D Chord- Different ways?

U

UkeManTan

New member
Joined
Jun 3, 2012
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Location
Pulaski, TN
I just got my ukulele three days ago and I love it. I have progressed faster than I thought I would but I can't bend my middle finger at the knuckle to bar the D chord without hitting the first string. Any other suggestions?
Thanks
 
2225 ..................
 
UkeManTan said:
I can't bend my middle finger at the knuckle to bar the D chord without hitting the first string. Any other suggestions?
Click to expand...

Hi

When I the barre form of D chord, my index finger barres 2nd fret, and my pinky frets the A string at 5.

You use the middle finger to barre? Sounds a bit awkward.

Cheers
Chief
 
chiefnoda said:
Hi
You use the middle finger to barre? Sounds a bit awkward.
Click to expand...

Well, now that I think about it that is a bit awkward, but the guy in the video of the song I am trying to learn used it so I tried. I will try the index finger now.
 
You might already know this, but you can avoid the barre entirely if you want--use your index finger on the G string, middle finger on the C string, and ring finger on the E string. Pivot your hand a bit if needed to squeeze them all in.
 
cantsing said:
You might already know this, but you can avoid the barre entirely if you want--use your index finger on the G string, middle finger on the C string, and ring finger on the E string. Pivot your hand a bit if needed to squeeze them all in.
Click to expand...
I do that. :)
 
UkeManTan said:
Well, now that I think about it that is a bit awkward, but the guy in the video of the song I am trying to learn used it so I tried. I will try the index finger now.
Click to expand...

I suspect a bit of confusion. A barre is when you use one finger to fret all *4* strings. In your OP. you said bar but what you were doing is a "partial barre" where a finger holds 2 or three strings. You may have seen the D chord (2220) as i-i-m-o or m-m-r-o (x = open), likely the second form? To me, bending index or middle finger in this form is very tough. I have seen the same form as i-m-r-o or m-i-r-o. The latter may sound strange but your fingers fit in more easily.

Anyway, try 2225 as i-i-i-a (a = pinky) where index finger holds all four strings at 2nd fret. That's my go-to form.

Cheers
Chief
 
spookefoote said:
2225 ..................
Click to expand...
Was blind but now I see!!! How long I have been cramming my fingers on those first three strings! How annoying the buzz! And now the light has shone!
UkeManTan -- thank you for asking this question!
 
I've been making my D with fingers positioned 2130 on the 2nd fret. It's a tight squeeze but it still works better for me than 1230 and makes a lot of chord transitions easier for me. I haven't tried the barre chord version yet but I tend to avoid barre chords if possible. I'm having the action lowered on my uke right now so maybe barres will work better for me in the future.
 
Last edited:
Thank you all so much! Y'all havve helped me alot. I've been asking a lot of questions because this is my first instrument and I have had it for 3-4 days now.:D
 
For me it depends on the progression...sometimes if it follows with a G chord, I do the same finger position as the the G chord and just shift over to the GCE second fret..
 
I too am unable to bend my fingers backwards sufficiently to play a D chord the way Aldrene does. To play the D chord 2220, it takes just a little practice to fret just those three strings with two fingers. I do it all the time using index and middle.
 
Using middle-ring-pinky instead of i-m-r takes up less space on the fretboard (at least with my fingers). Drawback is that the pinky is not free for D6-D7. You could always cheat and use your thumb to barre from the top.
 
I use my thumb a lot in chording. I usually play D with my thumb on the G string, and my index and middle fingers coming around the uke to get the C and E strings.
 
You might already know this, but you can avoid the barre entirely if you want--use your index finger on the G string, middle finger on the C string, and ring finger on the E string. Pivot your hand a bit if needed to squeeze them all in.
Click to expand...
I do that. :)
Click to expand...
Me also too!
 
Ever since I learned 2225, 2220 became a thing of the past. Sounds better, too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
Different chord patterns for linear?
Replies
14
Views
1K
PeteyHoudini
PeteyHoudini
P
Different Chord Same Sound?
Replies
4
Views
703
OldePhart
OldePhart
carpekd
chord shapes for different tunings
Replies
6
Views
696
carpekd
carpekd
BiosphereDecay
Low G How do you feel about this chord progression? (And the strumming patterns I've chosen.)
Replies
10
Views
283
ripock
ripock
BiosphereDecay
Chord Namer Questions
2
Replies
22
Views
525
ripock
ripock
Top Bottom