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Two G chords

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(@bokonon)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 21
Topic starter  

I have noticed two versions of the G chord and was wondering what the difference is between the two.The easier one uses your ring finger on the high E string and the harder one uses your ring finger on the b string and your pinky on the high E. I can only hear a slight difference in the two chords and I have a hell of a time getting my pinky moving for the second type of G. Are they interchangeable? Thanks.


   
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(@chris-c)
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Joined: 19 years ago
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Hi,

You haven't given enough information to know exactly what's being played there, but there are numerous versions possible of a G chord, or any other chord. The basic notes for a G Major triad are G,B & D. So you can play them in different orders or with different numbers of Gs Bs or Ds for slightly different sounds (sometimes known as 'inversions' or 'voicings'). Or you can play various extensions (add more notes and generally fiddle about with them). You can also play them all over the neck in different positions and configurations.

It really depends on what sound you want, what you're changing to and from (i.e. what's easiest in the context of the song) and what your current range of skills is. If the finger on the B string is on the third fret then all that's happened is that the open B has been changed to a D. In both cases all six strings can be played as a G, but you can play a G with 3, 4, 5 or 6 strings in all sorts of positions and arragements (even 2 strings if you count 'power chords').

Cheers,

Chris


   
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(@jwmartin)
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Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 1435
 

They are interchangeable. The 2nd one you mention is what I call a "4 finger G", the only difference between the 2 is that the 3 finger version consists of (from string 1 to 6): G B G D B G and the 4 finger is: G D G D B G, so one has 2 Bs and 1 D and other swaps a B for a D.

One time that the 4 finger G is handy is when playing something w/ D, Cadd9 and G. Basically you can anchor your ring finger on the B string, 3rd fret and never move it.

Bass player for Undercover


   
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(@fretsource)
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Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 973
 

Edit: JW Martin got there first - but I'll post anyway :D
I can figure out the two shapes you're talking about: 320003 and 320033 (from string 6 to 1). As Chris and JW say, they're just slightly different arrangements of the notes that make the chord G major. The first is composed of notes GBDGBG and the other is GBDGDG. There's not much difference, and from a harmony point of view they're completely interchangeable. The first is by far the more common but the second one has a nice ring to it that sounds a bit like a 12 string because of that high D instead of the B on string 2.


   
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(@chris-c)
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It's also handy for the first chord progression that I ever accidentally discovered, before I had any idea what chords were what.

xx0233 (DADG)
x32033 (CEGDG)
320033 (GBDGDG)

Dead simple to change to, and you can mix them up to get a number of things, including something that that sounds very much like the "Hope you have the time of your life..." part of a Greenday song.

Not sure offhand what they're called - maybe Dsus4, Cadd9, and G? - but they sound OK. :D

Chris

EDIT: Oops.. more typos... :oops:


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
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Not sure what they're called - maybe Dsus4, Cadd9, and G

That's exactly what they are, and it's a very commonly used sequence - Sweet Home Alabama, Wanted Dead Or Alive, More Than A Feeling and Every Picture Tells A Story all use pretty much the same riff. There are probably many others!

Try the G, Cadd9, then the Dsus4 - in other words, reverse the order - and you've got the intro to Take It Easy. Keep your ring finger and pinky in place, and try these chords....

Em7 - 022033
G - 320033
Dsus4 - 200233
Cadd9 - x32033

and you're on the way to working out Wonderwall - the only other chord you'll need for that song is A7sus4, x02233.....

When you play a sequence of chords like the above, and one or more fingers don't move, they're sometimes referred to as pedal points - I'm sure I once read an article on here about pedal points, but for the life of me I can't find it!

: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.)


   
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(@bokonon)
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Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 21
Topic starter  

Thank you folks! Sorry, I did not describe the chords clearly. I am talking about 320003 and 320033. Like I said, I can't really get to the second version easily, but the first one is manageable. I do like the second version when changing to the G chord since I don't have to move my ring finger. for some strange reason my ring and pinky finger do not move quite as quickly as the first two. Thanks again for the explanation.


   
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(@chris-c)
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it's a very commonly used sequence - Sweet Home Alabama, Wanted Dead Or Alive, More Than A Feeling and Every Picture Tells A Story all use pretty much the same riff. There are probably many others!

Brilliant! Thanks Vic - all duly cut, pasted and saved. :mrgreen:

I'd never actually heard Wonderwall until earlier this week when I came across it on Youtube while looking for something else (yeah, yeah... sheltered life I guess.... I'm probably the only person on the planet who never got around to hearing anything by either Britney Spears or The Spice Girls either...) .

Anyway, I saved the Wonderwall clip for later listening, so I'll have a bash at your suggestion.

Thanks,

Chris


   
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(@jwmartin)
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I forget the progression order, but The Beatles' We Can Work It Out uses the G/Cadd9/D chords as well.

Bass player for Undercover


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
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I forget the progression order, but The Beatles' We Can Work It Out uses the G/Cadd9/D chords as well.

"Hard Day's Night" is another one.....

: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.)


   
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(@blueline)
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Joined: 17 years ago
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Thank you folks! Sorry, I did not describe the chords clearly. I am talking about 320003 and 320033. Like I said, I can't really get to the second version easily, but the first one is manageable...

Keep working at it. I had the same issue when I first started playing. But I liked the sound of 320033 so much more that I kept forcing myself to play it that way. Now, I wouldn't even think about playing 320003. My fingers automatically play the high D version. It's just like any other chord you will learn. The more you play it, the easier it will get. Muscle memory will eventually kick in. Keep at it!! You will get it!! :D

Edit: BTW Chris, the Greenday song is called "Good Riddence (Time of your Life)" It's very easy to play. I can send you the tab if you like.

Teamwork- A few harmless flakes working together can unleash an avalanche of destruction.


   
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(@urbancowgirl)
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I have a really nice chord book (don't remember the name off the top of my head and I'm at work right now) that has pictures of many different ways to make each chord. I have found it very helpful with some chord progressions.

All my life I wanted to be somebody. Now I see I should have been more specific.


   
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(@greybeard)
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I have a really nice chord book (don't remember the name off the top of my head and I'm at work right now) that has pictures of many different ways to make each chord. I have found it very helpful with some chord progressions.
http://www.chordguide.com will give you different voicings of chords. It also allows you to save pages of chord voicings, that you can print out.

I started with nothing - and I've still got most of it left.
Did you know that the word "gullible" is not in any dictionary?
Greybeard's Pages
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(@bokonon)
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Joined: 16 years ago
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Topic starter  

I have a really nice chord book (don't remember the name off the top of my head and I'm at work right now) that has pictures of many different ways to make each chord. I have found it very helpful with some chord progressions.
http://www.chordguide.com will give you different voicings of chords. It also allows you to save pages of chord voicings, that you can print out.

Awesome site thanks!


   
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(@vic-lewis-vl)
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It should be noted, as well, that there are two different ways to finger the 320003 G chord ;
3 2 0 0 0 3
m i r

Generally the easier of the two, probably the most played;
3 2 0 0 0 3
m r p

More difficult to put on, but handy because it leaves your index finger free to add to the basic chord, for example putting your index finger on the first fret of the 2nd string will give you a Gsus4 chord, or putting it on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string will give you a Gadd9 chord. (Note - you'll need to mute the 5th string for the Gsus4, as you're replacing the B note in the G chord with a C...)

It's a good idea to learn - and practise - both variations of the 320003 chord - you'll never know which one's going to be handiest till you know them both!

: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.)


   
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