Originally Posted by: jjab3531

Try using the middle index and pinky fingers for most chords. Also, there's the option of bar chord voicings, triads and so on.

For insparation for not having full function of the left hand listen to Django Reinhardt. He had the use of only two fingers after an accident with a campfire, and he sounds amazing.

Thanks man. Yeah, Django and Tony Iommi are two guys I look to for inspiration on this.

You mentioned using middle and ring finger for most of my chord gripping and that hits on what my big problem is and maybe you have some advice- as a beginner, all the lessons want to take you through the open chords and it seems that barre chords come later. So, as I go through beginner lessons such as what is on this site I have to go through the struggle of the open C and open F that are super difficult for me. I usually have to have my guitar neck cocked at a 45 degree angle to allow the index finger to get where it needs to. Even then it doesn’t always work so well. Is that something that will just take more practice? I just don’t know. Anyway, because of the teaching of these open chords that all the lessons push I tend to go down the road of frustration and giving up.

Long post. Hope it makes sense.