Hi guys.
I am really struggling with the G chord! I want to use the 3, 4 and 5th (pinky) fingers as it's so much easier to switch to the C chord, but my pinky is so weak and tends to lay on its side, so the sound I create when I switch from the G to the C is so disgusting, that I want to quit!
Could anybody help me with any tips?
I would be ever so grateful!
Originally Posted by: anna.reevesHi guys.
I am really struggling with the G chord! I want to use the 3, 4 and 5th (pinky) fingers as it's so much easier to switch to the C chord, but my pinky is so weak and tends to lay on its side, so the sound I create when I switch from the G to the C is so disgusting, that I want to quit!
Could anybody help me with any tips?
I would be ever so grateful!
Hi Anna, welcome!
My advice is to practice getting that change down with 'standard' fingering. It's not an easy answer but in the long run, will serve you well. While there are versions of the open G chord that use fingers 4 and 5 on the lower strings, if your doing a standard G (6th string/3rd fret, 5th string/2nd fret, 1st string/3rd fret), then it's best to learn using your fingers 1, 2 and 4.
A few months ago, I had a wrist injury (sprained but not super-terrible) and I had to learn the Eagle's 'Lyin' Eyes' which has a G-to-C change. My wrist injury was to the outside of my wrist and definately affected my pinky strength. It still does. My pinky is still not totally up to its previous ability. Granted, the chording/fingering I use adds additional notes to just holding the chord which is tough for my pinky. Add to that, I don't exactly have super-long fingers for a guy. On top of all that, about a month and a half after the injury, I had to perform the song publicly....fun!!
What did/do I do? I practice that section of the Eagles song that gives me the most trouble...every time I practice. What's frustrating for me is that I could do this in my sleep before. Now it's like my pinky is in mutiny with the rest of my hand.
Getting it right is all about good old fashioned buckling down. The key is to not expect too much of yourself when you have that chord change when it's harder than others. Take your time and slowly switch back and forth between those two chrods. Just those two chords...slowly. Go slow enough that when you complete the change, that each chord rings true. Once you've got that down, just a litte faster. Get that down..a little faster...and so on until you're up to speed.
The theory is to isolate the issue and drill on it. Not elegant or even the easiest answer but...
Just don't give up. We all have those things and you'd be surprised at that everyone has them no matter how long you've been playing. I've been playing (with a break) since 1982 and I get 'em.
Once you get that chord change down, you'll be all smiles!
Dear Jeff,
Thank you so very much for such a comprehensive and encouraging response, I really appreciate that!
Of course, I messed up the fingers' number: I meant 2, 3, and 4. But you recommend 1, 2 and 4, and I will try that.
One more question about strumming: do I try to make a "shaking" move with the wrist? Also-do I try to strum all the strings in the chord. It's just the high E doesn't sound good when strumming the G chord. Unless my tuning is off, I will check this out.
Again, thank you so very much, you are very kind.
Originally Posted by: anna.reevesDear Jeff,
Thank you so very much for such a comprehensive and encouraging response, I really appreciate that!
Of course, I messed up the fingers' number: I meant 2, 3, and 4. But you recommend 1, 2 and 4, and I will try that.
One more question about strumming: do I try to make a "shaking" move with the wrist? Also-do I try to strum all the strings in the chord. It's just the high E doesn't sound good when strumming the G chord. Unless my tuning is off, I will check this out.
Again, thank you so very much, you are very kind.
Glad to help. I mean, the GT forum is not the busiest place on earth but very much the most helpful.
As for the chord fingering, I grabbed GT's G Chord chart. Is it one of these? The chord I was referring to was the Gmaj Variation 1. It's somwhat the 'standard' open G. not the only one but if someone say 'Play me an open G', 90% of the time, that's what someone will play.
If you're doing the barre chord (Gmaj Variation 2), that's a different bag of tricks altogether.
With that said, if you're doing a standard open G (Gmaj Variation 1), you'd generally strum all the strings and the high E string should ring out and sound good.
Shaking...I might have to guess a little bit of what you mean with shaking. If you mean that as you hold the strummed chord, that you shake your wrist/hands, the answer is 'it depends'. I mean, in most cases, you don't shake a chord when you're strumming through a progression (example - Eagles-Lyin' Eyes). You're just strumming the pattern through the chord changes. However, that's not to say that you wouldn't 'shake' a chord or that you'd learn a song that does a 'shake'...that is a stylistic thing to add spice. So, you don't use that tool often, per se, but it is a tool in a guitar players tool box.
Anna to reinforce what Jeff said, and for the reasons he stated.
I second that you should consider adopting the conventional folk finger form for open G major using fingers 1, 2 & 3. Using that formation, the change to G to C to G is actually quite easy with a modicum of practise. e.g. By concidence I've been playing it for the past 90 mintues practising nuances on strum patterns and arpeggio pick playing "Hallelujah", and C to G to C is so rote memorised and easily articulated that it's not one of the changes I even have to think about or experience any difficulty articulating. I have the entire song competently nailed intro, verse and chorus, but am ever trying to finesse.
That's coming from someone old enough to suffer mild degenerative arthritis in his hands, exacerbated by nerve pathway deficits affecting his fretting hand a consequence of two neck surgeries, and a fretting hand wrist which was fractured in a motorcycle accident years ago. So if I can do it, anyone can, ...if they want to. Haha. How I'd love to have that 18 year old body back.
Once you have those two formations sounding cleanly individually, it's simply down to repetition affecting the changes until seamless. There really is no magic shortcut to rote learning that everyone wishes for. Similarly to Jeff, I have smaller hands with characteristically endomorphic fingers as well with a relatively shorter than I'd like pinky rather like Lisa's, and neither G and C are difficult chords to finger even if they might seem it to you at present.
Characteristically the most problemsome chord for everyone are variations of open F and changes from it but even that passes with applied rote learning. e.g. "Halellujah" which has many to and from F changes, one just for one beat in the latter half of the verse.[br][br]As encouragement, I've been playing for less than six months, so it doesn't take long to attain competency.
Thank you, ManXcat,
Lots of good tips from you guys, and I am so very appreciative!
I will try to follow all your suggestions.
Thank you!
Anna
So most people use 1-2-3 fingers both for C and G chords? Than I'll better continue to practice them that way.
I just cannot make G chord sound good with 2-3-4 pattern.
Most will eventually, but not necessarily starting out. Unless you have some kind of irregular injury to your hand/fingers, you can. But it requires application of that venerable balm time.
It's really just a matter of persevering with it and practising it enough which comes from wanting to. It's not going to occur overnight, but eventually you'll be able to perform either at will.
P.S. Had to hurry away before completing my reply with: that said, the 1,2,3 finger pattern fulfills most open chord requirements for C or G most of the time. Where the alternate fingering comes in handy is for certain chord changes which are just too rapid to facilitate a change from/to for most of us, or simply makes more ergonomic shifiting sense than 1,2,3. e.g "Lyin' Eyes" by the Eagles which moves along at a brisk tempo, shifting from G to Gmaj7.To play this, I have to use 2,3,4 for open G in order to achieve the transition to Gmaj7 quickly and smoothly. Didn't come naturally to me either. It's just perseverence and practise.
Originally Posted by: JeffS65[br]Shaking...I might have to guess a little bit of what you mean with shaking. If you mean that as you hold the strummed chord, that you shake your wrist/hands, the answer is 'it depends'. I mean, in most cases, you don't shake a chord when you're strumming through a progression (example - Eagles-Lyin' Eyes). You're just strumming the pattern through the chord changes. However, that's not to say that you wouldn't 'shake' a chord or that you'd learn a song that does a 'shake'...that is a stylistic thing to add spice. So, you don't use that tool often, per se, but it is a tool in a guitar players tool box.
[br]I think (I am not sure) the question was about the right hand. Do we try to shake only hand (1.) or forearm (2.) when strumming?
I am trying to use 234 for the G so I can transistion to Gsus4 (add4). I've been working on it and am somewhat ok on G but with Gsus4 my 3 finger on the 6th string mutes the 5th string. Have put in some effort and do not seem to be making progress. Any suggestions are always appreciated..
