#16
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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.
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"I've been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened." Mark Twain 1973 Martin 0021 2011 Martin D-28P 2021 Martin SC13E |
#17
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I watched my beginner daughter having the very same issue. I tell her (and you as well) keep working on it. It will come.
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"I've been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened." Mark Twain 1973 Martin 0021 2011 Martin D-28P 2021 Martin SC13E |
#18
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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 |
#19
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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.
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I took up the guitar at 62 as penance for a youth well-spent. Last edited by Deliberate1; 07-17-2022 at 07:31 PM. |
#20
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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.
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PS. I love guitars! |
#21
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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.
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Atkin OM37 Custom (Macassar Ebony b&s) Atkin Dust Bowl 0014 Gibson Original 50s Les Paul (Monty’s PAFs) Fender Mary Kaye American Original Strat |
#22
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I play the G chord with my ring finger on the B string 99% of the time.
Try it?
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‘07 Martin 00-18V ‘52 Gibson LG-2 ‘22 Waterloo WL-14X ‘69 Fender Telecaster A bunch of other stuff |
#23
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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.
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Please don't take me too seriously, I don't. Taylor GS Mini Mahogany. Guild D-20 Gretsch Streamliner Morgan Monroe MNB-1w https://www.minnesotabluegrass.org/ Last edited by rllink; 07-17-2022 at 09:16 PM. |
#24
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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!) |
#25
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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.
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2007 Indiana Scout 2018 Indiana Madison Quilt Elite 2018 Takamine GJ72CE 12-String 2019 Takamine GD93 2022 Takamine GJ72CE 6-String 2022 Cort GA-QF CBB 1963 Gibson SG 2016 Kala uke Dean A style mandolin. (Year unknown) Lotus L80 (1984ish) Plus a few lower end I have had for years |
#26
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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.
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Rick Ruskin Lion Dog Music - Seattle WA |
#27
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Plus the free index finger is very useful. |
#28
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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. Last edited by sinistral; 07-17-2022 at 09:39 PM. |
#29
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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.
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"There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in." - Leonard Cohen. |
#30
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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.
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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 |