How do you play A/G# ?

GTLee · #1 08-28-2001, 03:59 PM

OK, so I'm a hack, but I enjoy playing. Recently several songs I'm trying to learn all seem to have A/G# in important parts and just playing the "A" part of the chord doesn't sound right. The chord charts I've looked at don't show fingering, nor have alternates - how would you grizzled veterans play this chord (hope this formats correctly:

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I appreciate your input!
BTW, I play a 410CE, a much better guitar than I am a player, but it makes be a better player. See, this post does have Taylor content!

LarryH in Texas · #2 08-28-2001, 04:05 PM

Hi, GTL,
http://www.chordfind.com/ shows the chord just as you have diagrammed it.

GTLee · #3 08-28-2001, 04:15 PM

Thanks Larry, that's a neat site, but my question is physically how do you play it? I can't make my pinky stretch up and over that far, I can't reach it with my thumb, I can't hold the GDB strings with my index finger and reach the G# note - so how would you play it?

FWIW- In a woodworking accident 16 years ago I cut off 1/4" of my left index finger. It generally doesn't affect my playing except certain fingerings like trying to play this chord for example...

LarryH in Texas · #4 08-28-2001, 04:20 PM

Good question.

Only thought about it for a minute, but my best guess is use barre-form A on the fifth fret, with the index only on the B and E strings, and use the wrap-around thumb to grab the G#.

[ 08-28-2001: Message edited by: LarryH in Texas ]

GTLee · #5 08-28-2001, 04:37 PM

Hmmm, hadn't thought about that - it may be doable! I'll give it a try this evening.
Thanks!

min7b5 · #6 08-28-2001, 04:44 PM

A/G#
4X222X
Barre the A and get the G bass note with the third finger.
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VAPORIZER VIDEO

GTLee · #7 08-28-2001, 05:13 PM

min, thanks, but I did try that method. I could reach the G# note that way, but the chord didn't sound right not letting the A and little e string ring. If I could I would barre the A without muffleing the A and e, but because of reduced flexibilty in my last index finger joint from the accident, I can't do it that way.

LarryH in Texas · #8 08-28-2001, 06:51 PM

GT, that's what min7b5 means by 4x222x; you're supposed to muffle the A and e.

min7b5 · #9 08-29-2001, 12:33 AM

Yup, you want to mute the 5th and 1st. The suggested fingering should do that for you. Incidentally you could also call this chord an Amaj7,depending how you look at things. As a passing chord going from, say, an A to a F#min7, I?d call it an A/G#. But it?s also an inversion of Amaj7 and may or may not be a hip substitute for more typical Amaj7.
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Infants paxil

PaulLePine · #10 08-29-2001, 10:23 AM

Absolutely, if you play the G# and the open A together, all your friends will forsake you. Don't do it. As min7b5 said, it's probably just a passing tone.

How would I play it? "F" shaped chord at the 5th fret, muting the bottom two strings. Then tap the bassist on the shoulder and say "would you give me a G#, please?"

GTLee · #11 08-29-2001, 12:19 PM

Hmmmm, very interesting, gys. To my nonferrous metal ear the chord with the 1st and fifth strings muffled doesn't sound right in the song, But I see what you're saying...I'll try recording it and see what the playback sounds like so I can listen while I'm not straining to play the chord...

Thanks for the input!

phoenixcager · #12 08-30-2001, 05:42 AM

How about playing it like this:

4xx655

You could use the thumb for that bass note, and 3rd, 2nd, and 4th fingers on 1st, 2nd, & 3rd strings respectively.

mapletrees · #13 08-31-2001, 12:19 PM

hey...

what about using a capo?

not sure if you know the various tasks that a capo is good for or not....

if you capo at the 2nd fret and play a regular G chord SHAPE such as

320003 or 3x0003 it really is an A chord (note that the fret numbers here are relative to the capo and not the nut of your guitar - ask if that's not clear).

With capo at the 2nd fret, the G5 chord

3x0033 would be an A5 chord...

to play you're A/G# chord you could then capo at the 2nd fret and play a simpler and open G/F# shape such as

2x0003 or

2x0033 (that's really G5 with F# in the bass)

The above is exactly what James Taylor does in Carolina in My Mind.

if in your tune the progression was A/G# to some form of F#m or F#m7 (have you said?)...with the capo at the second fret the F#m or F#m7 would be replaced with a basic Em or Em7 shape...again a simpler and open chord....

you've got other choices....you could capo at the 5th fret and use a basic and open E chord shape..

with capo at 5th fret...

xx2100 is really an A chord - just played with a beginner E chord shape - again, fret numbers are with respect to the capo...

xx1100 is E/D# if there is no capo...but with capo at 5th fret it is really A/G#

the F#m is now x46654 or x4x654

F#m7 would be x4x45x

or x4x454

or x46454

of course whenever you capo you've then got to change every other chord shape of the tune...but if you're going from one those horrid Piano/Vocal/Guitar books that probably doesn't indicate the correct chord shapes in the first place...that's not a bad thing...

Pedro Navaja · #14 03-25-2012, 10:09 AM

Nothing is to be muted in this chord. The trick is to finger the "A" chord as a "Spanish A." This leaves you plenty of room to reach the 4th fret with the pinky.

Spanish A - finger 1 covers the strings 4 and 3 at the 2nd fret. Finger 2 covers string 2 at the second fret. Just play the A chord like that for a while.

After you get used to it, then reach with finger 4 to to the 4th fret of the 6th string. You will find you have plenty of room to get down to the 4th fret.

Try a few strums of A, A/G#, Fmin, and D and you will have the opening of Adele's "Someone Like You." You can also do arpeggio on these chords as well to mimic the song better since the piano on the original score is an arpeggio.

robj144 · #15 03-25-2012, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pedro Navaja

Nothing is to be muted in this chord. The trick is to finger the "A" chord as a "Spanish A." This leaves you plenty of room to reach the 4th fret with the pinky.

Spanish A - finger 1 covers the strings 4 and 3 at the 2nd fret. Finger 2 covers string 2 at the second fret. Just play the A chord like that for a while.

After you get used to it, then reach with finger 4 to to the 4th fret of the 6th string. You will find you have plenty of room to get down to the 4th fret.

Try a few strums of A, A/G#, Fmin, and D and you will have the opening of Adele's "Someone Like You." You can also do arpeggio on these chords as well to mimic the song better since the piano on the original score is an arpeggio.

You realize this thread is ten year's old, right? I'm sure the OP's got it down by now.