Simply Easier Simple Guitar Chords
When it comes to chord fingerings, it is a good policy to examine the chords that are to be used in the song that you are about to play.
If you just follow the fingerings suggested in your average chord dictionary, the suggestions may well inhibit, not help your playing and fluency.
Most chord books that you'll come across when starting out as a guitar player will show a chord diagram and also the fingering to use.
This sounds like a good way to do things, nice and straight forward don't 'cha think.
WRONG! Take the D major chord for instance.
A lot of chord books that I have seen recommend fingering the chord the following way.
Index finger, 3rd string, fret 2.
3rd finger, 2nd string, fret 3, and 2nd finger, 1st string, fret 2.
Whats wrong with that? you might ask.
Nothing I would reply, so long as the next chord in the song is not a D7.
If this is the case, then it isn't just a case of moving your fingers to form the chord.
It involves a change of hand position.
You now need to get your 2nd finger on to the 2nd string fret 1.
Try doing this without moving your hand at all.
Can't be done.
I would suggest another fingering of the D chord which I think would be more beneficial to you in the long run.
Try using 2nd finger, 3rd string, fret 2, 3rd finger, 1st string, fret 2 and your pinky, or little finger, at fret 3 on the B string.
I know you may not be all that comfortable with using your little finger at the moment.
Believe me it is well worth persevering.
Now the chords of both D7 and D minor involve ONLY a finger movement, no hand movement, when changing to them from the D major chord.
Try it, I am sure that you will find it easier.
To get from the D major chord to the D7 chord using my fingering suggestion is just a matter of lifting off your pinky from fret 3 of the B string, and replacing it with your 1st finger, on fret 1, of the B string.
How easy is that? no hand movement at all.
Just the fingers.
To form the D minor chord following a D major chord.
Lift your 3rd finger from the top E string fret 2, and replace it with your first finger on the E string fret 1.
I think you'll agree that if the progression involves a move from a D major to a D7, that the fingering I am suggesting is much better to use.
There are lots of other chord fingerings that vary from the commonly taught, and a lot of the time they are much more effective.
To find more guitar playing tips and articles, visit my website below.
If you just follow the fingerings suggested in your average chord dictionary, the suggestions may well inhibit, not help your playing and fluency.
Most chord books that you'll come across when starting out as a guitar player will show a chord diagram and also the fingering to use.
This sounds like a good way to do things, nice and straight forward don't 'cha think.
WRONG! Take the D major chord for instance.
A lot of chord books that I have seen recommend fingering the chord the following way.
Index finger, 3rd string, fret 2.
3rd finger, 2nd string, fret 3, and 2nd finger, 1st string, fret 2.
Whats wrong with that? you might ask.
Nothing I would reply, so long as the next chord in the song is not a D7.
If this is the case, then it isn't just a case of moving your fingers to form the chord.
It involves a change of hand position.
You now need to get your 2nd finger on to the 2nd string fret 1.
Try doing this without moving your hand at all.
Can't be done.
I would suggest another fingering of the D chord which I think would be more beneficial to you in the long run.
Try using 2nd finger, 3rd string, fret 2, 3rd finger, 1st string, fret 2 and your pinky, or little finger, at fret 3 on the B string.
I know you may not be all that comfortable with using your little finger at the moment.
Believe me it is well worth persevering.
Now the chords of both D7 and D minor involve ONLY a finger movement, no hand movement, when changing to them from the D major chord.
Try it, I am sure that you will find it easier.
To get from the D major chord to the D7 chord using my fingering suggestion is just a matter of lifting off your pinky from fret 3 of the B string, and replacing it with your 1st finger, on fret 1, of the B string.
How easy is that? no hand movement at all.
Just the fingers.
To form the D minor chord following a D major chord.
Lift your 3rd finger from the top E string fret 2, and replace it with your first finger on the E string fret 1.
I think you'll agree that if the progression involves a move from a D major to a D7, that the fingering I am suggesting is much better to use.
There are lots of other chord fingerings that vary from the commonly taught, and a lot of the time they are much more effective.
To find more guitar playing tips and articles, visit my website below.