Finger issues

Hold on there :!: :!: :!: :!: :!: :!:
How long have you been playing :?:
It took me two month to get the A chord :!:
There are also diffrent fingering you can use:

---------------------open
--------2-----------Second finger
--------2-----------First finger
--------2-----------First finger
---------------------open
--------X------------

----------X-----------Mute with first finger
----------2-----------First finger
----------2-----------First finger
----------2-----------First finger
----------------------open
----------------------open

and

--------------------------
--------2-----------------third finger
--------2-----------------second Finger
--------2------------------first finger
----------------------------
--------X------------------

I use the third one but any work. Remember the three p's Patience
Persistence
Practice

Yes, everyone goes through this! I've been playing for a few years and I still have moments where I can't get my fingers to cooperate.

A few articles to look at:

Getting started: https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=78

Posture: https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=217

And finally, some easy songs to get you going: https://www.guitarnoise.com/topics/easy-guitar-songs/ I recommend starting with Horse With No Name.

Hey Dustin, yes I think everyone goes thru this problem. Your brain has to teach your fingers to move , and use muscles that you normally dont and this will take time. A way to practice is to forget about your strumming hand for a moment and just concentrare on moving your fingers back and fourth from chord to chord, do this VERY slowly and concentrate on just moving those fingers where they need to be, once you get there , hold them there for a moment and repeat many times. After a few days you'll see improvement. Hope this helps ya

remeber stay loose but keep your fingers firmly placed when they need to be. Realxation and slowness is the key. practice doesnt make perfect... practice makes permanent. just make sure you're practicing perfectly, and the results will be perfect.

Yeah, I'm still a big beginner but I remember when fingering a C chord seemed like an impossible stretch...and going from C to G seemed definitely impossible! This all passed after a month or two. Stay with it...trust me you will find many many other things to get frustrated about after you get past this hurtle. Thats part of the fun, its a challange and hard work and it will all pay off (I hope, cause it hasn't yet for me)

I always remember a favorite hendrix quote of mine:
"Sometimes you want to give up the guitar, you'll hate the guitar. But if you stick with it, you're gonna be rewarded."

peace,
-Dustin

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. I'll just keep sluggin away in good faith that it will get better!

Dustin

OMG Dustin,
I could've written the exact same post.
G and C are reachable for me, but i have to exert a lot of finger pressure and be super careful about positioning to not buzz or mute adjacent strings.
There are days when I can play these chords better than other days, but after my fingers get tired, it's back to the buzzing and muting thing.
I've been trying to learn the intro to "Wish You Were Here" https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=409 which uses my 3 favorite chords (not) G, Em7, and A7Sus4.
These things are virtually impossible for me to play cleanly every time.
And forget about switching from one to another cleanly or quickly!
I keep yelling at my fingers, but they don't seem to listen :D
Everybody says "you'll get it some day", and I do believe them.
It's just awfully frustrating at times.
However, the guitar is such an awesome instrument, and I am totally committed to learning it.
Just hope I don't get committed first.
Lenny
Hey guys,

I have another newbie question for you. I think some people may have asked this before, but I need some reassurance here. I'm trying to get all of the basic open chords down, but no matter how much I push, pull, cajole, contort and curse my fingers they simply will not strecth to the required strings. This happens a lot with G and C. Even when they do get to the right strings (which in and by itself is a reason for celebration!) my fingers mute or cause buzzing of adjacent strings (I hate the A Chord!). Before I break my brand new Christmas present into a hundred pieces, please tell me that everyone goes through this and it is just a phase... and more importantly that it will pass! And if anyone has some suggestions to help get me through this phase I'd appreciate it! Thanks

- Dustin

I play the A chord a little differently:

Second Fret: x02130

or
---------
----2----Third (Ring) Finger
----2----First (Index) Finger
----2----Second (Middle) Finger
---------
---------

I think I picked this way up from someone on this board when I was having trouble. Just keep practicing, it gets a lot easier.

Dustin

Hang in there!! There won't be a single person on this site that can't relate to what you are saying. I remember the day that i got the A chord to ring out clearly, whooo hooo!!!

A couple of tips that really helped me. First off, get your fingers as upright as possible so that the tips of the fingers are at right angles to the fretboard, this makes fretting much easier. Secondly, try all the fingering other people have given for A chord - personally i use

ring finger on B string
index finger on G
middle on D.

If you form this shape notice how your fingertips form a little triangle? Try and really form this triangle and push it right up to the fret wire - nice A!

Keep plugging away. Have you got someone you know that also plays? Try asking them to sit in with you sometimes. 10 minutes with another living person next to you is worth 10 hours online.

Matt

if you are just begining and have your first guitar you want to be sure it is set up correctly. most guitars are not set up so the luithier can set it to the indivual's specs...when i had my first guitar i had a really hard time making any chords sound right until a freind said "your action is really high " action is the distance from the strings to the fretboard. take it to a good music store and have the luithier look at it. it usually doesnt take long and he can check t o be sure the neck is straight and the action is set up nicely. it makes a world of difference and saves your fingers too !!!

favorite A chord fingering for me is

E-------x---
A-------0---
D-------2nd finger
G-------ring finger
B--------pinky---
E---------0-----

let us know how it goes :-)

Joyce

Don't give up!

The early learning stage is difficult to say the least and it will take time for your fingers to start understanding what you're trying to do...give them time and you'll get there...forget your strumming hand right now...C and F killed me in the beginning and now i don't really think about it...

you'll get there...

Hey guys, thanks again for all of the replies. It really makes me feel better to hear I'm not the only one who has ever gone through this. Maybe now I'll have the strength and patience to not launch my guitar out the window the next time my fingers don't quite get to the right places!

- Dustin