Fat Fingers

Shaguarinho

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Hey all, I am new to playing the ukulele and I am finding it difficult to play some chords because I can't bar a fret or when I can bar it, I am touching the other strings. For example, an E chord. I put my index finger on the A string 2nd fret and my middle finger on the G,C, and A strings 4th fret. My middle finger always ends up touching the A string and ruining the sound of the chord. Any help?
 
Hey Shaguarinho!

Welcome to the forum! Try out these two links for this problem -- though we're a relatively young forum, you'll find that our forum search tool will unlock answers to this and many other questions you'll certainly run into. Have fun!


Big Fingers

D-Chord Help
 
E Chord

Welcome to the forum. Funny thing about the E chord, if you are from a guitar background you know that E is one of the most common chords. Blues seem to always be in E or A. There are 8.4 gatrillion rock-n-roll song written in E. But on the uke.....argh. E is pretty much the worst. E7 is easily played, but that E chord doesn't really get easier. You can move your little finger up to the 7th fret (still barring the 4th fret) if that's not too high. Or you can bar at the 4th and just play the top three strings....or bend that finger just a tad more....
 
You can move your little finger up to the 7th fret (still barring the 4th fret) if that's not too high. Or you can bar at the 4th and just play the top three strings....or bend that finger just a tad more....

those are great alternatives. i do those as well because i have trouble getting a nice clean E the normal way.
 
Hey. Welcome to UU. As for me, I hated the E chord too. As like you, I had trouble bending my finger to press the GCE strings without touching the A string. I basically had to keep practicing using 4 fingers. Pointer finger for the A String and the Middle, ring and pinky fingers for the GCE strings. Its kind of hard too, just keep practicing it and it will happen. You can even try 3 fingers for this chord.
 
For example, an E chord. I put my index finger on the A string 2nd fret and my middle finger on the G,C, and A strings 4th fret. My middle finger always ends up touching the A string and ruining the sound of the chord. Any help?

I play the E the same way, except I barre the other strings with my ring finger. This has two advantages:

First, the ring finger lines up better with the 4th fret in 2nd position, making it easier to get close to the fret on all three strings. That gives you cleaner tone.

Second, the ring finger (at least mine) is smaller and more flexible. For me, it's easier to bend back the finger tip and stay off the A string while still barring the other three.
 
I totally suck at barre chords, although I started working on them more because of Aldrine's Lesson on movable chord forms.

Since I am usually the singer, I transpose songs to a key I don't need to use barre chords for. Or if I'm playing with someone else who picks a "bad for me" key, I use a capo.
 
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