Struggling with the Simple Am Chord

Hello all. I am new to guitar and am currently working through the Fundamentals #1 course with my Stratocaster. It's going well, but I'm very frustrated with myself for not being able to hit the Simple Am chord. My Simple C chord is fine but whenever I add my middle finger to the second fret, my index finger creates a plunky sound. Then, when I adjust my index finger, my middle finger starts to make the plunky sound. I'm also struggling with keeping my middle finger out of the way of the second string. Any suggestions? Because of this, I'm really struggling with the play-along songs.

Thanks for the question jgknapp as I am currently struggling with the same. My post won’t help with your struggle but at least we know we are not alone.

im also new to this 5 weeks in i think...but you will get better at it as i did....

practice...practice lol

I am a new student as well, one week in.

I am in the same boat anytime the chord is more than a one-finger, simple chord. The only way I have been able to overcome it is to practice strumming that chord (A minor in this case) for at least 20 minutes. I play the chord eight times (like in the lesson, 2 four set strums), lift my fingers off the string, place them back on, rinse-wash-repeat. It takes me a bit to find the exact placement of my fingers to get clear notes, but it eventually comes.

The next time I pick up the guitar, I practice all of the chords I have learned so far, and I find it does not take as long to find the groove of placing my fingers.

Repetition, repetition, repetition is the only thing I have found that works! Deep breaths, patience, and a dose of competitiveness help too!

Simple Am is hard for me to. I find the transition to that chord from any other chord hard and the tone is awful. Just gonna keep practicing.

It will come at time, just be patient and keep practicing.

I did some lessons with a teacher who told me: "Just keep the rhythm going, the chords will come", meaning if you keep practicing it will come.

What helped me as an exercise was just to make a cord, strum it slowly and than play it string by string, just to hear if the fingering is right.

I do this as a warm up exercise with al the 10 basic chords or when I'm watching tv.

Hang in there, it will come but it takes some time.