G chord finger position

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LuceAailgh

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Hey everyone, I'm a beginner player, and I've been teaching myself some basic chords. I noticed that everywhere I look on the internet, and in my guide book, the g chord is held with the middle finger on the A string, and the pointer finger on the C string. I find it much, much easier to hold and slide the chord around, if I have these fingers reversed (middle finger on A string, pointer finger on C string), but I figured maybe there's a reason for this specific finger position? Should I just practice what's easier for me, or is there something I'm missing here? :)
How about other chords, does it matter much, if I find a way that's easier for me to hold, if I go and practice that method? Thanks :D
 
I use a different fingering altogether for a conventional G chord. It works for me.
 
LuceAailgh said:
I noticed that everywhere I look on the internet, and in my guide book, the g chord is held with the middle finger on the A string, and the pointer finger on the C string. I find it much, much easier to hold and slide the chord around, if I have these fingers reversed (middle finger on A string, pointer finger on C string)Thanks :D
Click to expand...

Just FYI, on guitar that is a D chord, and James Taylor holds it the way you do. I have tried to do it his way, but I can't. So, my message is, do it like you do and don't look back.
 
I can't visualize what you are describing, but I'm a little dense sometimes. I can say that I often times play chords with different fingers than shown, and often times it will depend where I'm going next.
 
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i reverse them also I guess and never thought about it. Now that you have me playing with it I have no clue how someone would make an easy G7 from the way they recommend it. I find it easy the way we have a G to just turn the wrist a bit and have G7 when pivoting on the middle finger(C string)
 
If you don't use your index finger, you are going to be able to use it to bar in future moveable shapes. My two cents, work on strengthening your pinky now.
 
I look at what the next chord in the song is to determine which way to position my fretting fingers. I don't do that as much for G as I do for C.
 
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Awesome, thanks for the replies guys, guess I'll carry on with what works for me then, at least I know two different methods now
 
?????????????? Please clarify something. Is your ukulele tuned GCEA or AECG? Unless your strings are reversed, this makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

in my guide book, the g chord is held with the middle finger on the A string, and the pointer finger on the C string. I find it much, much easier to hold and slide the chord around, if I have these fingers reversed (middle finger on A string, pointer finger on C string)
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emphasis mine

The descriptions of "normal" and "reversed" are EXACTLY the same, but that's not a G chord. Providing the TWO fretted chords you mentioned are being played at the second fret with the C and A, it's a G6. Reversing your fingers would mean you're crossing them to play the G6 which sounds highly unlikely. If you've just forgotten to mention that you're fretting the E string somehow, then you're fretting the E over (or under) your crossed middle and pointer fingers somehow, which actually sounds bloody impossible.

I'm in agreement that people should play the way that suits them, but your description is utter nonsense.
 
I find the index on the first string to be most comfortable. I sometimes play using the index to barre the first three strings and sometimes use the ring finger on the first string, the bird finger on the third string and the pinky on the second string to facilitate a quick change to G7.
 
Jim Yates said:
I find the index on the first string to be most comfortable. I sometimes play using the index to barre the first three strings and sometimes use the ring finger on the first string, the bird finger on the third string and the pinky on the second string to facilitate a quick change to G7.
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I do that sometimes as well with the G. I also have a song where I go from an F or an A to a bar chord, so I often play the F and the A with my middle and ring finger. That keeps the pointer ready to come into play quickly. Then there are so many songs that I play where I go between an Em and a B7, which isn't actually a different finger placing, but does illustrate how it is always good to look at alternate fingering.
 
I do it either way when I am playing at a fast tempo and use the fingering that facilitates chord changes depending on the song, especially G to Em, or G to D, etc.
 
Down Up Dick said:
I usually go by the book on most chords but not all, and I don't do anything fast! :eek:ld:
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I try to go by the book, as well. Even when there seems to be a way that is obviously more comfortable. I figure there may be reasons for it, that I may not currently understand. I also figure it saves from forming bad habits. This applies only to guitar and uke for me. I wish I had disciplined myself better when I learned piano. I formed some pretty bad habits when I was a child. I took years of lessons but still formed some bad habits when it comes to finger positions.
 
I tend to study chord progressions and try to make them as smooth and efficient as possible. I really like to walk my fingers over the frets as I go from one chord to another through a song, and that takes a little rearranging of the finger placement sometimes to get it to work. But I think that is fun to do, so I put a lot of time into it.
 
One thing that I rarely hear mentioned is that human bodies vary widely in shape, size, mobility, and flexibility. So what works best for one may not work at all for another.

So I think "by the book" is not necessarily the best way to go. You have to find what works for you.

Yes, you do run the risk of developing bad habits ... but you can always learn new fingerings later on if there's a good reason for it.

I too use whichever fingering is expedient for moving to the next chord.

I never thought of fingering the G the way you said, but it certainly works. It might (maybe) even be easier to get to Em from there.

I'd experiment and maybe not get too attached to any one way of doing things.
 
There's an A chord shaped like the G but at the 4th-5th frets. If I need to play Those two in order I barre the 1st-3rd string with my pointer finger at the 2nd fret and my ring finger 2nd string 3rd fret for a G chord. Then I slide up to the 4th-5th fret for the A chord.
 
UkeCan1 said:
It might (maybe) even be easier to get to Em from there.
Click to expand...

When I have to change between G and Em, I find it easiest to leave my three fingers where that are and just place my pinky on the 4th fret of the C string. (Going from Em to G this way requires some forethought in finger placement)

Anytime I have difficulty going from one chord to another in a progression I experiment with different finger placements to see if I can find something that works better for me.
 
ubulele said:
Playing "by the book" is often the bigger mistake. Unless the book uses different fingerings for different situations, it's actually conditioning you into bad habits.
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I think it all depends on what you're playing. My progress has admittedly been very slow, but I mostly wanna accompany my singing. I'm not interested in playing jazz or classical or rock. Most of my fingerpicking I do with music or by ear. If one wants to play "Flight of the Bumble Bee" or do some fast bebop improvizations, then he/she needs tricky fretting. I'm doing moderately well with book chords.

"It's in the Book!!". Anybody remember Stan Freberg and "Grandma's Lye Soap"? :eek:ld:
 
I find it difficult to switch to G from most chords. Am I doing it wrong? ring finger 3rd fret second string, middle finger second fret 3rd string and pointy on the second fret 1st string.

http://www.delaneykester.com/
 
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