Let's play E7 instead of E!

.... and take away the number you first thought of!

Seriously, that's interesting and very helpful, redpaul - I hadn't spotted these patterns before. Thanks.
 
I find the standard form of E a real struggle. Small hands and fingers getting stiffer with age is the problem. I can just about manage it but it's a problem so I admit I prefer to seek alternatives where necessary. I agree that using E7 as an alternative is not always right. In fact you can always substitute E for E7 but you cannot always substitute E7 for E. If I need E in standard tuning I tend to go for 4447 or 444x. Eb is easier as you can leave the G string open so 0331 is a correct alternative to 3331 and it's a lot easier to finger.

If need be, I'll use a capo or an alternative tuning. Playing in E on a baritone superficially seems OK but the B chord in DGBE is the 'same' as the E chord in GCEA so it's not always a good alternative. If you are playing a song in E, capo 2 and play D shapes (regardless of tuning) gives you the key of E and that's what quite a few guitarists I know do.
 
My music theory instructor who now plays uke, insisted that I learn the standard E chord, and not cheat. So I am trying to. I don't much care for the sound of E. 1st I learned the Eb chord, which makes it easier to learn the E.
 
I just prefer to practice the E chord each time I play. Stretch your fingers before playing.
 
An alternative is to use three finger chords. They are incredibly useful and totally movable. Eventually using the fourth string just happens. However even when you can play all four strings the 3 string chords are very useful.
 
I had never thought about 1402. So I just tried it and my fingers cannot maneuver that. Maybe with practice but I'm already proficient in the barred 4447 and the 4442. But I will admit I don't like that chord shape. And playing in the key of D is never fun on ukulele. It just isn't.

Aha! I just discovered an easy cheater way to make the E chord based on my newfound knowledge of 1402. You can play one with the index finger mute the next string with that same index finger leave the E string open and place the ring finger on the second fret of the A string. It will take some practice but I like this cheater method. We can call it 1X02. And you will be playing EG#B the complete Triad.
 
being a relative novice I can tell you what I do and how I got to where I'm at. I fret the 1402 by using the index finger for the "1" and middle finger for the "2". On the C string I put the middle finger on the third fret and the pinky on the fourth fret. I realize the middle finger is useless in this formation but when I put it down on the third, the pinky follows to its place more easily.

At first I couldn't do this shape like many others, but I just used the rote method. It sounds laborious, but when you time it, it only takes about five minutes. So what I did was just form the chord 100 times a day. Again, that sounds horrible, but it really goes fast. I just make the chord, strum it, shake the hand out, and do it again. After a few days everything is fixed.
 
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