I also recemend both ways of making the open G chord.
Plus the four fingered G ect.
Really the first time i seen anyone use the pinky on the
high E plus ring finger on the D note B string was when
i seen Gorden Lightfoot useing this style on a song
called (Sundown) plus L Skinner (Sweet home Alabama)
Later on the Eagles used this fingering alot .
I think this way of teaching came along in the early
70s .
Your teacher is right in a way for a quicker way of changeing to other chords like G to C ect .
But this way of making an Open G chord was'nt even put
in chord books untill after 1971.
You could say it has a twelve string sound to it.
Plus it could also have 2 chord names by useing that
kinda of fingering.(Because of the added note on the B string).I would say the Standard G Melody chord would
be the 3 fingererd G and not the 4 fingered one.
But i think its up to the teacher.
I think all 3 ways should be learned for other styles later on.(Why limit your self to one way of making an open G chord).

Mark

[Edited by skee1 on 04-26-2002 at 12:38 PM]