Unable to hold C chord without muting small E string @#$#@

If your nail is preventing you from pressing down enough, there are twp possible causes;

1) your nail is still a bit too long (I know you said there is no white, but I certainly cut mine down a bit further than that, to expose as much skin as I can)

2) the angle that you have your finger is not correct, and so your nail is meeting the fretboard when it shouldn't be (you said it is at 90 degrees, but that is not always the most effective way of doing it - and if you are in fact going *over* 90 degrees there is no way you'll be able to fret the string easily)

One thing I would suggest is fretting the B string only,and making sure that the E string rings out clearly. Then try adding the 2nd fret D string, and try again. Once you have this, add the 3rd fret A string, and repeat.

I know from numerous posts over the last few years that many people have problems with the C chord; it requires a bit more dexterity than E, Em, A, Am, D and Dm, due to the stretch needed. C is definately a tricky customer!

Here are two photos of how I play the C, don't know if they'll be of use but what they hey;

I know you won't want to hear this, but.........Practice is the key! (this is true for almost ANY aspect of the guitar), and while it can seem that you just won't get it, it will come eventually (more often than not, you will get up one day and just be able to do it suddenly!)

Pete

This may sound silly but, practice - practice - practice. Take a good look at your fretting hand, where is the thumb, it should be pressed against the back of the neck midway between the opposing fingers. Just the tip or pad of the thumb, the reason for this is that it will force your hand into a semicircular shape so only the tips of the fretting fingers press on the string. Are you holding a death grip? you should only press the string hard enough to let the note ring out clearly. try playing the strings individually and see which ones ring clear and which are muted, adjust your fingers accordingly. Don't let problems get you down, we all have difficulties with some things.

Wow - Reincarnate, you really do a wonderful service with questions like these.
Great pics from you all the time. And really nice form you have (especially on that B chord thread)

First off, I would make sure that there is nothing wrong with the guitar that is preventing you from pressing the B string
down in that position.
Something like a fret problem or a nut problem....?
Can you play that chord on another guitar more easily????

If alls good with the guitar - I don't know how big your hands are????
Reincarnate has his thumb sorta behind the top of the neck....
I have LARGE hands, and in holding an open C position with my thumb in the pictured position, it cocks my fingers
and then mutes the high E.
I throw my thumb over the top of the neck with my palm against the back of the neck for that chord.
This straightens my fingers out (as it extends them forward) and has a more natural and relaxed position for my wrist.

With my thumb on the back a bit, I need to almost have my wrist pointing down at an awkward angle to keep my fingers
good.

Look at it this way though....
Sounds like you'll be good for an open F chord, which after 20 years of playing - still bedevils me :wink:

Ken

This is NOT an open C - though my thumb and palm are in the same position as they would be for me to play an open C.
Just for visual reference.

Thanks citizennoir, I do what I can - after all, it was help from the seniors above me around here which got me this far, figured it's my civic duty to help out a little too :lol:

Actually, looking at those pics, I think I had to angle the guitar a little to get the pic right, which might explain why my thumb is that far round the neck. Still, whatever feels comfortable at the time is best, so what the hey!

Pete

I would suggest putting your thumb at the middle of the back of the neck pointing perfectly parallel to the neck. That forces your index finger to rock upward so as not to mute the high e string.

I would suggest putting your thumb at the middle of the back of the neck pointing perfectly parallel to the neck. That forces your index finger to rock upward so as not to mute the high e string.

Precisely correct, Corbind!

(Note how the fingers arch above the strings)

Always check out yourself before you start doing things to your guitar. Especially in the beginning of the learning process. Chances are that it's something you're doing since you most likely haven't perfected your chording technique yet. To expand on what Corbind said, placing your thumb in the center of the neck forces you to arch your hand over the strings. This arching keeps your other fingers (and the part of the palm where the fingers attach) away from the strings and you are less likely to deaden one. I have a feeling that, when you make the C chordshape, your thumb is hanging out somewhere over the top, or near to the top, of the back of the neck. And, I think that, because of this, you are probably deadening the high e string with the fleshy part of your palm just below the pinky. The reason I think this is because I just sat here trying to deaden the high e while chording a C and that's the only way I could do it!!! Try that and see if you don't hear that high e ringing out loud and clear.

Nice pics Reincarnate.

And Corbind is right. It should make it much easier for you.

Electra,

Really good looking picture or where to put "your" thumb!

I didn't realize that you had such a "Manly" looking arm! :shock: :lol:

Elecktrablue - No, I wasn't suggesting doing anything to the guitar.
This is why I asked if the chord could be played on a different guitar. Then they would have some idea without messing
with anything on their guitar.
My line of thinking being that many new players don't have the best of equipment yet.
And they could be getting frustrated, thinking that it's them when it's something more outta thier "hands". :)

And - wow,
after seeing that pic you posted, I'm really self-conscience of how I hold my open chords now. :oops:

Ken

Electra,

Really good looking picture or where to put "your" thumb!

I didn't realize that you had such a "Manly" looking arm! :shock: :lol:

ROFL!! That's not my arm!!! :D I had to search high and low for that picture!!

Hey Elecktrablue, I notice the pic you put up there. I see that the chording fingers are spread well but I suggested to put the thumb angled the same direction as the neck of the guitar. That pic shows the thumb perpendicular to the neck. I put my thumb angled in the same direction as the guitar with the fleshy part of my hand on the back of the neck (not great, but that's what I do) so it keeps my fretting fingers raised. And it feels really comfortable. Is it "right?" Likely not. But we all have different ways of doing our chords. It would be nice if others can post pics of how they finger the C chord and show the thumb position also. We gotta help one another.

Corbind,

If I place my thumb aligned with the neck my hand has a tendency to "close up". With it perpendicular, my reach is greatly extended across the fret board. Also, since I have small hands, I'm better able to bring my fingers straight down on the strings, with less chance of interfering with the adjacent strings. I also need the thumb to be right in the middle of the neck. It improves my speed and accuracy when doing runs, and it reinforces my barre chords. Of course, I'm not perfect, when I'm playing power chords, my thumb gets wrapped over the top!

I think it's important to learn the proper techniques in the beginning then to do what is comfortable later, every book and lesson I've ever seen teaches it this way! I didn't learn it until much later and it really slowed me down in my progress. But, to each his own! :)

Electrablue,

I'm really glad that's not your arm, if it was yours, then you would be offended and THAT arm looks like it could kick my arms a**! :shock:

Hey Elecktrablue, I notice the pic you put up there. I see that the chording fingers are spread well but I suggested to put the thumb angled the same direction as the neck of the guitar. That pic shows the thumb perpendicular to the neck. I put my thumb angled in the same direction as the guitar with the fleshy part of my hand on the back of the neck (not great, but that's what I do) so it keeps my fretting fingers raised. And it feels really comfortable. Is it "right?" Likely not. But we all have different ways of doing our chords. It would be nice if others can post pics of how they finger the C chord and show the thumb position also. We gotta help one another.

So, you're saying that your thumb, in essence, points toward the headstock? I only do that if I have to really reach for something on the Low E or A strings. My thumb tends to travel toward the bottom of the neck and turn outward (toward the headstock) if I'm doing like a shuffle thing. Here's a good example:
E ----------------|----------------|
B ----------------|----------------|
G --------2-------|----------------|
D ----1-4---4-6-4-|----------------|
A 2-2-------------|2-2-0-0---------|
E ----------------|--------4-4-2-2-|
^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ . ^ .

Every time I play this (mostly the 2-4-6-4-2-2 part) my thumb is at the bottom pointed toward the headstock. But, as a general rule it's in the center and perpendicular.

Yep. I find it much easier because it forces my fingers to get better placement. Still, just the way I do it.