CH-001 • Basic Open Chords

[skyzthelimit]

Hello,
I'm a newbie and I'm trying to play the D chord. I can get most of the notes to ring out nicely except the second string. My third finger is right behind the fourth fret and im fairly certain my first finger is not touching the second string. Can someone please help me figure out what else it may be?

Thanks

[Tourniquet]

Hello,
I'm a newbie and I'm trying to play the D chord. I can get most of the notes to ring out nicely except the second string. My third finger is right behind the fourth fret and im fairly certain my first finger is not touching the second string. Can someone please help me figure out what else it may be?

Thanks

Surely you mean 3rd fret.....
The second string can't be muted by your other two fingers because they can only touch the part of the string that isn't vibrating.
It can only be the position of your third finger (you might be placing your finger over the fret which would also mute it), the pressure your third finger is exerting or a poor setup.
try fretting only that string at that fret until if rings cleanly.

[Golfxzq]

Questions...

TOTAL beginner here, so forgive me if I am posting this in the wrong place or in the wrong manner.  Also, please be understanding of my lack of knowledge, we all have to start somewhere (although I have started learning guitar a little late in life at 61.)

Here is my question...  I have gone through much of your beginner lessons.. great stuff.  In branching out a little, I am trying to learn "House of the Rising Sun" (one from my era).  Not too much of a problem except for the F chord.  I can NOT get the open G to ring true and I can NOT get both the A & E with the flat of my index finger.

Any suggestions?  (I have tried one suggestion...  practice, practice, practice.  Not much luck).  I was hoping for some technique or tip to help me out.

Thanks

[Golfxzq]

OOPS...  I told you I was a TOTAL beginner.  OK..The G is not open.  But, when I play it Arpeggio the B is muted by my ring finger which is on the G in the second fret.  My index finger is across the B&E which I can also not get to ring true.

Sorry...  and thanks again.

[close2u]

for that song you can use a little barre F chord and pick out the F bass note on the D string

E and A strings not played
first finger barre across fret 1 of top E and B strings
second finger on fret 2 of G string
third finger on fret 3 of D string

or use an F major7 (no barre - fingering similar to above except top E is played open)

[Golfxzq]

Thanks Close...  I'll give it a try.

[Golfxzq]

Showing my ignorance again "barre"... same as "bar chrod" (US)

Thanks

[Cozza]

Hi I am getting on to learning rythm but for some reason I can't seem to get the open E chord in time with my chord changes. I know the hand is supposed to be kept at a right angle to the fret board but with my E I am really reaching over and by the time I get the E down it messes up everything. I can get it perfect with my chord change practise but any sort of rythm to it and I really tense up, cramping my hand. Should I be keeping my hand straighter or is it a natural thing to do with the E?

Cara xx

[Cozza]

I am definately putting my hand in the wrong position on the E chord I've strained my wrist and its been hurting all day 

[Linsen]

Well, if it hurts, it's definitely wrong. I'm also having problems with the correct hand position on some chords depending on where I'm coming from and how fast I'm trying to change. What I'm doing to get rid of it, is doing the changes slowly and trying to feel and see where I'm going wrong and than adjusting accordingly. Once you've found the correct position (the one that's the most relaxing for the given chord), slowly increase the speed. If you're starting to go wrong again, adjust for it and don't change again before you're in the relaxed position. That should help your fingers to memorize the correct positions.

[Cozza]

Well, if it hurts, it's definitely wrong.

I know it's wrong from the way I look like I'm doing the chicken dance but my 3rd finger just wont reach  .

[charlieguitars]

This is for the guy that was asking about the open f chord.  Check your thumb position.  Lower you thumb on the neck when playing F.  Your thumb should be in the middle not on top as you can do with most chords.  Just swing that thumb down there and it should be a lot easier.  I had the same problem and it helps 

[Cozza]

This is for the guy that was asking about the open f chord.  Check your thumb position.  Lower you thumb on the neck when playing F.  Your thumb should be in the middle not on top as you can do with most chords.  Just swing that thumb down there and it should be a lot easier.  I had the same problem and it helps 

I tried this for my E chord and seems really easy now!! 

[TheCrow240980]

Im new here, congratulations Justin. Lets get direct to the point...only a few questions: Im practicing my first cords this is my fourth day and my fingers starts to pain and getting "blisters" , is it normal? I'll get used to it?? thanks.

[charlieguitars]

yeah get used to the pain cause until those puppies start getting callisced your gonna be hurting. Its part of the territory we all had to go through with it.  DON'T PICK THE CALLICES OFF!!!!  you'll have to start all over.  Once they are nice and hard it won't hurt anymore and you'll be able to play all the time.

its normal don't sweat it.  Play through the pain. I used to play til my fingers bruised and then after that.  I'm not sure if you can actually play "til your fingers bleed" but i've heard of it however i've played for 10 straight hours and that didn't happen so ya

[Bootstrap]

Pretty usual Crow - I know I'm practicing enough when it hurts to type the next day.

Yep you will get used to it - but dont be silly about it - get someone who knows something about guitars to check the "action" (distance of the strings from the fretboard) to see it isn't rediculous.

Someone I work with recently had their enthusiasm for their new found passion dampened when they couldn't stand the pain - when I had a look at her guitar it was an el-cheapo classical guitar that Arnie would have had trouble putting enough pressure on the strings to make them sound. For less than 200 Aussie dollars we quickly got her set up with something she could play and sounds good.

Good luck with it.

Cheers, Bootstrap.

[TheCrow240980]

thanks guys.... 

[JAI]

Hi, apologies if iv posted this wrong. If for instance I finger a chord e.g a D chord but then slide it up a fret. What chord does it become ? Cos obviously it sounds different, can I use this as another method to switch between chords ?

[nephente]

Hey JAI,

when you move an open chord shape (eg. D xx0232) around the fretboard, for instance one fret up, it usually becomes something wicked. The normal D major chord xx0232 has the notes D-a-d-f#. If you move it up to xx0343 it contains the notes D-a#-d#-g which is a D#maj7 chord (with the D in the base).
Check out http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/chord_name.php
If a chord does NOT use open strings you can move it around the fretboard as you like and it stays the same type of chord.
That is the beautiful thing about barre-chords! You take on open chord shape, slide it up the fretboard and replace the nut with your first finger.
For example: E major 022100 -> F major 133211 where the first finger covers the strings on the first fret.
Or your D major chord xx0232 becomes xx1343 which is an D# major chord!
I hope you get the idea. Check out Justins lesson on Barre-chords as well as his lesson on the CAGED-System!

Hope I could help you!
Regards

[JAI]

thanks thats really helpful

[julianfigiel]

I just recently saw a chord that looked like this:

E(7)

What does this mean? Why is the 7 in brackets?

[knuid]

Hello Justin and his faithful followers!

About 6 months ago I picked up a guitar for the first time in about 10 years. Justin's lessons have allowed me to make progress I never thought was possible, and have taught me to learn more independently. Thankyou so much!
When I was younger I had a classical and was taught to play classical (although I never became particularly good!). I now play both classical and acoustic guitar, but use the acoustic most of the time.

My problem is that I was always taught to play with my wrist straight (as if I were always playing barre chords - in the classical style). I'm doing well with open chords and am finally managing to nail some barre chord shape too! However, I really have trouble bringing my thumb up to mute the low E string or to play a bass note as Justin sometimes shows on his videos. When watching other guitar players, I can really see the difference in wrist position. But to me it seems so unnatural! Can anybody suggest a good exercise to help me "unlearn" the classical wrist position and save it just for the classical guitar?

Thanking you all in advance,

Knuid

[Cue Zephyr]

I think you should watch closely to what your wrist is doing, this wrist position is indeed for classical guitar, because the necks are wider.
 You must only bend your fingers up, not your whole wrist in the case of the acoustic (steelstring) guitar.
As far as I know you also hold a classical guitar differently compared to the normal (conventional?) acoustic guitar.
There is a video on posture somewhere on Justin's website, check the lesson index.

[dj_madmatt]

OK i went threw the leason on the c cord but i have a cord chart poster and the low E string/the thickest E string is pushed down on the third fret on my chart and i was wondering if that is just a diffrent way of playing it and if so should i play that the c cord that way if i can because i almost find it easier but at the same time it is difficult because I'm working my pinkie.


 

[Cue Zephyr]

That's a C/G chord, a C with a G in the bass.
I used to play this one too, but it didn't fit everywhere I needed a C chord, so I kind of unlearned it again.