View post (Pinky G)

View thread

mjgodin
Registered User
Joined: 11/23/19
Posts: 455
mjgodin
Registered User
Joined: 11/23/19
Posts: 455
05/09/2020 3:37 pm
Originally Posted by: jrpierce06420

I am just a beginner myself so I don't know if this is a bad thing, but I find myself using a hybrid. Instead of "regular G": fingers 1, 2 and 3; or "pinky G": fingers 2,3 and 4; I am using 1, 2 and 4. It is definitely the most comfortable combination for me. It may not lend itself to good chord changes though, so I'm wondering if I should break myself of it.

I wouldn't, because there is another variation of G you all will discover soon enough and that is using four fingers. 1,2, and 4 like your doing, but add the third on the B string. Notice how nice it sounds. It's hard at first but you'll discover its usefullness later on.

Now once you add the fourth finger into it move the first two down one string, keeping the third and fourth on B and E. That's called a Cadd9. Switch between that and four finger G chord by going up and down with the first two strings and you now learned the opening to "Every Rose has a Thorn" by Poison taught by Caren Armstrong. Pretty cool huh. See how it all ties together. There is a reason for everything your being taught with all the variations, but from a learning perspective you really should be learning the G chord using the 1,2,3 method. As time goes on the Pinky G will be an advantage to you when switching chords but that finger is the toughest to get into shape from a flexibility standpoint and to form a callous so give it time.

Hope that helps but I'm a beginner as well so take my advice for what it's worth. You can always ask the instructors directly as they have their own threads in this forum and they're very good at getting back to people. Lisa especially as she handles the fundamentals classes. Good Luck.

Moe