Different ways to play the open G chord

[tbirdman]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Well the encouraging news is that just realizing you have a problem is a step closer to not having that problem.

I had my lesson in person with Mark Hanson. I learned so much in the one lesson as we did a lot more than Freight Train like too much tension on my picking hand. He did some changes on my technique to help play Freight Train.

[turtlejimmy]

Pinky on the top string ALWAYS. I never play a G any other way. I find this is the easiest way for me to do it and makes changing to and from other chords easier for me, there's less finger movement. Probably one of my most solid chords, which is nice since it shows up a LOT in the music I play.


Turtle

[Mr. Jelly]

Pick the open D, G and B strings. It works as a G chord.

[Italuke]

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

The "best" fingering is the one that allows you to add any other notes needed and move to the next chord most easily.

There's easily half a dozen "best" ways to play a G.

Yeah, best answer. Especially since, as usual here on the Interwebs, this thread is borderline useless since there's still lots of people incorrectly referring to string numbers.

Newsflash: strings on ANY stringed instrument are always numbered from HIGHEST PITCH, being no. 1, on down. So...

Back to the topic at hand: interesting that we're five pages in and no one has yet mentioned, although it was alluded to, that a G chord with the 3rd being the open second string is a "girls" G chord.

Whew, well, arguably that is a STRONGER chord than playing the 3rd on the 5th string because for ACOUSTICAL (physics) reasons, voicing the 3rd of a chord in a low register, just above the root bass note, sounds muddy (look up "difference tones"). Examine any (pre 20th century) piano classical music and you'll see there's usually a separation of an octave or more between the low root note and the lowest appearance of the 3rd.

Again, I digress. My go to quick G is pinky on 1st string, ring on 6th string, muting the 5th string. With my index and middle free I have lots of flexibility for other stuff.

I do occasionally play the so-called bluegrass G, but to me that's simply an, again, so-called power chord. It is incomplete. It has no 3rd, muting the A string as most do, thus giving the supposedly "stronger" sound. I would argue it's a hollow sound, but does have a place.

"Stronger/weaker" is in the ear of the beholder. IMO