BC-112 • The A Chord

[GermanGuitarNoob]

This is not a good way to learn the A chord at all as it makes it impossible to play extensions / embellishments. It will harm your long term progress and ability to play many songs and riffs.

Well. This is a bummer. My wrist absolutely doesn´t compute this while muting the thick E-String with the thumb. My thumb is very short and I have to fold my hand outwards to avoid blocking the high e-String. It is absolutely not fun and I have the feeling that it just won´t settle in. I am practicing this for over a month now. I can do it but it hurts after a few times. And I notice that the annoyance about it keeps me off the guitar...

Well then my thumb has to go back behind the fretboard and I have to play with more accuracy to avoid hitting the E-String.

Thanks for your warning.

[close2u]

Don't worry too much about wrapping your thumb around to mute the E string.

Several reasons.

If you accidentally hit it - no worries as the note E is an integral note of the 3 that make up an A major chord.
It forces you to properly focus on learning how to play and pick and strum with your right hand for accuracy - your right hand should not just swing about like a wide-arc pendulum with no sense of where it is or which string it is striking first.

[bev2112]

So I learned the A chord as 2-3-4 before I found Justin's course.  I have better success that way than 2-1-3 but I totally understand and agree with Justin's reasoning of the anchor finger.  Since I began this course I have been struggling but determined to persevere. After tonight's flubbed chord changes I decided to try the "old way" a few times.  It was a lot easier to get a good sound the first time, but slower on the changes without the anchor finger.  Then I had a eureka moment of keeping the index "anchor" finger on the 3rd string in the first fret and using 2-3-4 to make A chord per usual.  I tried a few changes from D-E-A, etc. and it really helped a lot.  So my question: is there a downside to using this method that may hinder progress in some other way down the line?

[close2u]

I use 2, 3, 4 quite a lot and it makes for a simple change to the E chord as you describe because your index finger can stay in position behind the fretted notes when playing the A chord.
I also use 1, 2, 3.
And I also use 2, 1, 3.
And I also use mine-barre with index.
And it all depends on the song I'm olaying, the previous chord, thenext chord and whether I need to play any embellishments to the A chord (such as sus2 or sus4).

Long term you will want to learn more than one way of playing it.
In the very beginning, just to get you started, learn no more than one or two ways.
Keep your 2, 3, 4 and persevere with 2, 1, 3.

[bev2112]

Long term you will want to learn more than one way of playing it.
In the very beginning, just to get you started, learn no more than one or two ways.
Keep your 2, 3, 4 and persevere with 2, 1, 3.

Thank you so much for your feedback.  I think this will give a bit of a boost to my progress as well as my motivation 

[ufoclouds]

Crikey, this chord... I've been playing for about 3 and a half months now and I'm still having problems with A. My main problem is that when I slide the anchor finger up to move to an E chord, I get fret buzz.

I mean, this makes sense to me; you play A, it rings out, then as you slide your finger up to the first fret to go for E, the fret will buzz mid slide because it's not fretted properly.

But how exactly do you stop this? I've tried moving my finger lightning fast up to the first fret but it still buzzes, albeit quicker.

Outside of that buzz, my chord changes are fine, I can do 60 per minute between most chords which I think is way beyond where I should be. I'm only up to the part where I've learned the 8 main cowboy chords, I've spent hours a day just changing chords trying to get this A -> E to stop buzzing. I've barely learned any songs yet. Just 3 months of changing chords.

I find the 2-1-3 fingering a bit awkward, mainly just getting the first finger close to the fret - but I prefer it much more to 1-2-3 and the 'minibar' A doesn't really work for me, I have smaller hands and not-thick fingers.

Any ideas? I've tried experimenting with pressure, with speed...everything I can think of. I even got my guitar set up professionally just in case something was wrong. I can't tell if it's a technique thing or a practice thing. I feel like I NEVER get it perfect, so I'm either a long way off making that chord change sound clean or I'm doing something inherently wrong.

Thanks in advance!

[joueur de guitare]

Lift your finger off the string

[Libitina]

Crikey, this chord... I've been playing for about 3 and a half months now and I'm still having problems with A. My main problem is that when I slide the anchor finger up to move to an E chord, I get fret buzz.

I mean, this makes sense to me; you play A, it rings out, then as you slide your finger up to the first fret to go for E, the fret will buzz mid slide because it's not fretted properly.

Lift your finger off the string

What he said,....

Are you you literally just sliding and not releasing the pressure as thats what it sounds like(no pun intended) your saying.

Feel the force, let it go....

Libi

[ufoclouds]

What he said,....

Are you you literally just sliding and not releasing the pressure as thats what it sounds like(no pun intended) your saying.

Feel the force, let it go....

Libi

The moment I release the tiniest amount of pressure it buzzes. Justin says in the book that the first finger should always maintain contact with the string. I don't know if there's a way to upload videos or something here though I don't know how I could record myself when my hands are occupied.

Maybe try it out yourself and see if you see what I mean? I've got two guitars here with different actions, new strings and they both do it. I'm sure it's not a setup problem, I'm doing something wrong and I can't figure it out. Either that or everyone buzzes and I just don't hear it? Doesn't seem like it when I watch Justin's videos.

[Libitina]

The moment I release the tiniest amount of pressure it buzzes. Justin says in the book that the first finger should always maintain contact with the string. I don't know if there's a way to upload videos or something here though I don't know how I could record myself when my hands are occupied.

Maybe try it out yourself and see if you see what I mean? I've got two guitars here with different actions, new strings and they both do it. I'm sure it's not a setup problem, I'm doing something wrong and I can't figure it out. Either that or everyone buzzes and I just don't hear it? Doesn't seem like it when I watch Justin's videos.

Recording I use an old tri-pod with a phone clamp, and voice activated recording. yes, vids can be posted, from youtube with a link like.



- A.D.E practice

I pasted this because (listening back) I also get fret buzz but, I think this is just being very new to guitar.

I don't think it's so bad though as this is just 2 weeks of starting.

Libi

[ufoclouds]

Recording I use an old tri-pod with a phone clamp, and voice activated recording. yes, vids can be posted, from youtube with a link like.



- A.D.E practice

I pasted this because (listening back) I also get fret buzz but, I think this is just being very new to guitar.

I don't think it's so bad though as this is just 2 weeks of starting.

Libi

Interesting! Do you still get the buzz or has it gone now? If so what do you think the difference is? I've been practicing for a while and I still can't shake it. I don't get it with any other chord, only moving to and from the A chord.

[Libitina]

Interesting! Do you still get the buzz or has it gone now? If so what do you think the difference is? I've been practicing for a while and I still can't shake it. I don't get it with any other chord, only moving to and from the A chord.

Yes, about the same actually but I'm still very early days at 1 month. I think it will be difficult to determine all the causes , personally for me I'm pretty sure it's just lack of experience.

Do you have someone near you who can play, maybe ask if they can tryout the Guitar maybe.

Libi

[ufoclouds]

Good news! I'm starting to get better at removing A chord buzz when changing chords and there's a pretty cool trick I figured out to achieve it!

I bought a capo.

Basically, I put the capo on the 7th fret and then practiced my E-A-D chord changes from there. See, the problem was always with the first finger sliding too far back when I was changing, which caused the buzz -  even if I quickly slid it back up to the fret. Of course I knew I needed to practice cramming my fingers as close to the frets as possible, but when played in the standard open position it was too easy for them to slide out when changing chords quickly.

With the capo applied, the part that goes over the strings acts as a physical wall - you have to cram your fingers in there just to actually press the strings down, they don't have the room to slide backwards when your hand is blocked by the capo.

A few hours of this and cramming all my fingers into the frets with 2-1-3 fingering in the standard position was much better, my changes to A went straight into the correct position without the first finger drifting out briefly. It's still not perfect, but it's a great improvement.

I Googled this problem a lot before I came here and quite a few other people had this problem too which they cured with enough practice, but I think this is actually a more targetted form of practicing this particular issue.

[Twbennett]

Hi Guys

New to guitar, been playing about a week now using the JG songs app which is amazing! Has really got me inspired and progressing so quickly.

I am working on my one minute changes and chord beat exercises etc; I try and work out the anchor fingers between each chord change but am struggling with the best way to change from Am to A. Do I work on the basis that I move fingers 1 and 3 leaving 2 as an anchor, or do I anchor 2 and 3 while then only moving finger 1 between string 2 frets 1 and 2? Not sure if doing this will complicate things for me further down the line with other chord changes or whether as a rule, figuring it out a way to move less fingers between chords is advantageous.

Any advice you can give would be great, will save me potentially getting into bad habits early on.

TB

[sairfingers]

Do I work on the basis that I move fingers 1 and 3 leaving 2 as an anchor, or do I anchor 2 and 3 while then only moving finger 1 between string 2 frets 1 and 2?

Hi Tw
For Am to A keep finger 2 as the anchor and move fingers 1&3. The other way you are suggesting results in a very akward fingering of the A chord and would make a change to D or E more difficult. I’m assuming you’re following Justin’s anchor finger A,D,E method.

[Twbennett]

Sairfingers

Ideal, thank you for the help. I see your point, just been playing around and yeah, definitely more awkward.

Really appreciate the advice.

TB

[close2u]

I play the open A chord in a variety of different ways.
Which one I use depends on what chord comes before / after.

For A and A minor I would choose this:

     A   Am
e -- 0 -- 0 --
B -- 4 -- 1 --
G -- 3 -- 3 --
D -- 2 -- 2 --
A -- 0 -- 0 --
E -- x -- x --

Note: 1, 2, 3 and 4 = fingers, 0 = no fingering required. Numbers do not = fret position.

[Twbennett]

Ah, okay. That makes sense following what a mentioned first about minimal finger movement between chords? Hadn’t really considered using finger 4 at this stage as I’m totally new to guitar but I guess working on dexterity now is only going to be a good thing?

[stuartw]

I'm trying to play the A chord but whatever I do, or however hard I press the 3rd string (1st finger) always sounds dull. I have to position this finger to the back of the fret to be able to get the other fingers in to make the chord. Being trying this for weeks now with no real difference and I have a nearly permanent grove in my finger!  Very frustrating

[close2u]

@ stuartw

Welcome to the forum.
A few things to help ...
It is not about pressing hard ... in fact pressing too hard makes notes sound out of tune so ease up on the pressure a little.
Try different fingerings for the A chord.
Justin does teach 2, 1, 3 but there are other ways.
1, 2, 3 or 2, 3, 4 or further along in the beginner course is the 'mini-barre' A variety.
Give yourself a break, don't be too hard on yourself, try a different way for a change.

[stuartw]

@close2u
Thanks for that. Will try pressing less hard tomorrow to see what it sounds like!

Originally started with the with fingers in 1,2 3 but having 2 at the third string helps with getting to E and D.

[akhilesh]

Hi.. I am new here. Whenever I play A chord in Justin's style, the G string get muted as the index finger is more towards the top than other two fingers. Any way to overcome this?

[GregB]

Hi.. I am new here. Whenever I play A chord in Justin's style, the G string get muted as the index finger is more towards the top than other two fingers. Any way to overcome this?

I assume you mean your index finger is too far away from the fret, what I do is have my index finger under my second finger which allows the index to get closer to the fret.

[stuartw]

@close2u
Thanks for that. Will try pressing less hard tomorrow to see what it sounds like!

Originally started with the with fingers in 1,2 3 but having 2 at the third string helps with getting to E and D.

Tried the less hard approach to no effect. Just makes it duller!! Only pressing harder makes it anywhere closer to getting to ring true. More practice needed :-)

[woodie167]

Hi all, I see a lot of posts about differing fingering for the A chord, but ive never seen this one mentioned 2,3,1 (like Justin's A-minor, but with 1 on second fret).

It gives me the best sounding chord (no buzzing or muting) but it seems way out there.

Is it ok to continue with this? I know i'll lose the anchor finger for D and E, but if i use 2,1,3 it just doesnt sound right....