[Witchblade]

Chords are going to kill me....

I can not even get the "A MAjor"
three fingers, three strings, one fret...
No weird stretches.. nothing... and I can not
stop muting the High E string which is supposed
to be unfretted......

I feel useless and I am not used to that...

I taught myself to use a sewing machine, and how to crochet
(I know girlie stuff - RIGHT?)

OK on my own I bought and learned how to use a SCROLL SAW
and jig saw and can do some pretty intricate stuff - took a bit of time
but I never felt quite so inept as I do today....

Is this cramp I get as I try to tip my fingers up - NORMAL???
my whole family is musical... my brother play guitar and I so want to do this....
just for me... to sit and play and sing.... its in my heart but apparently not my fingers....

On that note
Has any one heard the song Beautiful SOul - jesse McCartney....
I love the gutair in that song...
can anyone tell me if it is using a pick or fingered??
I can not tell there are places where I swear its both??????

I wanna do -THAT>>>>>>>>>>>
not today - but in a year - that woudl be great!!

Help guys - am I gonna get this??
has anyone ever been this useless??

Thanks
Witchblade o[]xxxx[]::::::::::::::::::::>
aka Sheila

[6string]

How are you trying to finger it?

I usually finger it with my ring finger on the 2nd string, middle on the fourth string and then I put my index on the 3rd string and tuck it in between the other 2 fingers, sort of like a tripod.

another way is to put the pinky on the 2nd, ring on the 3rd and middle on the 4th.

[Witchblade]

first finger - 4th string
middle finger - 3rd string
ring finger - 2nd string
just the way Hal Leonard told me too -

Tried to bar it with index finger as I saw suggested in another thread... cant keep it off the high E though

I am a spaz right??

[6string]

try the 1st way i mentioned, see if it works for you?

[DamnYankee]

Originally Posted by 6string

How are you trying to finger it?

I usually finger it with my ring finger on the 2nd string, middle on the fourth string and then I put my index on the 3rd string and tuck it in between the other 2 fingers, sort of like a tripod.

another way is to put the pinky on the 2nd, ring on the 3rd and middle on the 4th.

Thats exactly how I do it and it works well. Trying to stack all three in a row is nuts and I have smaller hands.

[6string]

Originally Posted by DamnYankee

Thats exactly how I do it and it works well. Trying to stack all three in a row is nuts and I have smaller hands.

There's always more than one way to finger things out

[OldG]

Originally Posted by Witchblade

Tried to bar it with index finger as I saw suggested in another thread... cant keep it off the high E though

I play an A by laying one finger across all three fretted notes... its very difficult to miss the high E so I just miss that out and only strum the A to B strings. The guitarist from our band does the same too....

[737blues]

Originally Posted by OldG

I play an A by laying one finger across all three fretted notes... its very difficult to miss the high E so I just miss that out and only strum the A to B strings. The guitarist from our band does the same too....

Way to go. You don't need the high E. In fact you don't need the fifth string A either, although most players would play that string too for an open A chord. If you sound only the three strings you need for the triad though, (D, G and B) it becomes a moveable chord. Move it up two frets and you've got the chord of B for example. (That's the next one you're going to need Witchblade. Also, if you like, you can practice now using your ring finger to make that short barre and you will be a step ahead when you get on to learning full barre chords)

[Matty22]

I play it the same way as 6string, generally. But if its a quick change, i play the same as OldG..

A shape barres on the other hand, i always mute the high E string, and play it like OldG.

If its really bugging you, keep in mind, that do what works best for you.

[Chris C]

Originally Posted by 6string

I usually finger it with my ring finger on the 2nd string, middle on the fourth string and then I put my index on the 3rd string and tuck it in between the other 2 fingers, sort of like a tripod.

another way is to put the pinky on the 2nd, ring on the 3rd and middle on the 4th.

Me too. Both of the above, depending on the situation. Never use the 1,2,3 in a line - way too awkward for my fingers. I can do it if money is offered... but it's uncomfortable, and money never is offered, so who needs it.

[cshude]

Here's the way I'll play it sometimes (sometimes I'll do the index finger mini-barre trick, too)- this is a bit more detailed instruction of what 6string said:
step 1: Index finger on the 3rd string placed back towards the headstock
step 2: Middle on the 4th string toward the body
step 3: Ring on the 2nd string toward the body.

When you have your fingers placed, it would look sort of like this:

e-------------
b---------R--
g--I---------
d---------M--
a-------------
E-------------

Trust me, there's plenty of room in there to do it like this. It also will leave your pinky free for chord embellishments, which you'll get to down the road.

Also, you've got to quit being so hard on yourself. Guitar is NOT an easy instrument to learn compared to many others. Keep working at it and you WILL make progress.

[Fingers]

Try playing the A chord with two fingers only (Index and middle). Place the index finger tip down on the space between the D and G strings but overlaps them enough so that the strings are pressed down. Place it towards the back of the fret. In front of the index finger, the middle finger is then pressed on the B string. It's much easier to fit two fingers into the space than to fit three.

[Akirakun]

The truth is, as mentioned earlier that there is more than one way to play any chord (and it often depends more on the song and where the chord comes in relation to the before and after chords - there are at least 4 positions for any chord) - HOWEVER, the basic shapes, in this case the X02220, need to be learnt through sheer graft. In order to get a clear note and avoid muting other strings you need to make sure that it is your fingerTIP (very close to the nail) that applies the pressure. Keeping your thumb in the middle of the back of the neck of the guitar will help you. You'll find this hurts like hell for a while until your fingers toughen up but hey, no pain, no gain.... This also means very short finger nails on that hand ...

[Barry Bohannon]

I'm a 12 day beginner and for A major, my book says Middle finger on the D, Ring on the G and Little on the B. I only got my guitar on Jan 13th so I'm no expert but it seems to work for me. the book also says to put my Index on the B string first fret so when I lift my little finger, there's A minor.

[GuitarCanuck]

Wow! I'm glad I found this thread as I am new and also having problems with A. The "tripod" method is working for me I just have to now learn how to change from another chord to the tripod A and I will be in business.