodallboy View Post
https://images.app.goo.gl/gwKiZAZALMujjwcD7

This is the chart I suggested for "learning how to be a cheat".
Tx. I was just about to ask.

David
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-25-2020, 08:15 PM
dwasifar dwasifar is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,473
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodallboy View Post
I have a lot of triads that I play using the one-finger covering two strings, but I don't ever use it on the ones you show in your post.

The reason is that I employ hammer-ons and pull-offs on each of those chords to gain single nots, much like a fingerstylist which regrettably I'm not.
Yes, that's true. If I'm going to be doing that, I use a different fingering that allows it.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-25-2020, 08:33 PM
WordMan WordMan is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,696
Default

Not a chord fingering, but I will tune to Cheater’s G - just detune the A down to G and play the middle four strings for Open G, keeping the high E in Standard for lead work.
__________________
An old Gibson and a couple of old Martins; a couple of homebrew Tele's
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 05-25-2020, 09:30 PM
rick-slo's Avatar
rick-slo rick-slo is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
Posts: 17,171
Default

Use first shape frequently and sometimes


__________________
Derek Coombs
Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs
Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs

"Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away."

Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love
To be that we hold so dear
A voice from heavens above
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 05-25-2020, 09:37 PM
dwasifar dwasifar is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 1,473
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by rick-slo View Post
Use first shape frequently and sometimes


I use that 9th fingering for "Oh! Darling". Not a C9, it's further up the neck.

I'll try the other one but I want to check with my orthopedic surgeon first to make sure he has a clear space in his schedule in case things go wrong.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 05-25-2020, 10:13 PM
Mr. Jelly's Avatar
Mr. Jelly Mr. Jelly is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Sioux City, Iowa
Posts: 7,848
Default

I cross pick triads and partial chords. All I do is cheat. I don't do that many standard chords.
__________________
Waterloo WL-S, K & K mini
Waterloo WL-S Deluxe, K & K mini
Iris OG, 12 fret, slot head, K & K mini

Follow The Yellow Brick Road
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 05-25-2020, 10:50 PM
wguitar wguitar is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 1,810
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Goodallboy View Post
https://images.app.goo.gl/gwKiZAZALMujjwcD7

This is the chart I suggested for "learning how to be a cheat".
Thanks for sharing this! Looks like a very useful tool.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 05-26-2020, 05:16 AM
cdkrugjr cdkrugjr is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Posts: 631
Default

It's only a "Cheat" if you believe there's One True Way to play a chord.

The "right" fingering for a chord has everything to do with the previous chord and the next chord, plus whatever other notes you're playing.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=