new to guitar. G chord problems.

chiong · #1 December 4th, 2007

hi. i've been self learning the guitar for almost a week now, and i have some problems with the G-chord.

mainly when i try it 21003, my second finger ALWAYS mutes the second string, no matter what positions i try.(okay i guess i can do it with my wrist bent 90degrees which is REALLY awkward)

32004 feels easier, but my 2nd finger mutes the 3rd string now.

any advice on how to correct this? or must my wrists be contorted into really weird positions? also which fingering should i learn first?

thanks

allthumbs · #2 December 4th, 2007

One week of guitar is just a fraction of a blink of the eye. Give yourself time for your fingers to stretch and your body to lose some of it's beginner's tension. Either fingering is fine. Your fingering depends on which chord your going to next and how easy it is to get there from what you are doing on the previous chord.
Make sure your thumb is at least in the middle of the neck behind the fretboard. Keep your elbow tucked in to your side and angle the neck sightly up and out from your chest. This makes an easier angle for your wrist. Cross your legs to that the guitar is sitting higher if you are not already doing that. In a couple of weeks or more most of the open chords will fall into place. Stick with it and be patient. We all had to go through this stage.

chiong · #3 December 4th, 2007

right. thanks alot!

xxlebox · #4 December 4th, 2007

I've had problems with the G-chord the first day I started playing too, second one too, but now, after three days, I can almost always get right in time.(meaning that sometimes, I still fail at it).

Beholder · #5 December 4th, 2007

I started like a month and the first days were hell.. don't worry dude, it's just a matter of practice till you can do and change the open chords like a dove, everyone that starts playing goes through it!

Slaky · #6 December 10th, 2007

Along the same lines, I'm really getting good at switching between all (read five or six) the chords I know except for any chord over to C.

G, I can get pretty much every time. It was the first chord I learned.

But C, damn you!

My question is, should I keep working on jumping back and forth from C to the other chords before I move on to another lesson? It's the only one giving me problems and after I practice I like to mess around with some songs I like and C is in a lot of them.

Thoughts?

Stratrat · #7 December 11th, 2007

Slaky: Just my .02 - I wouldn't get too hung up on it to the point that you let it hold you back from practicing anything else. If C is in a lot of the songs you play, you should get plenty of practice switching to/from it.

lionhound · #8 December 11th, 2007

Hi, only been playing a few months myself and, like you found C a nightmare. My third finger doesn't seem to bend at the end. However, starting to get there now. First breakthrough was going G to C. I had initially learned G using fingers 1,2 & 3 but on getting proper lessons was told to use 2,3 & 4. This leaves index finger free meaning available for hitting that 2 string for a C, for barreing etc.
Keep trying and practicing. I am, for what its worth.
All the best.

Slaky · #9 December 11th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by lionhound

Hi, only been playing a few months myself and, like you found C a nightmare. My third finger doesn't seem to bend at the end. However, starting to get there now. First breakthrough was going G to C. I had initially learned G using fingers 1,2 & 3 but on getting proper lessons was told to use 2,3 & 4. This leaves index finger free meaning available for hitting that 2 string for a C, for barreing etc.
Keep trying and practicing. I am, for what its worth.
All the best.

Excellent, I just learned the G chord that way too. Had always been doing it 1 2 3.

Thanks for the post.

LeeB · #10 December 12th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by lionhound

I had initially learned G using fingers 1,2 & 3 but on getting proper lessons was told to use 2,3 & 4. This leaves index finger free meaning available for hitting that 2 string for a C, for barreing etc.
Keep trying and practicing. I am, for what its worth.
All the best.

If I was a guitar teacher, I would have students practice fingering all open chords this way so barring and using the CAGE system would be much more comfortable to learn.. probably good for Plane Talk as well, although I know nothing of the secret system YET

Cameron · #11 December 13th, 2007

hey there, it seems to me youre trying out so many variations of G... have you actually mastered the "major ones" yet? i mean [320003] and propably even the easiest one [xx0003]. i just wonder, cos i have tought myself almost everything about playing guitar and i think, for never taking lessons or sticking around online forums all day, im actually doing pretty well. maybe you also just have to strengthen your muscles and give it time...

everyone here will tell you so, i believe, and theyre right. practice something about 10 mins every day, try to pick the chords/arpeggios/notes SLOWLY and try to switch to another chord just as SLOWLY too, then in some days youll feel progression kicking your ass. trust me

tc, gb

fireblade · #12 December 13th, 2007

I'm running through chord changes with some young lads and stuck these quick vids on youtube. I'd be interested if you thought they helped or not.
Cheers
FB
YouTube - Broadcast Yourself.

StonedCherry · #13 December 16th, 2007

The G chord was the first chord I learnt (I only know 3 at the moment, lol) and I had problems with it too. Right now I can play it and get all the strings to ring but I still have to pause for a while when changing chords.

Slaky · #14 December 16th, 2007

What's great is, after just three or four days of practice, I can already see a big difference in my switching ability. I've been playing along to some songs that utilize the chords I know and that helps greatly.

But before that I'll go through G, C and D and slowly work on switching and getting a good sound. Hopefully it won't be long until it's second nature.

The beautiful thing is, with this winter, I've got hours every night to practice.

LeeB · #15 December 17th, 2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slaky

What's great is, after just three or four days of practice, I can already see a big difference in my switching ability. I've been playing along to some songs that utilize the chords I know and that helps greatly.

But before that I'll go through G, C and D and slowly work on switching and getting a good sound. Hopefully it won't be long until it's second nature.

The beautiful thing is, with this winter, I've got hours every night to practice.

Cool that you are seing progress and so many many songs in the key of G use those 1, 4, 5 chords of that key. Throw in an Em when you are are comfortable doing so and the door will open even further to a many more songs