4 EASY WAYS TO PLAY A CHORD - But 1 Way is Best
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 4 ส.ค. 2024
- This instructional Guitar Video of the A Major Chord for Beginners through Advanced players is a must see. There are 4 ways to Play the A Chord in open position, the standard way most instructors teach are the 1-2-3 A Major Chord Method. These most common Methods have certain limitations that are not optimal. 'Space Age Jim' explains each method & may convince you that his 2 Favored methods 1 for picking & 1 for strumming are the best for you. Once you learn it you may never go back to the 'Slow Poke Way'. A practice loop is provided for you to perfect your A chord skill set. Likewise, this video is entertaining you with Fingerstyle Guitar and hopes to convince you to learn Fingerstyle Guitar & break out of your barrier of sounding like everyone else.
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Chapters:
(00:00:00) Demo Featuring Various A Chord Fingerings
(00:01:00) 2 Ways to Play Open A - Not Recommended - Explanation
(00:04:13) 2 Best Ways to Play A - When Should Either of these 2 Ways Be Used
(00:06:42) Major Open Chord Practice Loop
(00:11:33) Get Tuned Up - So We Sound Good Together
(00:13:22) Steal My Licks - If You Can Challenge - เพลง
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When I started playing in 1958 it occurred to me that it would be easier if you used only two fingers to play all the notes of the A and E chords. My middle finger was meaty enough to easily cover two strings. Not having a teacher gave me the freedom to experiment. My index finger is also big enough to play two adjacent strings. I joined the Navy in 1963 as a guitarist, and it was never an issue.
Wow, I have heard a couple of military bands in person and they are so good. I bet you can relate some awesome experiences, I would love to hear more.
Right after boot camp, I was shipped out on an air craft carrier to the Med for 18 months. We played all over Europe as good will Americans. Nice France set up a band shell for us, and 20,000 people showed up! The Navy put us up two to a room in a hotel in Nice so we could play every night at the USO. While we were close to Italy, the island of Malta gained its independence from GB. We flew over and became the band that played their celebration. We returned to the USA in 1965 and everyone was talking about some new group called The Beatles. We never heard of them!
@@spaceagejim8482
WOW what an experience, You have to be amazing to be in those military bands. I will share your experience with my students. It's sometimes hard to see where music will lead you, it can be an amazing experience. I never dreamed I would have had some of the experiences I have had as well. Guitar has opened so many doors for me and given me a nice career too.
I hope you watch my new B Chord Video
th-cam.com/video/pX60qQMlBMw/w-d-xo.html
I would love to hear if you agree with my conclusion in the comment section.
Dude can play. I like your style, and vibe.
In my experience, whatever works for the individual is the best way. We were all made different, and as we get older things change and we have to adapt.
There are situations where it can be better to use one fingering over another for sure.
Love the video, I am working on my major chords and the practice section was also super helpful, as well as the best way to play A.
Thank you, I like to include a practice section so everyone has a chance to put their new knowledge to work right away.
Great to have seen this tutorial and read all comments. I have learnt alot.Thanks to all.I thought that one had to do everything by the book even though I struggle with some formations. Good to know that I can do my own thing to make some things a bit easier.
Yes every tutorial on chords etc show perfect form and an ideal hand/finger position. In reality you will rarely have your hand look like that. Factor like scale length hand size, hand shape, and what you just did before or after will make perfect form hard to do. Actually it never matters what it looks like. In the end all that matters is your clean tone, It is best to push strings between the middle of a frets but it makes no difference in the tone - all that matters is tone and speed so just sound every string to ensure it rings properly then go with it. I take like 5 pics to make my form look 'perfect' but my hands and fingers never actually look like that if you watch me perform. Don't over think it.
You may like my new B Chord Video
th-cam.com/video/pX60qQMlBMw/w-d-xo.html
Please watch and comment, I think you will find it useful as well.
Dear Space age Jim, I'm mid 70s and learned the guitar when I was 10 in 1960. My tutor was middle aged and played in dance bands during the 40s and 50s. The A chord I learned from him is as your 2,3,4 th fingers. I believe this is the natural way play it. The other ways using fingers 1,2 and 3 hinder smooth changes. Also your playing does remind me of my tutor. 👍👋👋👋👋👋
Thanks for the kind comment. The 2-3-4 method for strumming is good for leading into sympathetic chords like Asus & A2 common Key of A Chords. Glad you see the light too.
Jim, it's good to see you pushing using a metronome! Great work buddy I'm subscribed and I liked your video.
Thanks, I know that the biggest problem most Guitar Soloists have is keeping good time. Speeding up is my biggest problem for sure, this problem of speeding up then slowing down kills your performance, using a metronome keeps you aware of timing and steady beat.
Good doctor bless
I was using the 2-1-3 method but I tried the 2-3-4 method and I think you are right, it works better for me.
I have used the 2-3-4 Method almost every time I need an open A, it has never not worked.
Thank you excellent class loving it you should say something about that timing box that you have I really like that also I heard you using the timing box and now I want to get one but I really appreciate the exercise thank you
Thanks for the comment. The clicker I use is called a metronome, everyone that wants to keep improving their skills should have one. The one I used in the video is mechanical and must be wound up and adjusts by moving weights on a pendulum. It is a 'Wittner' Metronome available on Amazon for $35. as I just checked.
There are many metronomes available including free as a smartphone app. I use the app 'Pulse' it is a metronome that has subdivisions etc and is very great to use. Believe me a metronome free or costly is essential to effective playing. One of my biggest weaknesses is speeding up and slowing down the song tempo with the dynamics of the song. Often Before I realize it I may have sped up 10 beats per minute, then realize I sped up0 and 'OH NO' here comes that technical part of the song and I'm racing so fast I cant play it well.
You will be amazed like I often am at how bad you keep time, it can be a shocker. Always tap your foot and keep a steady tempo, it's probably the most common problem solo guitarists face.
I usually play open A as a bar with the ring finger. And the index is saved for the main bar in the parallel chords like B on 2-nd,C on 3-d or D on 5-th, etc.
Smart way to play, very logical.
Finally, someone who knows some truth about guitar playing. Thanks for educating the kiddies! A lot of times the fingering is dependent on what you're playing around it and where you're going. Use common sense. Great lesson!
Thank you. 2 things I had to learn were, look ahead of what is coming up next -look down the road- and be prepare the best route to get there efficiently. That's a challenge every instrumentalist faces.
I agree. I call it the economy of motion. Achieve maximum results with the least amount of motion.
The second way is highly efficient and used by many pros. The triangle shape A allows for smooth and fast changes to many chords. The triangle shape is an extremely common shape…B7, D7, G, G5, C add9…G9, So, when students learn to move shape to shape their playing is much smoother. And the other trick is leaving down a finger. The A to E change you disliked is way smoother by leaving the index finger down and sliding it back on the G string.
You said you are a finger style expert. Chet Atkins stressed leaving a finger down where possible.
It's sure nice to have a finger down to pivot on, it's so much faster and hitting your next shape is way easier for the right chord.
I like just using the first 3 strings. Open high E,then fretting strings two and three on the second fret which give you the A and C# needed for the chord.
Yes there you have a complete Chord and it's super quick to get to as well.
My first goto isn't even listed, barring the E A and C# with my middle finger. I sometimes will use my first or third finger, but most of the time I am using the second finger for length and girth. It also allows a smooth transition to my gotos for G, E, and D chords. It really depends on if I am leaning heavy into the open scale shapes and 9th and 11th extensions, or if I am reaching out to the fifth fret for those high A and E notes.
Great, I want to get to root 5 and 6 barre forms before long, keep coming back your comment is awesome.
When I started learning 25 years ago I played open A with the 213 method. I'm sure I saw it in a book. Ever since I've felt a bit self conscious because most other people play 123. It just feels so much better to me and it is a hard habit to break anyway.
Thank you for legitimising it for me 😂
If it works for you keep using it, I like my 2-3-4 method and I can always go as fast as I need to go and find the sus and 2nd chord to keep things going & interesting. It's amazing all the ways Guitarists play Chords I regularly run into Guitarists playing a new way I never heard of. I think you will like my new video coming out tomorrow on the B Chord. I made one a few months ago but this one is improved. 25 Years awesome! I started at 9 years old but quit for several years soon after. Played for hours almost daily the past 35+ years.
B is a chord I've always disliked playing so I really want to seek out your videos on that.
Yeah although I started playing 25 years ago I definitely don't have 25 years' experience. I played a lot at the start as a college student and I've been playing more lately, but in between there have been long periods without even picking up the guitar, which is a real shame
I also use the 213 method since i started out with guitar because i wasn't able to place the three fingers properly behind the fret with the 123 method. Nowadays i'm able to do that, but i'm so used to the 213 method that i stick to it. But i will give the 234 method a try, because this makes it easier to use the A-Shape for barree chords.
I Love the 2-3-4 method for open position but I play 5 string barre chords using my 1st finger for the nut and my 3rd finger barres strings 2-4. My hand rebels trying to use the 2-3-4 method on 5 string barres.
I just put out a video today on the B Chord explaining every way to play B and why I like the 3rd finger barre better than the 2-3-4 finger for 5 string barres.
th-cam.com/video/pX60qQMlBMw/w-d-xo.html
I would LOVE for you to watch it and see what your reaction is to this video, in the comment section.
Hi SAJ, Sage comments, and much appreciated. I’m looking for a replacement for my Martin D-28 and like the tone of your Larivée OM. Are they still available, or is this an older model? Like it for its tone, particularly, but also resonance, overtones and articulation of each string, which is my highest priority after tone. Thanks for your smart investigation and walking us through the process.
Look forward to more of your videos.
Kind Regards,
David
I just looked at Larrivee's site and found it is PROBABLY a 'Cutaway Small Body OM C09' The dimensions are correct for that model. IT is really good for Fingerstyle.
I bought mine new for like $1,100 sometimes in the 90's. This is almost a parlor Guitar, it is not loud like your D28. Paired with an ACUS Amp & it's as good as it gets for fingerstyle. I have trouble knowing if my ACUS is on as it is about perfectly sounding like my Guitar. -I have to turn it way up to tell if it's on or not, has great reverb too.
Sadly I can't find they are still making them, or you are even able to custom order it. But you could call Larrivee Directly, they are super nice and helpful.
They were making this a few years ago and I saw one on Reverb
Larrivee C03R Tommy Emmanuel signature
I sure that one is great. it's cheap too Like $2,900 new.
I have seen a Larrivee like mine with the extra inlay features for like $5,400. You may find one like it for less, to me guitars sound better the older they are.
A funny story is a few years ago I was playing in an International Fingerstyle Competition and one of the top players who won 1st was playing my IDENTICAL Guitar. This class of players are mostly sponsored and these guys oftentimes have guitars well over $10,000.
sometimes $25,000. customs. He said he has 60 Guitars, many of them he won, but he chose to play that old Larrivee, so it's not just me.
I hope that helps.
I play A the Flamenco way with fingers 1 and 2. The 1st finger bars strings 4 and 3 while the second finger bars string 2. It's easier than any of the other ways to get to the next chord. I can also do one-finger bars with any finger, but I rarely use that. You can sound the high E easily by just bending the top joint of the finger backward.
I tried it and I saw how it works. Interesting, I hope you come back and share more on the Flamenco World of Guitar, not many people are familiar with Flamenco and would like to hear more.
@@spaceagejim8482 Hi, I don't know that much about Flamenco, though I did teach with South African maestro Flamenco and Jazz guitarist Demi Fernando. I was shown that fingering very early in my career, and only later discovered that it was a Flamenco technique. I also learned a great deal about fingering in my classical guitar studies.
Your perspective is valued, I hope you keep coming back I am always looking for unique perspectives and am 100% open to learning new things. That's why Guitar is so fun, you can never learn it all.
I use my 2 and 3 fingers at a diagonal to do A. However, I need to learn the way James Taylor does A to play Fire and Rain because that distinctive A hammer makes the song. Advice gladly taken.
I looked closely at a couple of his fingerings and discovered he has very unusual way of fretting chords, I would not recommend trying to copy him exactly unless you want to spend TONS of time and effort trying to get close to his style. He is really unique, and I love his music, it was a great part of my life listening to his gentle voice and tone.
James Taylor used used a tuner that shows cents in order to tune all the strings slightly flat, from three cents below standard pitch on the first string to 12 cents flat on the sixth. This is one reason he sounds different.
I hope you make it to my B Chord video, I think you will like it.
th-cam.com/video/pX60qQMlBMw/w-d-xo.html
Please make a comment as I watch them all and really check out what you say, as do many other Guitarists.
Hey there, just found your channel and you’ve earned a new subscriber. Love your attitude and playing. Your guitar sounds amazing. Thank you from the Great Tar Heel State of North Carolina.
So happy you're here, don't forget to comment about any video. Lots of Guitarists are helped by these comments.
2nd way is absolutely the best hands down…it transitions the best…
A lot of good players swear by that method, & I think it works. I hope you watch my F Video.
th-cam.com/video/exJrHvVbjDA/w-d-xo.html
I would LOVE to hear your take on it.
I use a barre chord for playing the A chord. Using mostly my pinky, but I practice using any f the others, as well
Thanks for the comment. Are you in the open position - open strings on string 1 & 5 but barring the 2-3-4th strings? Or are you playing a 6th position A 6 string E shape barre. I would like to try that myself, you have my curiosity up.
I prefer, if doing chords and strumming, to bar the A and just not play the E string. I also prefer, when picking, to 1st finger on B 5th, 2nd on G 6th, and 3rd on D 7th fret. This fingering allows for A6, Asus, A7, and more flexibility overall. I seldom use a standard A fingering either on acoustic or electric, but occasionally, it does come in handy.
I want to get into Barre Forms soon, Barre Forms are essential to progress. Initially they are hard to learn but then the whole fretboard will open up. Sounds like you are doing great at Guitar, keep it up.
I just do a slightly 'compressed' version of the standard D-chord shape. Easy to jump up from the D, and leaves the pinky free for an A-sus chord.
Thanks for the comment, different perspectives are always welcomed here, I'm always open to new ideas.
Nice sounding instrument.
Thank you I like my 30 plus year old Larrivee OM-009 I bought new. Like a lot of Guitar Lovers I have a few mice ones.
I actually play the Larrivee about 90% of the time. Acoustic guitars are so convenient you don't have to plug them in and it's totally portable. Definitely the best instrument ever, no doubt.
@@spaceagejim8482I have Martin 000-18 I salvaged that was built in 1968. My mother found it in an attic sale in 1983 and got it for $25. That would have been slightly over 30 years too. Old guitars are often the best ones.
$25 I'll give you $50 right now haha Never sell your instruments, they are good investments, esp Martin. I always get sick when I look at what the Guitars I used to own are selling for today, I could have paid double for many of them and still made an insane profit.
I agree that wooden instruments sound better with age. The problem is keeping them humidified consistently for decades, my Larrivee cracked at the face one winter, you can see the bad crack if you look closely. Luckily I found a good Luthier and it's been good since the repair.
I had an instructor for String Bass Once that played for the Fort Worth Symphony and he told me a lot of the basses big orchestras use are like 350 Years old. He said that eventually they fall apart but when reassembled they are perfect. They can cost a fortune and the orchestra owns them.
I play the A different .middle finger flattens the D&G string while ring finger flattens the B string
Best way!
Do you have pretty big hands, or a narrow width fretboard? I'll try it out.
I was taught to play A this way when I was 12 years old. I've never seen anyone else do it. It's by far the best!
I tried it out it does work. I can't play A2 though as my 2nd finger is in the way of 2nd open string, it would take a lot of perfection to hit A2. I like to go A to Asus to A to A2 back and forth to keep things moving. It does actually work for A & Asus though.
Thanks for the insight I just learned my new thing for the day.
I hope you watch my new video on B Major
th-cam.com/video/pX60qQMlBMw/w-d-xo.html
I would love to hear what you think about it in the comments section.
I use fingers 2 and 3, with 2 on the D string, 3 on the G. With my sausage hands, using three fingers has never been an option. I struggled for years with pressing too hard (and have the pitted frets and fingerboard to show it!). As I get older and more interested in avoiding injury I've worked at relearning chords to play with less effort. I play an open A chord by ignoring the B string for a split second, as if I were fingering an Asus2 or A "no third" chord, using my two fingertips. I then pivot on my thumb and rotate my entire wrist a small distance towards the headstock. The fingertips turn slightly and the joint extends back (but never collapses). It doesn't take much to press the B string down with the flesh of the third finger pad. This all happens so quickly I no longer think of it as separate motions. I get a clean open A chord with a fraction of the effort I used to use. Granted, this is on a steel string acoustic. For electric, with a narrower fingerboard, two fingers is enough to contact three adjacent strings any way.
I just tried it, I can see if you have really big hands -bigger than mine- how it would work. Roy Clark was a great player actually and had very large hands and he was really good.
I use my first finger to cover the G and D strings and the second on the B string. That's how I was originally taught years ago. Wouldn't dream of trying to cram three fingers in there.
I have had a couple of viewer comments saying they use one finger to fret 2 strings. Do you use your fingertip or lay it flat? Also which finger do you use? I love having new perspectives & try out every new idea myself. Thank you for sharing, it is greatly appreciated.
@@spaceagejim8482
Not really either. I'm now actually having to have a close look at what I've been doing for decades!
I press most of the pad of my first finger, sort of crooked back slightly so it's flat across the 2nd and 3rd strings, kind of diagonally across the fret with my elbow out, rather than straight up the fret, and then the tip of my second finger on the 2nd string. My fingers are not pudgy, but they're not that slim and tapered either, so getting 1 2 and 3 in there on one fret is really too hard. It's quite an easy change to an open D chord from there too.
I just tried it out, I have trouble having the 1 -high E string- sound clear and clean due to touching.
I have a video coming out today on the B chord, I hope you watch it.
@davebritton7648 That is exactly the way I make the chord. A friend taught it to me after I had been playing for a year or so.
@@davebritton7648 i do the same. I could never fit three fingers in there when i was learning so i did it my way lol
Hi Jim. What gauge pick do you recommend for strumming on acoustic guitar? I generally use 1.5mm gauge picks on electric guitar, but they ted to be a bit harsh sounding on acoustic for strumming.
There are advantages and Disadvantages to every pick. I have over 100 flat picks alone and many thumb-picks. Picks do sound VERY different. I like .46mm width nylon picks as I am just used to the speed and flexibility they give me, likewise they shift or fly out of my hand if I don't hit a strum perfectly or dig in. The downside of thin is they tend to make a slapping sound at times and they don't produce as much volume as thicker ones do. I use the Jim Dunlop thin .46mm most of the time because of personal preference when just practicing or playing for fun. If I am doing a performance or playing with a band or soloist etc I will likely use a different pick for every song, high energy, then thick. I even switch picks during songs depending on the situation.
Also you MUST get a cotton pick and a variety of specialty material picks as they sound wildly different. Cotton sound is great for delicate compositions.
If you can play flat-pick, thumb-pick and bare handed, it's like 3 different instruments. Wildly Different.
Thanks for the comment, a lot of players read them and it helps answer what they were actually looking for.
I play with .71mm soft and felxible...
That's a great size maybe the best of flex and dynamics for most situations, great choice. Always have tons of different picks and different materials used, wood steel cotton, etc. They can sound amazingly different.
Im not changing now ,I'm comfortable with how I play the A , muscle memory is now ingrained so you play your way,
I like the 2-3-4 Method but my hands are fairly large, I use 2-3-4 because I don't have enough real estate to fit my 3 fattest fingers without sounding muddy, it's way worse on my Telecaster with a super narrow fretboard.
I Agree ---simply barre the A 2nd fret----other A chords are time consuming --esp 5 th fret etc
I hope to get to the root 5 (A Shape) and root 6 string (E Shape) barre forms before long. With these 2 barre chords you can play any key and use every fret position. Thanks for the comment, there are some awesome comments and players here.
Great video with great tips to use! Thank you By the way what guitar is that you’re playing?
I am playing a Larrivee 009, I bought it new over 30 years ago. It was between the Larrivee and a Eric Clapton Martin, I have liked my choice through the years, I used to use it in Fingerstyle Competitions. Thanks for the comment, keep coming back.
Nice. I bought my Larrivee L-09 in 1998 and still have it
I have several great guitars but my OM is played most of the time. I may have to switch over to nylon as steel grinds down my nails so fast.
Larrivee are really good and because nobody knows about them they are relatively inexpensive. A Bargain
I barre my A chord. It took some practice to keep from muting the e string though. I barre my D also and grab the B string with my middle finger. LOL
I just tried that, yes it works but like you said hitting that open E '1st string' cleanly is tough, I would have to work at that.
Thanks for the comment I appreciate you.
I heard you saying that the guitar you use has a wider neck than usual. I myself struggle with my narrow guitarneck a lot.What brand and type is your guitar?
I can't play narrow necked fingerstyle well, my Telecaster 'Alternate Universe' is 1 5/8" at the nut -a Standard Size width - my Gretsch Chet Atkins Model is 1 3/4". The Guitar I use in this Video is a Larrivee
OM -Orchestra Model 009 & 1.75" at the nut. To me Standard size
(1 5/8" & Smaller) nut widths are just for strumming or flatpicking or Blue Grass - standard Rock etc style. Anyone with adult size hands should play 1 3/4", 1 7/8" or 2" nut widths exclusively for fingerstyle. The extra width even 1/8" difference is noticeable for finger clearances.
If your guitar is below 1 3/4" nut width then the guitar can't be played as cleanly Fingerstyle -there are always exceptions- with adult hand size persons. I am hoping to pick up a 2" nylon soon as one of the schools I teach guitar has a ton of Classical Guitars and I have to admit I love that width and they sound great. Thanks for the comment, these questions give me ideas for new videos.
I hope that helps. Space Age Jim
Beautiful tone! What strings are you using?
I use ghs Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings - Light 012 - 054
I buy them by the 6 pak on Amazon. I don't change frequently them enough but I need to get in the habit. I usually change strings the night before a big performance. Thank you for the comment.
I've always played it with method 3 because my fingers were just too wide to play it the traditional way (the way I was taught).
Although I do love my Telecaster it does have that narrow neck and I have to use different fingerings on it at times. A lot depends on the width of your neck and hand size. All of my other guitars are 1.75" at the nut, I can get around much better with that wider neck.
what is all on your pedal bread there ?? and which pedals is on
I think I was only using a Boss RV 7 reverb, plus a bit of Reverb from my Acus Amplifier, I always have a tuner to every board for convenience. I generally use Zuma power. My pedal boards change constantly, I sometimes make them myself out of oak for custom designs. I hope to do a video on Acoustic Pedal Boards before long.
Thanks for the comment.
Been playing A like that for the same reason
It it my 'go to' A Chord when strumming and most every situation over the years without any problem.
I've learned to play my chords like SRV and Jimi so I stopped by...I won't be changing.
Jimi was an amazing player, just organic playing & original. I heard SRV used very heavy strings -as heavy as 17s with a high action and tuned to E flat - down 1/2 step. Do you use super heavy strings? If so how do you keep from having hand issues and shredding your fingers I suspect you would need 'Gorilla like' hand strength? I've never tried super heavy strings. Thanks for the comment.
I forgot to add, can you pass on here how you like to play the A chord Jimi and SRV style?
A lot of us want to check it out.
@@spaceagejim8482 Thumb on 6th string 5th fret, 5th string open, 4th string 7th fret ring finger, 3rd string 6th fret middle finger, 2nd string 5th fret first finger.
I checked it out, WOW a super Beefy A Chord - 3 A's on the bottom, makes me want to learn more Stevie.
Thanks for sharing - did anyone else check out this wild Chord?
You can also put your 1e finger as a 'bar' over the three notes so you have finger 2,3 and 4 free to do other crazy stuff..
That can work, I do it myself in the video at about the 9 second mark when moving up by 1/2 steps in the intro. Thanks for the comment, you have given this a lot of thought and have come to a correct solution for several situations. Keep coming back, I value your comments.
@@spaceagejim8482 Thanks, like your work.. 👍
I would love to hear what you think about my new B Chord Video that started today.
th-cam.com/video/pX60qQMlBMw/w-d-xo.html
I hope you watch it say what you think in the comment section, I can't wait to hear if you like my ideas.
The fourth position is pretty popular with bluegrass players.
That’s where I learned to play that. If you have a narrow neck and a flexible index there’s no problem with depressing the B string or muting the high E.
I like Bluegrass too. The vibe is awesome, the cool thing about Guitar is that there are so many directions you can go there is always something new to learn. It's an amazing instrument.
Talk for yourself! It depends of the size of your fingers! Myself I have absolutely no problem with the classic form.
To each his own way!
I have always found it interesting that people sound different just by their hands fretting the board. I'm not sure how that works.
The second way is how james Taylor plays an A. I play it with the single pointer finger. Never saw anyone use the pinky.
I have not studied James Taylor but I hear he play many chords different, which is one reason why he probably sounds different. I think if you want to play his style you would have to go deeply into it as he is pretty original. I love his music.
Thanks for the comment, any other Taylor Fans out there? Anyone study his style?
There is no 'best' way to play a chord... There is a best way for YOU to play a chord... There is a 'best' way to play a chord in preparation to play the NEXT chord. I have at least two, sometimes three, different ways to play EVERY chord depending on where I'm heading on the fretboard, or which fingers I'm trying to free up to play melody over the chord on the way to the next one.
You must have been playing awhile, you have reached the correct conclusion, there is almost never a 1 size fits all on playing chords. DITTO your comment is spot on.
I appreciate your input. I have several Chord videos out, I hope you look some of the others in my Major Chord Playlist.
It would be helpful if we could actually see where your fingers are placed all you got to do is move the camera about 6 in
Thanks for the comment, I will do that.
I have always played in a chord with one finger and I do the same with my D chord by adding just one finger
Cool way to play, do you use your 3rd finger to Barre the A Chord?
Personally I play the D with a barré involving only two fingers. That’s my way. I’ve never seen anybody doing that but who cares!
If can watch my Video on D -in the Major Chord Playlist- you will find that is the way I play it as well. It is also the way I recommend playing it as well.
I play it with the pad of my middle finger!
I just tried it and yes it works for me too. I will keep on using my 2 favorite ways -the 234 method for strumming and the barred method for picking- as it would take a lot of adjusting to get my muscle memory up to speed. Since you have played like that for so long, you can probably play it just as well as any way.
Thanks for the comment, I bet many people will benefit.
Cheers!@@spaceagejim8482
Keep coming back, I am always working on new material.
how you play any chord depends on what you’re trying to execute.
Right on thinking, I was hoping to show in the intro a few different situations with the A Chord and played A a few different ways as the situation dictated. Your comments are very helpful to me and many of our friends trying to find specific info. about Guitar. Please come back!
Tried them all and nearly always just barre it. Don't understand the aversion to barre chords some people have.
I'm going to start on Barre Forms soon, I understand your thought.
With the E and A shape Chord Families you can pretty much master the entire neck. The voicings afforded by Barre Forms are essential as well. Understanding this concept takes time, knowledge, & new skillsets. Everyone is at one level or another on Guitar, the Guitar can never be completely mastered, that is what makes it fun for a lifetime.
The correct way to play the A chord is with three fingers and does not include the first finger but depends what piece you are playing, sometimes it's convenient to play it with one finger
On the intro to the A video I showed Barring the A chord with my 1st finger and played something by picking it, then switched to strumming 234 style. I was trying to show useful ways to use both techniques. We are like minded on this. I hope you check out my B Chord Video
th-cam.com/video/pX60qQMlBMw/w-d-xo.html
It came out yesterday, I would love to hear your thoughts on this video as well. Thanks for the input, I regularly get comments that the comment section is very useful to those working on what I am showing and answers questions not specifically covered in the video.
There is no “correct” way to play any chord. It depends on what you are doing. You only need 3 notes (for major and minor) and they are wherever you find them.
I like when musicians grow... unlike many of the hacks in the comments
Improving your skillset regularly is what every musician should do. One can never 'master' the Guitar, that is impossible, isn't that what make it so fun, discovering new things? I find new things all the time about the Guitar and feel I have only scratched the surface. Chet Atkins was 'discovering' new things about Guitar his entire life, he was so awesome about that.
Dude whatever WIRKS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PLAYER !!! LOL UGHHHH OMG
Thanks for the comment, there is a place for every method, depending on what you are trying to do and your experience level. I often learn something one way then change it later. I try to stay open to new ideas with my technique & playing, I fully expect
I will never MASTER Guitar, that's why it's so fun, a lifetime of learning.
SO -? How do you play the A chord ?
Personally I like the 2-3-4 method for strumming and the barred A for picking when possible.
Sometimes I bar it with my pinky
Is that for a quicker and smoother transition into an E major chord?
I tried it but can't do it. Hey, whatever works best for you IS BEST. Keep coming back!
Full of himself! I’ve been playing A this way for over 60 years!
Thanks for the comment, I have seen A taught so many different ways I wanted to let people know what works for me and hope it helps someone. I wish the internet was around when I was learning as it could have saved me years of wasted practice.
This helped me. Thanks for sharing 😊
Why skip e string
The Tonic -or root- of the A Chord is A, typically the Tonic is played first. Playing the open E is great for playing Alternating Bass style, but it is usually the A note that will be played 1st.
@@spaceagejim8482 thank you
@@spaceagejim8482 as the 6 th string is skipped on the open c chord, and why it sound better
@@spaceagejim8482 yes?
Yes C is usually played as a 5 string Chord because the root A note is on the 5th String. I hope this helps, Thanks for the Comment.
You made a mistake in the title! A not D
Thanks for the heads up. You were correct, fixed. I appreciate it and keep coming back.
@@spaceagejim8482 I'm sure I will .. Meantime I'm trying out your A chord recommendation! Makes sense.
Damn sir. You grip that neck like a fire hose... You are better off to use and teach The 123 combo,, using your pinkie to add the suspended note and lifting 3 for the open arpeggio..makes the chord talk with voicing..I use the barred A also for faster tempo songs...those other positions are b.s.,,, they limit the movement....says 55 years playing
50 of them professional...all open voiced chords have movement inside the chord....teach that..
I'm trying to make it look correct on You Tube but I found that angling the camera, holding the guitar way up so it can be seen correctly, centering the guitar neck without covering up what I am showing etc is harder than it looks. Also having one hand click it camera since my clicker does not work is beyond challenging. I'm sure a better guitarist than photographer. I hope you keep coming back I need helpful comments to improve my skills. Thanks
I do admire your willingness to deal with filming and edit to help others..
A+ on that...
I love my fellow Guitarists we are helping each other out beginner to expert. I got to meet Chet Atkins at a 3 day conference and he was the nicest guy, he helped out so many due to his love of Guitar.
I hope you make it to my B Major video that came out today.
th-cam.com/video/pX60qQMlBMw/w-d-xo.html
I value your comments and the experience that you share in the comment section.