transition to guitalele - chord fingering help please!

barefootgypsy

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Hi folks - I've just bought a guitalele. My question is about fingering chords - it's completely different for many chords isn't it - I don't mean the name, I know that - what I mean is, for example E7 on uke and guitalele is A7 on guitar, so that's the chord shape I go for - but the fingering is different to accommodate the extra string.... how do you get round this? Is there a rule of thumb that you can apply, or just relearn all the fingerings? Chord changes seem much harder too. I'd appreciate any advice, thanks!
 
Hi Lesley, congratulations on your new guitalele. If you get hold of a guitar chord sheet http://www.chordie.com/chords.php you'll soon recognize many similar shapes that you are already familiar with. Similar shapes but different names.
Barre chords (1/2 & full) will also enable movement around the fingerboard. Good luck, they are great fun. Here's my Islander guilele played in an open tuning DADGAD as an example http://youtu.be/x3z6VWz5YPc
 
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how do you get round this? Is there a rule of thumb that you can apply, or just relearn all the fingerings? Chord changes seem much harder too. I'd appreciate any advice, thanks!

The shapes are the same. The fingering may or may not be the same, depending on the shape and how you formed it on the uke. If you fingered your shapes to accomodate movable barre chords (freeing your index finger), then that will carry over to the guitalele. Otherwise, you'll need to learn new fingerings. It's only hard because it's new.
 
Hi

Some basic rules if you want to go by:

(1) lowest fret is fingered by INDEX then MIDDLE and RING and Pinky so that chord chape conforms to your hand

(2) If you have to fret two strings on the same fret, INDEX reaches out the furthest then MIDDLE over RING.

(3) and then there are barre chords, ugh

Probably the easie thing is to find a chord chart that indicates which finger goes where. I thought it would be easy bu actually I could not find a good page myself.....

Good luck
Chief
 
find a chord chart that indicates which finger goes where. I thought it would be easy bu actually I could not find a good page myself.....

Here's one:

http://www.fingerstofrets.com/

Just go up a 4th for the proper name, e.g. "E" becomes "A" on the guitalele.

for example E7 on uke and guitalele is A7 on guitar, so that's the chord shape I go for

You have that backwards. A7 on uke/guitalele is E7 on guitar. E7 on uke/guitalele is B7 on guitar. Count up a 4th to go guitar->uke, or a 5th to go uke->guitar.
 
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Hi folks - I've just bought a guitalele. My question is about fingering chords - it's completely different for many chords isn't it - I don't mean the name, I know that - what I mean is, for example E7 on uke and guitalele is A7 on guitar, so that's the chord shape I go for - but the fingering is different to accommodate the extra string.... how do you get round this? Is there a rule of thumb that you can apply, or just relearn all the fingerings? Chord changes seem much harder too. I'd appreciate any advice, thanks!
An E7 on a Uke is the same as a B7 on a guitar(+5). Guitar chords on a Guitalele are +4 eg G on a guitar is a C on a guitalele etc.
Guitalele chords on a guitar is +5 eg A C on a guitalele is a G on a guitar.
 
Another idea. On guitar I use lots of moveable chords where I am only fingering 4 or five of the 6 strings, the unused ones are muted in different ways by how I finger the chord.

For example a moveable 7th chord based on the 5th string (like an open C7) is easy to move up and down and just mute the 6th string with your thumb and the 1st string with your index finger as it fingers the 2nd string.

Another advantage is that by relaxing all your fingers you can mute the whole chord for strumming variety.
 
Another idea. On guitar I use lots of moveable chords where I am only fingering 4 or five of the 6 strings, the unused ones are muted in different ways by how I finger the chord.

For example a moveable 7th chord based on the 5th string (like an open C7) is easy to move up and down and just mute the 6th string with your thumb and the 1st string with your index finger as it fingers the 2nd string. As long as flesh is just touching the string it effectively silences it. And you can strum all 6 strings for general laziness!

Another advantage is that by relaxing all your fingers you can mute the whole chord for strumming variety. Google "movable jazz chords" and see what you get.
 
Another idea. On guitar I use lots of moveable chords where I am only fingering 4 or five of the 6 strings, the unused ones are muted in different ways by how I finger the chord.

For example a moveable 7th chord based on the 5th string (like an open C7) is easy to move up and down and just mute the 6th string with your thumb and the 1st string with your index finger as it fingers the 2nd string. As long as flesh is just touching the string it effectively silences it. And you can strum all 6 strings for general laziness!

Another advantage is that by relaxing all your fingers you can mute the whole chord for strumming variety. Google "movable jazz chords" and see what you get.
Thanks! I'm making a note of all these ideas, it really is helpful - much appreciated!
 
How confident are you on guitar? For me, I usually remember the transposed chord. I.e if I'm playing a G, remember it transposes to D and play the D shape; Same thing for A(m)(7/9/susx/etc.) and E(m)(7/9/susx/etc.) and other chords. Basically, like playing guitar with the capo up 5 frets from the base. Being a pianist/guitarist helped me lean to transpose like that *snaps*.
 
Don't know if you are still looking for this -- but if you look up requinto chords online, there is some information. Plus I think a few books on requinto chords. Requintos are tuned the same as guitaleles.
 
we need an uncle rod's boot camp for guitar!
 
I made a review and unboxing of a Guitalele and I explain some of this in my video, you can check it out through my channel below, but think of a ukulele as a guitar on capo 5 without the forest two strings. With that in mind, Guitalele is just a guitar on capo 5 essentially. So Em fingering will play an Am. G major fingering will play a D major on Guitalele.
 
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