Different ways to play the open G chord

[phil0021]

I don't want to make anyone mad - but pinky on 1st string and ring on 5th/3rd fret used to never ever be on the chord charts. I don't know who popularized that pattern, but IMHO that makes the chord sound weak.

[phil0021]

Originally Posted by janinep7

Just a casual survey... how many of you play the open G chord with your pinky on the high E string vs. the ring finger? I keep practicing with my pinky, but it wants to fold in on itself and it's not stable. I tried taping the first joint with some white first aid tape, but then it was too rigid.

Am I really going to have so many problems down the road if I don't learn the open G with pinky? I can play the alternate fingerings for other chords using my pinky but it must be something about the stretch between the top and the bottom of the fretboard that's not working for the little finger of my left hand.

Just for the sake of comparison, I flipped my guitar upside down so it was in L-hand playing position. Same issue if I fret and open G with my right hand.

I watched my beginner daughter having the very same issue. I tell her (and you as well) keep working on it. It will come.

[jaymarsch]

Originally Posted by phil0021

I don't want to make anyone mad - but pinky on 1st string and ring on 5th/3rd fret used to never ever be on the chord charts. I don't know who popularized that pattern, but IMHO that makes the chord sound weak.

Many times when I play a G chord I will mute the 5th string rather than fret it. Just depends on what tone I am looking for.
Also, just to underscore why practicing independence of the pinky from the ring finger is so tricky is that anatomically the pinky and ring share a tendon. So, more challenging than the independent movements of the middle and index fingers which each have their own tendon.
Best,
Jayne

[Deliberate1]

I am three years in. I play the G with pinky on string one. I just picked up my guitar to form the chord, and it does come relatively easy now. But, having a present mind about it, I distinctly remember how difficult it was to engage the 1st string with the pinky and 6th string with the ring finger, simultaneously. For the longest time, I would anchor the ring finger and then stretch over to set down the pinky. At some point, when I wasn't paying attention, I was able to sound both strings pretty close simultaneously. But not yet dead on.
Thanks for raising this issue, I should pay more attention to this. I think I just got better at fudging it.
If I can get there, you can too. Just keep at it, and try not to think about it too much.
David

PS: Try stretching exercises aimed at the pinky. That helped me a lot. I will straighten the finger and push it down towards the palm, while passively pulling back the rest of the fingers in the opposite direction. Also, do a spread stretch between the pinky and ring finger. I just did this for the first time in a while and forgot how much it helps make the move.

[TomB'sox]

I do both, but I learned with my pinky. It makes the transition to the C so easy that way, but with time, you will be able to play both forms with ease, your pinky will get stronger and it will be beneficial as I use my pinky to add a lot of fluff to songs.

[Msedg]

Both - have you tried playing a C shape and placing your pinky on the 3rd fret high e, then switching between that and G chord? Might help get your pinky more comfortable being there without being such a stretch to begin with.

[Turtleneck]

I play the G chord with my ring finger on the B string 99% of the time.

Try it?

[rllink]

Originally Posted by phil0021

I don't want to make anyone mad - but pinky on 1st string and ring on 5th/3rd fret used to never ever be on the chord charts. I don't know who popularized that pattern, but IMHO that makes the chord sound weak.

It is a bluegrass thing and bluegrassers will tell you just the opposite, that the chord without that D on the second string is anemic. They will also often times throw the ring finger up to the F on the 4th string for a fast G7 instead of twisting the whole hand around to get there.

Anyway, I'm in no position to argue the point, the question was where did it come from, and I spent a couple hours in a workshop at the Minnesota Bluegrass and Old Time Music Association Winter Festival getting it drilled into me. If you don't want to play it that way it won't make me mad. Play it the way you want.

Note, I think that I miss read the post that I quoted. I thought it was something different than described. If I did, sorry for the confusion. The G that I'm talking about is the one with the ring finger on the second string third fret, pinky on the first string third fret. I think that I should quit while I'm ahead.

Thank you everyone for so many great idea! Cool trick on the fast G7. Love it. Also fretting an open C, then adding the pinky to the high E, then moving the other fingers up for fret the rest of the open G is nice, too. Love it!!!

I agree that knowing the different ways to fret the chords is so valuable. More things to practice. (Less time for shopping... probably a good thing!)

[rstaight]

I was taught the traditional way to play a G chord. Index finger on the B note of the A string, middle finger on the G note of the low E string, and ring finger on the G note of the high E string.

Using the middle, ring, and pinky can be helpful when changing between the C and G chords.

[RRuskin]

Using fingers 2,3, & 4 for an open G chord makes transitions to Em & C considerably more efficient because you can do simple finger swaps rather than completely change your entire left hand.

[Joe Beamish]

Originally Posted by RRuskin

Using fingers 2,3, & 4 for an open G chord makes transitions to Em & C considerably more efficient because you can do simple finger swaps rather than completely change your entire left hand.

Plus the free index finger is very useful.

[sinistral]

Originally Posted by phil0021

I don't want to make anyone mad - but pinky on 1st string and ring on 5th/3rd fret used to never ever be on the chord charts. I don't know who popularized that pattern, but IMHO that makes the chord sound weak.

I think it depends on how big the chord chart is. With just the high E string fretted at the third fret, the notes of the chord are G, B, D, G, B, G, and with the B string also fretted at the third fret, the notes shift to G, B, D, G, D, G. It’s just a different voicing of the same chord with a fifth (D) octave instead of a third (B) octave. One could say that the fifth is the stronger voicing of the two, but either way it’s the same notes with a different emphasis.

There are times when one voicing makes sense and times when the other makes sense. For example when changing between a D chord and a G chord (or vice versa), keeping the D fretted on the B string allows it to continue ringing, so it sounds like an open string, if that is the desired effect.

And there are chords that share the high D and G, such as the C6add9 (or whatever the chord is called—x, C, E, G, D, G). To move from the G chord to the C6add9 (or vice versa), all one has to do is move the index and middle finger up (or down) a pair of strings.

As others have noted, a lot of what dictates which voicing and hand position makes sense is what comes before and what comes after, and economy of motion.

[JonPR]

I always used to play G like this:

3 pinky
0
0
0
2 middle
3 ring

I still do, most of the time. Especially when changing to or from a C, because it results in least finger movement. Sometimes I'll mute the 5th string with my ring finger to free up the middle for some embellishment. E.g. this passing C chord:

3 pinky
1 index
0
2 middle
x
3 ring

(I often shift the pinky to 5th string for a complete C/G, and use that for my standard C shape.)

I do occasionally use what I've seen called "rock G":

3 pinky
3 ring
0
0
2 middle
3 ring

- but I don't find much call for it. (I don't play Wonderwall that often...) I don't much like it because it ties up all 4 fingers, although of course it works well with the chords it's often combined with which mostly have pinky and ring in that position.

Here's one I learned from Bert Jansch:

x
3 ring
0
0
x
3 middle

It opens up a nice 2h4p2p0 embellishment on the 3rd string (Gadd9), using index and pinky; and similar twiddly stuff on the 4th string.

[Mr. Jelly]

I play the G chord every way possible depending on where, when and what's next. I even play it with fingers sometime. Figure it out.