I got up really early. Since I have got D A and E chords down, I decided it was time to try C chord again. I can’t avoid it forever. I have been here for a couple hours trying to get C chord down. It’s driving me bonkers. I have had no problem learning the finger positions. But I cannot, for the life of me, get my fingers to cooperate for C chord.
For anyone that doesn’t know how to read this pic, it means finger one on string two in fret one, finger two on string 4 in fret 2, and finger 3 on string 5 in fret 3. Then strum strings 1-5. I cannot get the third finger up to string 5 third fret without muting string 4(hitting on string). It’s driving me insane!
Any advice? Or is it going to be just a matter of building finger flexibility over time? (My guess is this is the only way)
Anyway, I just wanted to share my frustration and vent a bit.
I’ve discovered that I can hit it if I tilt guitar up more at a vertical angle and move it to left, but I probably shouldnt get used to doing it like that…cant be shifting guitar position all over the place when switching chords…
Find a position for the guitar that works good for most grips. But yeah, you have to take into account that if you have plans to be standing up playing the guitar you won’t be able to change the angle very much.
Do you have long or short fingers? If you have fairly small fingers like me it can be tricky to do some chords without muting some strings, but it should be totally possible anyway.
I know this is going to sound funny or maybe a little strange but a lot of people been their fingers to make the note sound the same you really got to understand it and it’s really pretty plain have your fingers straight up and down and bounce the f****** strings the C chord never sounded so sweet when you leave the last string off from the top when you’re plucking down the cords you should try this really hard to get a feel for it and not think of coming up with grasping too damn hard as long as you touch the Fret bars with your fingertips the note is always going to be what it wants to be
A poem my tiny Dancing Fingers walk upon the wire why my other hand tries to knock them off like a hurricane on fire the more it tries the more I play and dance upon the strings and the sounds I make our lovely a new recording in the spring
While teaching piano, I used to give students exercises to do to help with flexibility and strength. It takes time. You don’t just start as an adult out of nowhere and get everything perfect right away. You’re being too hard on yourself. Just keep trying and at your next lesson ask if there are exercises you can do. Hang in there! You really are doing great
You should see the marks on my fingers when I knock off for a week they red and they’re sore but that’s how you build calluses up in them toughen them up and that’s what makes beautiful notes
SOrry, it took me so long to “like” comments on this thread…Forum seems to be not sending notifications of new comments on some of my threads lately. It’s annoying
An alternate and very easy and common thing is to play a C add 9, then transition back and forth between that and a G add 9, and then go to an E minor or D major.
You can also play a C major as a power chord with the root note being on the third fret of the ‘A’ string.
There’s a lot of other tricks too, but those are the most common off the top of my head.
I don’t have arthritis but in my 20’s I was diagnosed with ulnar neuritis from a repetitive job I had. No idea if it’s affecting finger strength/flexibility currently.
Either way, this thread was posted a few days ago…I have made some progress since then .
