Okay, the heck with the F chord - I actually can do that one. I'm trying to do a G chord using my pinky on the 1 string/3rd fret, ring finger on 6th string/3rd Fret, and middle finger on the 5th string/2nd fret. But, I can't! (I can make the cord with my index, middle and ring finger.) My pinky won't curl - it locks straight from my second knuckle to the fingernail (this was also a problem trying to do trills on my clarinet in H.S.) and then I can't stretch that ring finger to the 6th string without actually touching the 5th string.
The reason I would like to play it this way is several of the songs we play for church have a G-G7 transition, and it would be so much easier (that and the transition to C, too).
Any tips? I've tried moving my palm closer to the bottom side of the neck, but that doesn't seem to help any. Is this another, just keep practicing thing?
Sooooo frustrating (but I am getting better at other chords!).
-Trish
I don't have a guitar infront of me, but that doesn't sound right.
The pinky is fine, but leave your ring finger out of it.
Fret the 3rd fret of the 6th string with your middle finger, and your pointer on the 5th string 2nd fret.
Edit: Ahh, my bad, I see what you are saying about transitioning. I'm gonna take a pic of how my hand looks with this chord the way you want to fret it and post it in about 5 minutes.
The G Chord
(front)
The G Chord (back)
G7 (front)
You could also try it as a barre chord, much much quicker/easier, just gotta take off the pinky
G chord barre
G7 Barre
The pics should give you somewhat of an idea of what your hand should look like. I find the G7 the way you want to do it, easiest to play with my thumb hooked over.
Edit: Also, do you use your pinky a lot? It sounds like it might just be very weak?
I think you're right - just a wimpy pinky finger - hitting "A" on a computer keyboard doesn't really give it that much strength (and how many times do you really hit the "Q" and "Z" anyways). Guess I'll have to keep at it - occassionally it does work, but I can never figure out why/how it was different than the times it doesn't work.
I'm doing this kids book with my daughter, and they use the 3rd finger/3rd fret for a "G" chord (just the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd string chords), maybe I'll switch to using my pinky.
I don't think I can stretch my thumb over the top of the fret board yet. More practice then. I'll have to try those barre chords...
Thanks!
-Trish
Trish, barre chords are considered pretty damn tough, big learning curve with the guitar. Most people struggle with barre chords for months, and then one day it all just clicks.
Work on that pinky strength, it'll be important. There are plenty of scales and such that you can do to practice with it.
I've also noticed that "drumming" my fingers on a table top, slowly and accurately, evenly, and in order, first forwards and then backwards has helped my dexterity a lot...Something to do when you're watching TV I guess.
It IS important to learn that 2-3-4 fingering - there are so many chords you can make with the basic G chord. It's so easy to change to the G7 chord - that's one of the blues turn-arounds. My advice is practise BOTH ways of playing a G chord - then you'll have so many more options when it comes to changing chords.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
Trish
I was the same about 3 years ago and never thought I would get G and A ..
A all those fingers in one fret that was a toughie ..
Secret is just keep trying , there is no easy answer to your question , maybe move you hand down the fret board might help with muscle and flexability then slowly work your way back up the fret board to where G is played ..
I put a capo on the 3rd fret ( capo clip to barre the strings ) when learning new chords as the frets are closer and I can ususally get my ol fingers in right position from there , then I just slowly move the capo to the 2nd fret then the 1st fret then it comes off .This is a slow and tedious way of learning new chords but it works for me ..
http://www.cyberfret.com/misc-wisdom/capo/index.php
capos ..
Cheers
Trevor
Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am
Is this another, just keep practicing thing?
Pretty much everything with guitar is another "just keep practicing" thing. :)
I found the same thing at the start - weak pinky that wouldn't do as it was told, and didn't have much strength. Everybody does. What you can't learn from books is how long each aspect takes. Everything varies from person to person, also at what stage in your progress you tackle something. Some things can be nailed with a few hours works, others take months to get where you want.
I found that it didn't take all that long to be able to do a fast change between a 'regular' G7 and a basic G. The G7 that uses index, middle and ring is pretty close to the shape for C and F chords and there are lots of songs that can be played with G7, C and F. So, as I happened to be practicing playing some of them anyway, it was only a quick step to taking that G7 shape and learning to fast change to G.
But I was also doing work on building up pinky strength and ability. So I eventually could do the G7 both ways. The pinky just took a lot longer. In my case it was further slowed down by pain and arthritis in the pinky, but over a few months it slowly got better. It's always going to be the weakest finger, but it's well worth doing a little work on it each day. It's going to have plenty of work to do once you get to bar chords, so it might as well get start getting used to the idea. Just don't worry if you don't get quick results - just plug away a little each day. It will improve. :)
Cheers,
Chris
I prefer (for no particular reason) to use the 320033 fingering for G, and so going to G7 from there I will use 323003 (i.e. just shift my middle finger across two strings) so that might be worth trying.
Of course, as has been mentioned, the 320001 fingering for G7 is worth learning for going to/from a C and just because it's always good to have more ways to play a chord.
