How do you make a D chord in 1st position?

Tenor Uke. If I barre 2220 the meat of my index finger as often as not impedes on the A string. If I use index, middle, and ring fingers they barley fit between the frets, causing one or 2 to sound off. For thise with bigger mitts, what do you use?

padlin said:

Tenor Uke. If I barre 2220 the meat of my index finger as often as not impedes on the A string. If I use index, middle, and ring fingers they barley fit between the frets, causing one or 2 to sound off. For thise with bigger mitts, what do you use?

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Like taking a C chord, and move it up 2 frets, 2225, with pointer as a barre across all 4 strings and pinky on the A string at the 5th fret

regardless of scale from soprano to baritone there's no way I can do 2220 with ANY finger combination, NOR do I have that double-jointed second knuckle on ANY finger as some folks can partially barre as 2220 with single finger, NOT gonna work for me, however Dm is no problem as 2210...

I found that if I use my middle finger on the g string, my index on the c string and my ring finger on the e, that my fingers fit together on the fret better. This has the added benefit of making it faster for me to change between G, D, and A chords, because my index finger serves as an anchor.

I always used to barre it at 2220, but after a tip from Pete McCarty, I've started using fingers 2-1-3 crammed into the second fret, because it's more efficient to switch to other first-position chords that way. I still barre it sometimes though, when it feels natural.

Yeah, what manfrog said. Great minds think alike, and at the same time apparently!

KoAlohas (and Im guessing their cheaper range of KoAlanas) also have wider necks, 38mm or 1-1/2".

I play the D chord in several ways depending upon the chord progression, but most often barre the g & C strings with the middle finger and fret the E string with the ring finger. On my Cordoba with the wide nut (1.5 in) I'll use middle, ring & pinky on g, C, A, respectively; which is how I learned to play the same shape (A chord) on guitar.

This may help:

cml said:

KoAlohas (and Im guessing their cheaper range of KoAlanas) also have wider necks, 38mm or 1-1/2".

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KoAlohas and Opios have slightly wider necks (1-7/16"); sadly, KoAlanas do not.

5-5-6-7

The same as the Bb, but on the 5th fret.

Some people use their thumb to barre the 2nd fret on the 2nd, 2rd, and 4th string - it still is 0-2-2-2. I am not one of those people - my hands lack the size, or dexterity.

Edited:

I will also barre the 2nd fret, and pinky the 5th 5-2-2-2, depending on the rest of the chords in the progression. I just like the sound better at the 5th fret.

Pinky, ring, middle, and squeeze them together tight, one overlapping the other so they are like little stairs, then stuff them straight down between the two frets, if you can. I have big hands too I know that sounds awkward and slow, but once you get it figured out is gets fast, and it sets you up for the dreaded E.

ubulele said:

KoAlohas and Opios have slightly wider necks (1-7/16"); sadly, KoAlanas do not.

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Thanks! I didnt know that .

I would recommend trying all of the suggestions in this thread. I find that I use different fingering for many chords depending on what chord(s) come before and after. This goes for all chords, even the simple C or Am chords. I will change what finger presses the A or G string to make the move to the next chord easier.

Hi everyone,

I still think that learning D major has to be connected at the same time as learning E major. They need to be tackled together like on a Superbowl Sunday. hehe

Booli's idea of the 2225 is a good one too.

Petey

I facilitate the 2220 by rotating my fretting hand so the headstock is in the crook of my thumb/hand.

manfrog said:

I found that if I use my middle finger on the g string, my index on the c string and my ring finger on the e, that my fingers fit together on the fret better. This has the added benefit of making it faster for me to change between G, D, and A chords, because my index finger serves as an anchor.

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Like a squished G7! I love it. Thanks.

Booli's idea of the 2225 finishes the D tone on 1st string. It sounds best in some songs to me.

PeteyHoudini said:

...Booli's idea of the 2225 is a good one too.

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zztush said:

Booli's idea of the 2225 finishes the D tone on 1st string. It sounds best in some songs to me.

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Thanks for the nod guys

I've gotten accustomed to having the root note as the higher pitch on that chord, and being that you now have an easy movable chord shape, which ALSO only requires 2 fingers to make, AND requires less energy from your hand to press and hold that shape.

Then, it's easy to move/slide UP to an E, F or G chord. Once you are up the neck now at around the 5th fret or so with a chimey G chord, you can now take other movable chord shapes based upon the F and A first position chords, such as like 7565 (barred F-shape) and 7655 (barred A-shape), but once you get up that far, fingering gets tight for me on a tenor and sometimes it sounds too chimey for me on a re-entrant strung uke, and may actually sound better on a linear tuned uke. I will have to test it on a linear tuned instrument and see.

One of my goals with both fretting as well as strumming and finger-picking is 'conservation of energy' and 'reducing hand/arm movement' to a minimum, such that when I need more POWER from my fingers it's there.

This might not effect everyone, but as I'm getting closer to 50yrs old, it seems that my grip strength, and manual dexterity sometimes seems to run out of steam much sooner, and this conservation/reduction method allows me to play LONGER, louder and more consistently.

Sometimes I also have pain which is aggravated by playing with a sloppy method, and I should point out that the above method is done so with a VERY relaxed hand, and not a hard CLAW-like grip that I see in so many videos. (Doctor says it's the start of arthritis and wants me on 'juice' from the pharmacy, but I refuse that junk.)

If you pretend that the instrument is fragile and could implode from rough handling, and approach with a very delicate touch, you are off to a good start.

For your fingers, instead of a HAMMER, think of a FEATHER.