[jayx773]

Hey everyone,

I have recently started learning the guitar. I am a couple of weeks into it, been practicing everyday, and have been very happy with my very slight incremental progress.

I have been having some problems with the G chord, not necessarily trouble playing it, I can make the chord sound, but with my wrist. Sometimes I find my left wrist bent farther that I think it should be, and I can feel a little strain. However, I find that that is necessary in order to have my fingers curl over the strings enough so that they don't interfere with the vibrating strings. The other alternative is to not bend my wrist and to place may hand so that my palm is basically touching the back of the guitar neck. (If you can imagine that)

So, my questions is, what is the best fingering/wrist position for the Open G chord? Does anyone have any advice or pics maybe?

Thanks!!

Jason

[picassov7]

hey jason,

when i play it my hand is at a 90-100 degree angle from my forearm, but i dont feel any pain. we all have different hand make ups, but try and make sure not to squeeze the juice out of the neck of the guitar. place your thumb behind the neck about even with your index finder and just apply enough pressure to make the chord sound.

also, you might try dropping the body of the guitar or bringing the neck up slightly when playing. this should help to increase the angle between your hand and arm.

[si16]

Are you perhaps tilting the body of the guitar towards you to allow yourself a better look at what your fingers are doing? If so this can create an awkward angle for the wrist.

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by jayx773

Hey everyone,

I have recently started learning the guitar. I am a couple of weeks into it, been practicing everyday, and have been very happy with my very slight incremental progress.

I have been having some problems with the G chord, not necessarily trouble playing it, I can make the chord sound, but with my wrist. Sometimes I find my left wrist bent farther that I think it should be, and I can feel a little strain. However, I find that that is necessary in order to have my fingers curl over the strings enough so that they don't interfere with the vibrating strings. The other alternative is to not bend my wrist and to place may hand so that my palm is basically touching the back of the guitar neck. (If you can imagine that)

So, my questions is, what is the best fingering/wrist position for the Open G chord? Does anyone have any advice or pics maybe?

Thanks!!

Jason

Hi, I've only been playing for a year so am still a novice, it sounds like you're a bit tense when you're playing, I had a job reaching the top strings when I started, what I started doing was warm ups before playing, all I do is run up and down the fretboard playing all the chords I know and doing a bit of fingerpicking or strumming, when I started this allowed me to find the most comfortable position for my left hand. It's always a good idea to do warm ups before you start, you can hurt your wrist if your not relaxed and you can hurt your back if you don't sit correctly. So just experiment a bit and enjoy your playing. If you want to know more it would be worth just watching a few of the more experienced players on here or youtube and your guitar heroes playing just to get a few ideas.
Hope this helps and good luck

Cheers

Chris

[Ballard]

The G chord is one of the harder open chords to learn. All you can do is keep tryin'.

I'm able to play a G with my thumb hanging over the neck, not only touching the middle of the back. It's all a matter of stretching the muscles in your hand.

[Dewy]

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/chord_picsG.html

Excellent resource... this site.

Thumb is the right position? Try the different fingerings shown in the link above... and remember... Gmaj is everywhere... lots of places to play it. Don't give yourself carpel tunnel trying to master one.

[jayx773]

Thanks for all the great advice! That certainly is a great resource. Thanks so much for sharing!

Jason

[jayx773]

According to the picture, I've been learning the alternative fingering for G. I have fairly small fingers and have found that one easier. Is there an advantage to using the other fingering?

[scott58]

I extend my elbow as much as I can. I've got a mobility problem with that wrist from an accident years ago. I may have to end up switching to my thumb in the long run, but i'm hopeing I won't have to do that. I want to play as technically correct as i can at least for a couple of years.

[Mike8307]

Originally Posted by jayx773

According to the picture, I've been learning the alternative fingering for G. I have fairly small fingers and have found that one easier. Is there an advantage to using the other fingering?

Jay

As you move down the road the advantage to alternate fingerings will become more apparent. It will really depend on what chord you are coming from and what chord you are going to.

In the example in the picture using your second, third and forth fingers on the 5th, 6th and 1st strings respectively makes it easier to go to and from the C chord and the F chord. The alternate fingering pictured using the first, second and third fingers on the 5th, 6th and 1st strings respectively makes it easier to go to and from the A chord and D or D7 chords.
You will see that the chords listed here are common “going to” and “coming from” chords for G.

As a beginner the alternate fingering picture is usually taught first. As you continue try to stretch your fingers so that you can use the other fingering as well. It will serve you well when you get to fingerstyle playing.

Michael

[Dewy]

Some chord shapes allow free fingers to do somethings... other chord shapes lend themselves to faster changes.

i.e. From Gmaj to G7 your gonna need your index finger free to hit 1st fret, e string. But if Bmin is next chord, then other position makes for quicker change to bar 2nd fret.

[jayx773]

Interesting... So in the long run, it would benefit me to learn both!

Thanks!

[allthumbs]

Originally Posted by jayx773

Interesting... So in the long run, it would benefit me to learn both!

Thanks!

Yup. It's good to know as many different ways to play a chord as you can.