Finger placement issues

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Originally Posted by rmp

you may find it easier to use fingers 2,3,4 instead of 1,2,3

Another great idea! Thanks for the reply.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

I went home last night and tried the A with 3,2,4 and it worked like a champ the very first attempt. But I couldn't duplicate it again, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't get it to work while practicing this morning.

However... Since I was able to do it at least once using fingers 3,2,4, that tells me it's possible and I'm just too new to the game at the moment to get it right every time.

I appreciate all the helpful tips and suggestions! I'll keep at it.

[Paleolith54]

Originally Posted by Rick_In_Tampa

I went home last night and tried the A with 3,2,4 and it worked like a champ the very first attempt. But I couldn't duplicate it again, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't get it to work while practicing this morning.

However... Since I was able to do it at least once using fingers 3,2,4, that tells me it's possible and I'm just too new to the game at the moment to get it right every time.

I appreciate all the helpful tips and suggestions! I'll keep at it.

You do realize that this stuff isn’t easy, right?

[rmp]

Originally Posted by Rick_In_Tampa

I went home last night and tried the A with 3,2,4 and it worked like a champ the very first attempt. But I couldn't duplicate it again, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't get it to work while practicing this morning.

However... Since I was able to do it at least once using fingers 3,2,4, that tells me it's possible and I'm just too new to the game at the moment to get it right every time.

I appreciate all the helpful tips and suggestions! I'll keep at it.

Keep at it Rick.
muscle memory will be your best friend with these kind of things.

[GoPappy]

You might want to try playing an open A chord with middle finger on the D string, ring finger on the G string and pinky on the B string.

Just realize that any fingering is going to feel strange and, probably, uncomfortable at first.

[Sadie-f]

Rick with deference to those who say "try harder / it's not supposed to be easy", I'll add that I make A with my index & middle fingers; for some chord changes, I'll switch to middle & ring.

The reason is that for me, on a narrow neck, fingers 1, 2, 3 either leave my index finger touching the 2nd fret, and also buzzing strings 1 & 5. My finger tips are that large. Therefor I outfit all my guitars, including electrics with 1-3/4" nut necks, and even on the wider necks, using 2 fingers to cover strings 2-4 is far and away the easiest for me.

I hadn't tried warfrat's 'D7' approach to A, and it works better for me than 3 stacked, I can also see where @Aspiring finds it improves some chord changes. I may look at it in the future, however my way to A works and is approved by the instructors I've worked with as best for my hands.

I also wish my fingers were flexible enough to do some of the other common 1 finger covers 2 strings, as in using ring finger to cover 5&6 in a C chord to add the low G. I've tried and can't do it without buzzing string 4. I see people on YT saying "any guitarist should be able to make this C" .. that and a dime will buy them coffee.

So that said, my fingers / tips were never small, and a lifetime of working with my hands seems to have made them larger still (I used to be able to manage a 3 finger A when I was 20-something.

Like many guitarists, I use non-standard ways of doing some chords sometimes, e.g. I'll use a bar and middle finger to make D when followed by Bm (4 strings only, arthritis in my thumb keeps me from doing 5-6 string bar chords).

So definitely if you can find a 3 finger way that's best for your A, use it. I worked hard at 3 for A, it's not right for me.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Originally Posted by Paleolith54

You do realize that this stuff isn’t easy, right?

I realized that many many years ago when I first thought about learning how to play. It's taken this long to have the resources and time and patience (Okay. Maybe not patience) to make a serious go of it.

Besides. If it was easy, anyone could do it.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Originally Posted by Sadie-f

Rick with deference to those who say "try harder / it's not supposed to be easy", I'll add that I make A with my index & middle fingers; for some chord changes, I'll switch to middle & ring.

The reason is that for me, on a narrow neck, fingers 1, 2, 3 either leave my index finger touching the 2nd fret, and also buzzing strings 1 & 5. My finger tips are that large. Therefor I outfit all my guitars, including electrics with 1-3/4" nut necks, and even on the wider necks, using 2 fingers to cover strings 2-4 is far and away the easiest for me.

I hadn't tried warfrat's 'D7' approach to A, and it works better for me than 3 stacked, I can also see where @Aspiring finds it improves some chord changes. I may look at it in the future, however my way to A works and is approved by the instructors I've worked with as best for my hands.

I also wish my fingers were flexible enough to do some of the other common 1 finger covers 2 strings, as in using ring finger to cover 5&6 in a C chord to add the low G. I've tried and I can't do it without buzzing string 4. I see people on YT saying "any guitarist should be able to make this C" .. that and a dime will buy them coffee.

So that said, my fingers / tips were never small, and a lifetime of working with my hands seems to have made them larger still (I used to be able to manage a 3 finger A when I was 20-something.

Like many guitarists, I use non-standard ways of doing some chords sometimes, e.g. I'll use a bar and middle finger to make D when followed by Bm (4 strings only, arthritis in my thumb keeps me from doing 5-6 string bar chords).

So definitely if you can find a 3 finger way that's best for your A, use it. I worked hard at 3 for A, it's not right for me.

Sadie - Thanks for your message. I had another lesson today and my teacher asked me how it was going and I told him flat out that doing an A and E major the way he said to do it just isn't happening at this point. I told him I was able to do both with 2 fingers and I demo'd my way and he said "Sounds great! Do it that way then, but keep practicing the other way." Sounded like a good compromise to me. My right hand was actually cramping today and my wrist and fingers are sore as hell. So that's not helping. But I know it's all part of the process. Eventually the soreness will go away, and as many have said, the muscle memory will show up, and things will get better.

I really appreciate hearing the different experiences of others who have traveled this road before me. Gives me hope that one day I'll be far enough down the road myself that I'll be able to look back and help those coming up behind me.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Originally Posted by GoPappy

You might want to try playing an open A chord with middle finger on the D string, ring finger on the G string and pinky on the B string.

Just realize that any fingering is going to feel strange and, probably, uncomfortable at first.

GoPappy - Thanks. It all feels strange at the moment. But as they say, this too shall pass. Thanks for the tip.

[Sadie-f]

Originally Posted by Rick_In_Tampa

Sadie - Thanks for your message. I had another lesson today and my teacher asked me how it was going and I told him flat out that doing an A and E major the way he said to do it just isn't happening at this point. I told him I was able to do both with 2 fingers and I demo'd my way and he said "Sounds great! Do it that way then, but keep practicing the other way." Sounded like a good compromise to me. My right hand was actually cramping today and my wrist and fingers are sore as hell. So that's not helping. But I know it's all part of the process. Eventually the soreness will go away, and as many have said, the muscle memory will show up, and things will get better.

I really appreciate hearing the different experiences of others who have traveled this road before me. Gives me hope that one day I'll be far enough down the road myself that I'll be able to look back and help those coming up behind me.

IME, hand cramps are more a thing in the early stages of playing, or if I lay off on practice hours for a while and then ramp back up. Also, I don't often experience sore fingertips anymore.

However, I'm also old enough to have osteoarthritis in my chording thumb. Fortunately, I have ways to manage that.

Gotta confess, I don't see how you're managing a 2 fingered E, however if it works, more power.

[Blackmore Fan]

I'd just work on middle-D, ring-G, and pinkie-B. It gets better after lots of practice. Using the "tip" instead of the "finger" makes the difference.

Once you have that down, that fingering slides well down to the 4th fret and 5 fret. "2, 4, 5, 5, 4, 2" frets in a pattern makes a great "Alice in Chains" type sound.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Originally Posted by Sadie-f

IME, hand cramps are more a thing in the early stages of playing, or if I lay off on practice hours for a while and then ramp back up. Also, I don't often experience sore fingertips anymore.

However, I'm also old enough to have osteoarthritis in my chording thumb. Fortunately, I have ways to manage that.

Gotta confess, I don't see how you're managing a 2 fingered E, however if it works, more power.

Yeah, I'm hoping it goes away sooner rather than later. I'm sure it will. I just need to stick with it.

As for the 2 fingered E... Index finger on G1 and middle finger on A&D2. I dunno, but it seems to be working.

[Rick_In_Tampa]

Originally Posted by Blackmore Fan

I'd just work on middle-D, ring-G, and pinkie-B. It gets better after lots of practice. Using the "tip" instead of the "finger" makes the difference.

Once you have that down, that fingering slides well down to the 4th fret and 5 fret. "2, 4, 5, 5, 4, 2" frets in a pattern makes a great "Alice in Chains" type sound.

I keep trying> Every day. One day it will work. I hope!

[J Patrick]

…there is no guitarist…(or pianist, violinist, horn player or typist)…that hasn’t had finger placement issues…..