The D Major Chord

Hey All

I am suddenly stuck with what seems to be the first hard obstacle

The D Major Chord I'm at the guitar fundamentals 1 50% of it done with no major issues I even mastered the Ode to Joy on all 6 strings playing the same song on high stings and low string with almost no diffciculties but after that, the fundamentals 1, gets back to chords, I learnt earlier simple chords, and now Em, which is fine and then D major or just D.

I can't make it sound good the tone is not clean it is 2 days I keep on trying no way to make it sound good looks like my fingers are too tick even though I think to have small hand but not very long fingers, I still doubt that this is something to do with fingers probably takes time to shape it good with good tone?

Thanks

Hi Dave, I am about at the same spot as you. I am learning all the power chords and learning how to switch between them. I often feel the same way that my fingers are too fat, especially that middle finger. I too am struggling to get good clean sound from the chords. I suppose it is just practice but it can get a bit discouraging.

Keep up the hard work, I am sure it will pay off for both of us.

p

Originally Posted by: paa64

Hi Dave, I am about at the same spot as you. I am learning all the power chords and learning how to switch between them. I often feel the same way that my fingers are too fat, especially that middle finger. I too am struggling to get good clean sound from the chords. I suppose it is just practice but it can get a bit discouraging.

Keep up the hard work, I am sure it will pay off for both of us.

p

yes I am convinced is just a matter of practice

some chords are just relatively easy some are tough to master. Atm is not even mater of switching I just need to learn the Em and D

Em no issues D it's still an issue so imagine when I get to the next lesson and Lisa will ask to switch between them that is going to take a while

cheers

Hello, I am a little further than you but still in GF1. I too had trouble with D at first, and then suddenly I could do it. Try to really focus on the shape of Lisa's hands on the video, and try to make the same shape. You will get it !

Getting those shapes into you head is the first thing. Learning to grab the entire chord at once is the next big step. It is all practice, practice, practice.

I was in a similar spot not long ago. Went through the same thing with the A chord a bit later (you'll swear there's no way that man fingers can make that chord work!)

Similar issue now with consistent switching. Sometimes my fingers will still foget where D is,

Like others said, practice. It's an odd thing... I'd play for an hour or two, just placing fingers and hitting the chords, replaying the tutorials, sometimes switching out to easier things to (like Ode to Joy, other just strumming G, Em, C) tobreak the grind. Stop when it got too frustrating.

Couple of days of that, then a break, come back a few days later... and suddenly so much easier. I could then focus on making small adjustments to finger position to get the chord sounding consistently right, with similar struggle for couple days, then a day or two break, then easier again.

There's physical reasons for this. It takes time for neural pathways to adapt and organise.

Same here, first week in and like mentioned, certain cords not clean and that fat finger feeling. Like many have said and instructors, you can adapt and overcome.

I too have been paying attention to Lisa's finger positions, even though mine dont bend that way..... yet! One thing I am thinking is that over time when your finger tips get tougher they wont squish down so far on the strings making it cleaner, at least thats my hope.

Careful practice is the key to getting the hang of chords and chord changes.

Pay close attention to the angle of your fingers, especially from the tips to the first knuckle, as this is one of the main causes of muted adjacent strings (but, as you progress, you will start to learn techniques where strings are deliberately muted).

Pressing too hard on the strings is another common cause of "fat finger" problems, as this causes the fingertips to spread outwards (it also slows your movements and makes playing physically tiring).

Originally Posted by: DraconusJLM

Careful practice is the key to getting the hang of chords and chord changes.

Pay close attention to the angle of your fingers, especially from the tips to the first knuckle, as this is one of the main causes of muted adjacent strings (but, as you progress, you will start to learn techniques where strings are deliberately muted).

Pressing too hard on the strings is another common cause of "fat finger" problems, as this causes the fingertips to spread outwards (it also slows your movements and makes playing physically tiring).

I definately found last night the pressing down too hard thing, especially with my 1st finger!

I also experimented around with holding the guitar, Strat in my case, I found that shortening the strap and angeling the neck more upwards gave my wrist a better angle. From several things I have read / listend to so far I think there is a lot of merrit in the thought of working things through, experiment, figure out if something else works better, then continue!

Hey thanks for all the suggestions indeed I have overcome that already a while ago

i am now stuck on switching in tempo but is getting better... practice practice is the key and focus

I am also playing the thrill is gone by B B King on acoustic guitar the chords are simple and similar or the same as the GTF 1Am Dm F E7

those are easy to play or relatively easy for me I am getting better on switching but not there yet

Perhaps try moving your wrist a little further under the neck. It'll improve your bar chords too.

I have a question in line with the d chord and somewhat the a major chord. I have no problems playing them . My question is in line with strumming them. With both chords I find that for example if I strum a d chord 4 quarter notes in a bar then switch to another chord, I can hear the fretted b and e string lower pitch back to b and e when I release to change to next chord. I’ve been focusing on getting my fingers as close as possible to the fret ..it’s better but still audible. Should I be muting my last quarter note after strumming and about to change rather than letting it ring out? I’ve released pressure on my fretting as well but still hear this. Not as noticeable as much if say i am strumming eight notes and change finger positions as quickly as possible to next chord..