On a guitar, changing my finger order/position for the A Chord?

Question

Hi I am wondering how rigid the rules are for finger position on chords, in terms of what fingers go where? For example, I am learning guitar in garageband (there are video tutorials for acoustic guitars) and it says for the A chord, use a 1 2 3 pattern, with 1 being the pointing finger and on the d string. I would rather use a 2 1 3 pattern. Is this a big "no-no" or can I just do it? (like, will it hinder my progress down the road...) It is much easier to get a good sound for my large hands customizing it this way. And also, can I switch finger order for other chords too? My fingers aren't as strong yet and switching order helps sometimes. Thanks in advance for your help!

Answer 1

There's absolutely nothing wrong with playing A using the 2-1-3 pattern, especially if you have fat fingers. (like I do) Even if you can fit your fingers in a row...the 1-2-3 pattern....there are good reasons to do it the other way. I have always played A using the 2-1-3 formation.

Consider this:

Look at the chords A, Amaj7, and A7. In fact, try changing between those chords. It makes an interesting transitional change. If you use the 2-1-3 fingering, the entire change is made by moving your pointer finger down one fret and then lifting it to play the G string open.

A........... x-0-2-2-2-0

Amaj7.... x-0-2-1-2-0

A7 ........ x-0-2-0-2-0



When learning to transition smoothly and quickly between chords, it helps to use pivot fingers. If two chords have a common note, there is no reason to move that finger. It acts as a pivot and reference point so you don't have to look at the strings. With that in mind, look at the A - D transition. If you use the 2-1-3 fingering, you can leave your 2nd finger in place on the G string, and pivot on it. the other two fingers move to convert to a D chord. This is a very common change, and using the 2-1-3 fingering makes it a lot easier than the 1-2-3 fingering.



As you progress, you may find yourself using multiple fingerings for the same chords...depending on what chord progression you're using. Nothing is cast in stone. Having said that, it will be to your benefit to have a flesh and blood mentor. There's a lot of great instructional material on the web, but it's no comparison to having somebody give you real-time feedback. Best of luck to you.

Answer 2

TommyMc had a great answer that said almost everything I was going to say.



Try switching between the A, D, and E chords using both 123 pattern and the 213 pattern... it's a lot easier with the 213 pattern huh? Your index finger never changes strings, and it only moves one fret between the E and A chords (and doesn't move at all between the A and D chords). That sort of economy of motion is important. It not only makes things easier on your hands, but it means that you can make the switch faster as well.



The 123 offers no such advantages. It's an inferior fingering... hands down.



234 is a similar fingering, but it's much better. It facilitates easy changes between A and C chords, which isn't common, but you will see it. It's basically the A form barre chord without the barre, so you're probably used to this fingering already (in a way).



In short, 123 is probably the WORST way to play the chord. It's more common though, and somebody needs to stand up against it and call it crap. That man is me.

Answer 3

Carol McComb, who is a very good guitarist (and also a very good singer, song-writer, and teacher) plays the A chord in the 2 1 3 pattern, so it's clearly not a disadvantage for her. I can see some advantages in doing it that way, particularly if you have large fingertips.



It's probably a good idea to be able to finger a chord in more than one way; we classical guitarists need to do it fairly frequently.

Answer 4

It's not a huge deal, but when you start moving into transitioning to different chords, it might end up being an issue... so I would definitely play it like it says to.

Answer 5

1 2 3 is the correct pattern. teaching yourself, you can develop bad habits that will be hard to break in the future. take a half dozen lessons. it will pay off in the long run