I need a hug...

Captain Google

Ukulele Captain
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It seem that almost every time I try to learn a song from chords I find online, there's one chord that I can't do. It's really doing a number on my confidence. I know, the only way to get better is to practice, but the one-impossible-chord thing just kinda burns me out.

I need a hug. :(
 
Awww; i know what you mean ):
Im still having problems with the E chord, so i try to avoid songs that have E, or i change it to something that sounds good. Haha x]
But dont worry, good will come your way ;D You'll learn many more chords and songs and you'll be great:)

Lol; *Huuuugs*

Have a good day:)
 
mine is B major. I have problems with my pinky on the g string... It wants to bend backward.
 
i only got one beef and thats with E7... i hate playing something and then having to slide down to E7 it throws of my groove...
 
E really stinks.

Whew that felt good to finally say out loud. :eek:
 
Alright, let's all take a deep breath! Are we calm? Yes? Good!

Now there certainly is more than one way to do a chord. You just gotta find which way is the most comfortable and practice it. Some people say I finger chords weird, but hey, if it works, go for it.

Let's start with E, since a lot of people are having trouble with it:

You can:
- Use your index finger to Barre all the strings on the second fret and use the ring finger to barre the G, C, and E strings.
- Use your index finger on the A string second fret, and barre the G, C, and E strings with your ring finger.

If you don't like barring, you can:

Code:
1 = Index
2= Middle Finger
3 = Ring Finger
4 = Pinky

A ----|--1-|---|----|---------
E ----|----|-2-|----|---------
C ----|----|---|--4-|---------
G ----|----|---|--3-|---------


Doing a B chord fingering on the 7th fret will also make an E chord sound, although an octave higher.

Code:
1 = Index
2= Middle Finger
3 = Ring Finger
4 = Pinky

The first fret in this demonstration is the 7th Fret
 
A --1--|----|----|----|-------
E --1--|----|----|----|-------
C -----|--2-|----|----|-------
G -----|----|-3--|----|-------


===============================================


i only got one beef and thats with E7... i hate playing something and then having to slide down to E7 it throws of my groove...

E7 can be played:

Code:
A ---2---------------
E ---0---------------
C ---2---------------
G ---1---------------

or:

Code:
A ----5---------------
E ----4---------------
C ----4---------------
G ----4---------------

as well as:

Code:
A -----7---------------
E -----7---------------
C -----8---------------
G -----7---------------


================================================


mine is B major. I have problems with my pinky on the g string... It wants to bend backward.

How are you doing you're B chord?

=================================================

Am7

I cannot seem to play it with good tone.

Oh and Cmaj6 too. Can never play it....

Hmmm... from what I know, you can play an Am7 with just all open strings.

How do you play your C6?

================================================

lets all start venting on what chords we hate...

minds D!!

D is like E without the index fingr and it's on the third fret.

You can either:

Use each finger to separately fret each string:
Code:
1 = Index
2 = Middle
3 = Ring
4 = Pinky

A ----|----|-----|----
E ----|----|--3--|----
C ----|----|--2--|----
G ----|----|--1--|----

or

A ----|----|-----|----
E ----|----|--4--|----
C ----|----|--3--|----
G ----|----|--2--|----

Or you can Barre the G, C, and E strings using a finger you're most comfortable barring with:

Code:
A ----|----|-----|----
E ----|----|--1--|----
C ----|----|--1--|----
G ----|----|--1--|----

or

A ----|----|-----|----
E ----|----|--2--|----
C ----|----|--2--|----
G ----|----|--2--|----

or

A ----|----|-----|----
E ----|----|--3--|----
C ----|----|--3--|----
G ----|----|--3--|----

etc.

There are also other variations of the D chord, such as:

Doing the B chord position on the 5th fret
Code:
A ------5------
E ------5------
C ------6------
G ------7------

And doing the F# position on the 9th fret
Code:
A ------9------
E ------10------
C ------9------
G ------11------

========================================

You folks should start to notice that a chord's finger position can be moved up and down the fretboard to create different variations of other chords. In this way, you have a variety of chord variations to choose from as opposed to just the first position.

I really wish I was there with you guys physically so I could demonstrate what I'm talking about and personally help each and every one of you guys out. But I'll have to make do with this.

Most importantly, the key is practice practice and, did I mention, practice? If not, then practice. Seriously. It's hard now, but if you chip away at it, it becomes more fluid. I guarantee that. Seriously. All your favorite ukuleleist like Jake and Aldrine and all of them at one point went through the same thing.

Also: Really practicing shouldn't be vigorously work. My point is, to just keep at it. Keep going with it. Just play.
 
Last edited:
Alright, let's all take a deep breath! Are we calm? Yes? Good!


Hmmm... from what I know, you can play an Am7 with just all open strings.

How do you play your C6?

Man, I know! That darn Am7 I just cannot play right no matter how much I practice.

And that C6 is just as bad:

chord_0000.gif
 
I don't want anything like "it's a bad habit to use your thumb" "cheater!" ok? Cuz that's what happened last time. I know, i know, imma cheater, it's a bad habit, whatever, just skip it, I'm already sick of it for the E chord you can use your thumb to bar the top three strings

(My least favorite chord is G# 7+5 (1423)
 
Stupid Am7 chord...I can't seem to get it right! My fingers go MAD just trying to attempt to do it.

But really.
I hate the E chord.
 
I have once again fallen for the sarcasm around here :rofl:

Add: And I had a feeling it was too!

:D

am i the only one that understood this genius right off the bat? hahaha :worship:

Haha, yeah it is my favorite thing to do. I will make these little bets with people that don't know any better. Guitarist friends seem to fall for it the most.

Me: "Hey, I'll bet you 10 bucks I can teach anyone here to play an A Minor Seventh and C Major Sixth chord within 1 minute."

Sucker:"Ooh that sounds hard. Your on!"

*30 seconds later*

Sucker:"Dammit!!"
 
:D



Haha, yeah it is my favorite thing to do. I will make these little bets with people that don't know any better. Guitarist friends seem to fall for it the most.

Me: "Hey, I'll bet you 10 bucks I can teach anyone here to play an A Minor Seventh and C Major Sixth chord within 1 minute."

Sucker:"Ooh that sounds hard. Your on!"

*30 seconds later*

Sucker:"Dammit!!"

Hmmm... I wanna try that now!
 
Am7

I cannot seem to play it with good tone.

Oh and Cmaj6 too. Can never play it....

Depending on various factors, lots of open strings can sound pretty out of place amongst a bunch of fretty B shapes or Gs or Ds or Fs or...

So I'm going to seriously say those two. Sometimes even your Cs or Ams and so forth, too. There's nothing as jarring (actually, I'm sure there's plenty) as playing a very clearly defined, hard-strumming rhythm part, maybe involving some beautifully toned left-hand muting, and suddenly having a chord with lots of open strings in there. Bmm-ch-chk-bring, bmm-ch-chk-bring, bmm-ch-chk-bring, BRAWRG!-chhm-chm-brang!

Inversions. Solve. Everything. Kinda. Hm
 
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