How to learn G chord

[LiveMusic]

When I learned guitar 40 years ago, you always saw the G chord in chord books as using the middle three fingers to fret with. Many years later, I became aware that some people play it using the last three fingers of the fretting hand. Because it's easy to go to the C chord. I play it both ways now. Which way would YOU teach someone.

[Howie22]

I'd teach them both ways, as I use both depending on what I'm playing.


90% of the time I use all four fingers, as I fret the B string on the third fret as well.

[corduroyhorn]

i would play it with 1st finger on the a string, 2nd on the low e... 3rd finger maybe on the b string, sumtimes with sumethings without, and 4th on high 3.... i dont know how the proper way is

[Dave W.]

I prefer to use my last three, though I started out using the first three. It leaves the index finger free for adding notes, which I think is more useful than the little finger. This is a perfect example of where the easy fingering will come back to haunt you later on. That said, I can now play it either way so I still can have the pinkie free if I want it, but it was a bear to unlearn.

[corduroyhorn]

i guess most fingering depends on what your going to play next and it u will be adding any leady bits around the chord u r playing, so i guess it down to the tune....sorry thats not very helpful if you are trying to teach someone the right way to do it.... not sure if there is a right way

[garthman]

I can play it both ways although I play the D on the 2nd string if using the first three finger chord (320033).

Generally I use my last three fingers, not only for the easier change to C, but also for using passing notes / chords, like Gsus4 (330013), G6(322003), G7 (323003), G13 (323000).

[EvilTwin]

I'd teach them both ways, as I use both depending on what I'm playing. 90% of the time I use all four fingers, as I fret the B string on the third fret as well.

 

 

Yup, me too.

 

The middle/ring/pinky combo works well for some things ("Take it Easy"), but most of the time I'm using all four fingers, like you.

[LaurentB]

I try to teach people to play it with the last three fingers, but sometimes that's really too hard for beginners (especially when they are children or females with small hands) and in that case I teach them to play it with the middle three fingers.

[gthom]

Sometimes I'm lazy and just use 2 fingers (muting the A string), or I use whichever fingering makes sense. Or sometimes all 4 fingers.

I don't even think about it, so I don't know if I tend toward one more than others.

[Marc G]

I say learn both.....

[Howie22]

Yup, me too. The middle/ring/pinky combo works well for some things ("Take it Easy"), but most of the time I'm using all four fingers, like you.

 

 

Yep, "Take It Easy" is one of the things I had in mind when I originally answered

[Freeman Keller]

If you want to see something totally wild, look at the way Dykes teaches it in the latest issue of Wood and Steel. First he advocated wrapping your thumb to the bottom E string and leaving the 5th unfretted, then he starts doing something really funky with his thumb in front of the fretboard. He claims that this allow him to make a G chord and fret some stuff way up the neck, but I was immediately lost by the pictures.

Oh, I mostly do the pinky on the high E (quick switch to C) but I also do the other on occassion. The nice thing about the pinky form is that you can move it to the third fret of the A string and also got to G7 quickly. I also take a barred F up two frets.

[LiveMusic]

Actually, about 90% of the time now, I play it as 320033. I saw that listed somewhere as G5. Whatever it is, it makes 320003 sound weird. I much prefer 320033. I only play 320003 when I have accompaniment or it makes sense because of what is befor or after.

 

However, the original post was about what to teach a rank beginner.

[happy-man]

I don't think it matters so much, since there isn't a "right way". When I get someone started, I try to find what is most comfortable for them. I too usually fret G as 32033, but that's my style, and not something I get into with a beginner. I would guess that the easiest way for most beginners is to use the index, middle and ring finger, since the strength and dexterity of the pinky is (I would guess) not as great.

Open A is the one I give options to for a beginner. I have trouble getting my index,middle and ring finger together close enough. My index finger ends up being too far back on the D string, and I get buzz. So I fret it middle,index,ring on D,G,B strings respectively. I show them both ways, but I also see if they can do it with only a bent ring finger (joint bent back). I can't do this, but I offer it as an option for those who can. I point out the goal: to get each string properly fretted, so there is no buzz or muffled sound, and adjacent strings aren't muted.

Scott O

[Marc G]

I also find myself playing 3X0033 alot.....get that power chord sound along with the open chord vibe..... its just awesome with a nice overdrive....yummmm

[bbarkow]

I also find myself playing 3X0033 alot.....get that power chord sound along with the open chord vibe..... its just awesome with a nice overdrive....yummmm

 

 

That's the way I generally play it. It frees up the index finger do some different things. Plus, fretting the B on the fifth string makes the chord resonate oddly (to my ear, anyway).

[guit30]

I always like to have my pinky available to play xtra notes, sometimes, Fret the B instead of the E at the 3rd fret
JIm

[LiveMusic]

 

I also find myself playing 3X0033 alot.....get that power chord sound along with the open chord vibe..... its just awesome with a nice overdrive....yummmm

 

 

I do, too. This is the sound of the opening chord, Travis Tritt's "Here's a quarter, call someone who cares." It has a distinctive sound, very pleasing for a ringing chord.

[Cripes]

Whichever is easier, including a full barre, coming from or going to. If the low F note is needed in the F chord, 1st position, I will play a full G barre and slide down to the F chord. That's easier for me than holding a 3 finger open G before the F chord. Or, last 3 fingers switching to the 1st 3 if walking the B string from C to D notes, which one would have to do if playing something like Change Partners by Stephen Stills.

[riffmeister]

learn it every possible way. why? because it might make more sense to use one fingering over another depending on what chord precedes and/or follows it.

Here's a nice little ditty based on a G major chord in which the A string is muted:

3 3
X
0
2 2
0
3 4

3 3
X
1 1
2 2
1 1
3 4

3 3
X
2 1
2 1
2 1
3 4

3 3
X
1 1
2 2
1 1
3 4

3 3
X
0
2 2
0
3 4

.

[DeepEnd]

Sometimes I'm lazy and just use 2 fingers (muting the A string), . . .

 

I play the Gmaj7 that way. My normal fingering of a standard Gmaj is the last three fingers, although I use the firts three sometimes and also barre occasionally, depending on what chord is before/after. One of my original songs goes back and forth between Bm and Gmaj in the first part of the verses so the barred G is easier in that instance.

[DonK]

I'd teach them both ways, as I use both depending on what I'm playing. 90% of the time I use all four fingers, as I fret the B string on the third fret as well.

 

 

Same here.

[garthman]

Actually, about 90% of the time now, I play it as 320033. I saw that listed somewhere as G5. Whatever it is, it makes 320003 sound weird. I much prefer 320033. I only play 320003 when I have accompaniment or it makes sense because of what is befor or after. However, the original post was about what to teach a rank beginner.

 

 

The 320033 G is still a straight G chord because you still have the subdominant (B) on the 5th string - the notes being played are GBDGDG. This fingering "sounds" better than the 320003 G (notes played being GBDGBG) because you are replacing the subdominant on the 2nd string with the dominant (D).

 

To get a G5 chord you need to remove the subdominant altogether so you are just playing the root and dominant notes. There are a few ways to do this, eg. by muting strings (see above for some examples) but there is a relatively easy 6 string fingering, viz. 355X33. In effect you are using the barre version of the G chord but playing the 3rd string open. The best way to achieve the fingering is to curl your thumb over the fretbaord to fret the 6th string on 3rd fret, use pinky and ring finger to fret 5th and 4th string on 5th frets and use index finger to fret both 2nd and 1st strings on 3rd frets. Notes being played are GDGGDG.

 

I always teach beginners to use the last three fingers - it may be a slightly more difficult fingering than using the first three fingers but most students cope OK.

[d28andm1911a1]

I teach it with the pinky on high e, because beginners have problems using the pinky and that good exercise. I play it 320033 or 320003 both ways depending on the song.

[brahmz118]

 

The 320033 G is still a straight G chord because you still have the subdominant (B) on the 5th string - the notes being played are GBDGDG. This fingering "sounds" better than the 320003 G (notes played being GBDGBG) because you are replacing the subdominant on the 2nd string with the dominant (D). To get a G5 chord you need to remove the subdominant altogether so you are just playing the root and dominant notes. There are a few ways to do this, eg. by muting strings (see above for some examples) but there is a relatively easy 6 string fingering, viz. 355X33. In effect you are using the barre version of the G chord but playing the 3rd string open. The best way to achieve the fingering is to curl your thumb over the fretbaord to fret the 6th string on 3rd fret, use pinky and ring finger to fret 5th and 4th string on 5th frets and use index finger to fret both 2nd and 1st strings on 3rd frets. Notes being played are GDGGDG. I always teach beginners to use the last three fingers - it may be a slightly more difficult fingering than using the first three fingers but most students cope OK.

 

 

Some good points about the G5, garthman. Just want to point out that the B would be the mediant in the key of G.

 

LiveMusic, for a completely different approach how about this: just identify which strings need to be fretted and have the student figure out their own fingering by the next lesson. Then they can tell you A) they prefer the 1st three fingers, B) they prefer the last three fingers, or C) they didn't have too much time to practice because their best friend got a new puppy.