Trouble with E chord

Trouble with E chord

Hi,

I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
Does anyone have any tips to help?

TIA.

--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups
(")_(") I am blocking most articles posted from there.

Re: Trouble with E chord


"Mark" <i@getlotsofspamthankstoplus . net > wrote in message
news:s8hg14t9nso3mf5ccnisacggijgbe0j5o9@4ax . com ...
> Hi,
>
> I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
> finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
> string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
> ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
> then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
> Does anyone have any tips to help?
>
> TIA.
>
> --
> (\__/) M.
> (='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups
> (")_(") I am blocking most articles posted from there.

Thumb position?

Bob

Re: Trouble with E chord

castlebravo242@att . net wrote:
> "Mark" <i@getlotsofspamthankstoplus . net > wrote in message
> news:s8hg14t9nso3mf5ccnisacggijgbe0j5o9@4ax . com ...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
>> finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
>> string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
>> ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
>> then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
>> Does anyone have any tips to help?
>>
>> TIA.
>>
>> --
>> (\ /) M.
>> (='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups
>> (") (") I am blocking most articles posted from there.
>
> Thumb position?
>
> Bob
>
>

Move wrist forward to give your fingers more length. Try using pinky
instead of ring finger on the E string.


--
Stephen
Ballina, Australia

Re: Trouble with E chord

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:41:41 +0000, castlebravo242 wrote:

> "Mark" <i@getlotsofspamthankstoplus . net > wrote in message
> news:s8hg14t9nso3mf5ccnisacggijgbe0j5o9@4ax . com ...
>> Hi,
>>
>> I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
>> finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
>> string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
>> ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
>> then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E". Does anyone have
>> any tips to help?
>>
>> TIA.
>>
>> --
>> (\__/) M.
>> (='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups (")_(") I
>> am blocking most articles posted from there.
>
> Thumb position?
>
> Bob

Right answer. The OP should push his thumb up the neck to support
the weaker side of his LH. daveA

--
email: darnold4@cox . net (put "poisonal" anywhere in subject)
DGT: The very best technical exercises for all guitarists:
* w w w .openguitar . com /dynamic.html. Original easy solos at:
* w w w .openguitar . com . :::=={_o) David Raleigh Arnold

Re: Trouble with E chord

Mark wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
> finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
> string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
> ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
> then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
> Does anyone have any tips to help?

Lift the head of the guitar temporarily.
If necessary, stick the neck straight up
in the air, like a cello. Get your fingers
where you want them, then lower the neck
back to a more traditional position.

That's kind of an odd inversion of an E chord.

I'll bet the biggest problem is that you're trying
to finger it and then slowly strum it and expect
it to sustain forever with none of the notes muted.
We rarely play any chord like that. And particularly
not one with a 1st inversion, like yours.

Don't take the chord out of context of the song.
Put the chord into the song you're working on.
Playing 100% clean, long sustain is probably
not required in the least. Stab, click, clunk,
chunk the chord the way the song wants it
and don't worry about a muted note. Ever.


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
w w w .LumpyMusic . com

Re: Trouble with E chord

On Apr 30, 5:11=EF=BF=BDam, Mark <i...@getlotsofspamthankstoplus . net > wrote:=

> Hi,
>
> I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). =EF=BF=BDI use my first
> finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
> string. =EF=BF=BDHowever I nearly always end up muting the A string with m=
y
> ring finger. =EF=BF=BDIf I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the wa=
y
> then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
> Does anyone have any tips to help?
>
> TIA.
>
> --
> (\__/) =EF=BF=BDM.
> (=3D'.'=3D) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups
> (")_(") I am blocking most articles posted from there.

The easiest way for me to do a fingering like this one would be to
reach around from the top. I would barre with my little finger, and
then fret the sixth string with my pointing finger.

Re: Trouble with E chord

Mark <i@getlotsofspamthankstoplus . net > wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
> finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
> string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
> ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
> then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
> Does anyone have any tips to help?
>
> TIA.

As with anything else, practice, practice, practice! The more I played
it, the more I became comfortable with it.

I like that particular inversion, as it's movable up and down the neck
and can also be transferred to the third, fourth, and fifth strings
(x422xx and similar forms at different spots along the neck).

Think Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary".

Re: Trouble with E chord

On Thu, 01 May 2008 00:41:29 GMT, "RichL" <rpleavitt@yahoo . com > wrote:

>Mark <i@getlotsofspamthankstoplus . net > wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
>> finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
>> string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
>> ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
>> then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
>> Does anyone have any tips to help?
>>
>> TIA.

Thanks for all the replies.

>As with anything else, practice, practice, practice! The more I played
>it, the more I became comfortable with it.

I know :-) However I would like to get it vaguely right before
practising. I can play it if I rotate my wrist towards the nut, but
that doesn't seem right to me - and it take a long time to get there.

>I like that particular inversion, as it's movable up and down the neck
>and can also be transferred to the third, fourth, and fifth strings
>(x422xx and similar forms at different spots along the neck).
>
>Think Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary".

I'd like to play some Hendrix ... I'll have to add that one to my list
;-)

--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups
(")_(") I am blocking most articles posted from there.

Re: Trouble with E chord

Mark wrote:
> I know :-) However I would like to get it vaguely right before
> practising. I can play it if I rotate my wrist towards the nut, but
> that doesn't seem right to me - and it take a long time to get there.

Shouldn't take longer than a day.
If it does, you're trying to do
something unreasonable.

I guarantee it's that you're trying to make
that chord sing out and sustain for 10 seconds,
as I posted earlier.

Think about what you're asking your hand to do...

You want to put three fingers on three spots,
each spot about an inch apart. Nothing difficult
about that in terms of ergonomics. You do much more
complex movements with your hand when you pick up
a fork or tie your shoe.

Think about what you're asking your guitar to do...

You want to play this chord in some song (hopefully
it's in a song, otherwise it's just noise). How is
that chord played in the song? Is it strummed once
and then the singer does his thing for a couple
of bars? Or do you play some other chord, then your
mystery chord, then still another chord?

Play that simple, three note cluster quickly, like
it is in the song. Don't try and isolate it and make
it's sustained notes the focus of your obsession.

If you're working more than ONE day on ANYTHING, you're
not breaking it down into small enough bites.


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
w w w .LumpyMusic . com

Re: Trouble with E chord

On Thu, 1 May 2008 05:52:43 -0700, "Lumpy"
<lumpy@digitalcartography . com > wrote:

>Mark wrote:
>> I know :-) However I would like to get it vaguely right before
>> practising. I can play it if I rotate my wrist towards the nut, but
>> that doesn't seem right to me - and it take a long time to get there.
>
>Shouldn't take longer than a day.
>If it does, you're trying to do
>something unreasonable.

A day to move my fingers or a day to learn to fret the chord properly?
;-)

>I guarantee it's that you're trying to make
>that chord sing out and sustain for 10 seconds,
>as I posted earlier.

Actually I'm not. I just want to do it better.

>Think about what you're asking your hand to do...
>
>You want to put three fingers on three spots,
>each spot about an inch apart. Nothing difficult
>about that in terms of ergonomics. You do much more
>complex movements with your hand when you pick up
>a fork or tie your shoe.
>
>Think about what you're asking your guitar to do...
>
>You want to play this chord in some song (hopefully
>it's in a song, otherwise it's just noise). How is
>that chord played in the song? Is it strummed once
>and then the singer does his thing for a couple
>of bars? Or do you play some other chord, then your
>mystery chord, then still another chord?

It's rhythm guitar during a keyboard solo. IIRC it's one bar of A5,
E, and then two more bars of chords I don't know the name of.

>Play that simple, three note cluster quickly, like
>it is in the song. Don't try and isolate it and make
>it's sustained notes the focus of your obsession.
>
>If you're working more than ONE day on ANYTHING, you're
>not breaking it down into small enough bites.

I'm not sure how to break down finger position on the fretboard.

--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups
(")_(") I am blocking most articles posted from there.

Re: Trouble with E chord

Lump:
> > I guarantee it's that you're trying to make
> > that chord sing out and sustain for 10 seconds,
> > as I posted earlier.

Mark:
> Actually I'm not. I just want to do it better.

There is no such thing as "better". You can either
play the three notes acceptably or you can't. If you
can't play them then it's not "ok but needs better"
it's simply "not ok".

> I'm not sure how to break down
> finger position on the fretboard.

This finger goes here, that finger goes there,
that finger goes over there.

Consider this...

Let's assume you have played long enough that if
someone said "Play an E chord" you would immediately
toss your left hand up there to the 1st and 2nd
frets and play that E chord. Without looking, without
worring about individual finger placement, without
worrying about buzzing or muting. You simply
place your entire hand in that familiar E shape.

Note that you didn't have to worry one bit about
what your fretting hand was doing PRIOR to that E
chord. That hand could have been completely off
the guitar, picking your nose, catching panties,
inventing a cure for cancer, whatever.

OK so far?

Now look at your new chord. You're not as familiar
with that as a "shape". You have to put each finger
down individually. By the time you put down your
3rd finger, your 1st finger gets tired of clamping
and gets loose and mutes one or more of the three
strings.

So treat your new, unfamiliar chord, the same
as you did with your old, famililar E chord.
PLAY the new chord a few times so that you're
more familiar with it.

Here's how to play it.

Count 1 2 3 4 || 1 2 3 4 || etc

Get the counting going in rhythm. Not fast,
not slow. Just comfortably 80 or so.

Place your hand LOOSELY on the chord. Don't
press down to fret, just rest your fingertips
on the appropriate frets. You're in the correct
position to play the chord but you are deliberately
muting the strings because your fingers are lightly
touching the strings.

STRUM EVERY BEAT, 1 2 3 4, with your right hand.
So far, you're not playing any chords, you're strumming
muted strings in rhythm.

OK so far? You're strumming 1 2 3 4 on muted strings.

Now on 2 and 4, tighten your fretting hand grip just
enough to make the chord sound. On the alternate 1 and 3s,
relax your hand again to mute the strings. Keep strumming
on EVERY beat.

Now it sounds something like -

MUTE CHORD MUTE CHORD || (repeat forever).

Stop there, go play real songs for an hour.
Repeat the above exercise later.

Your fingers/brain will build muscle memory
and familiarity with that new chord, just like
it did with that early E chord.

NOW - When it comes to "getting to that chord"
from XYZ chord, it won't matter where the XYZ
was. Your hand could have been off the guitar,
like it was with the more familiar E chord.
Go to your new chord from Bb, from Am, from
F#m7b5 or from scratching your ear, it doesn't
matter. Your hand/brain "knows" how to play
that new chord, no matter where your hand
has to come from.

> .. . it 's rhythm guitar during a keyboard solo.

Concentrate on that 2nd word, RHYTHM, not
on playing three, separate, solo notes.
Your part is SUPPOSED to be in the background
at this point in the performance. Muting a string,
intentionally or otherwise, will ENHANCE that
rhythmic effect.


Lumpy

In Your Ears for 40 Years
w w w .LumpyMusic . com

Re: Trouble with E chord

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:11:26 +0100, Mark
<i@getlotsofspamthankstoplus . net > wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
>finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
>string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
>ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
>then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
>Does anyone have any tips to help?
>
>TIA.

Did you learn the F chord yet. I've been playing 40 years and still
have to think when I play that one! Seriously...just keep
practicing...no other way around it. It will come sooner than later.

***********
Please help me out--REVIEW someone's song at:
* reviewmymusic.blogspot . com /

Re: Trouble with E chord

You COULD just change the key to E-flat - then you wouldn't have any
chord problems....

Re: Trouble with E chord

On Fri, 02 May 2008 17:27:32 -0400, jtees4 <jtees4@hotmail . com > wrote:

>On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:11:26 +0100, Mark
><i@getlotsofspamthankstoplus . net > wrote:
>
>>Hi,
>>
>>I am having difficulty with an E Chord: (422xxx). I use my first
>>finger to barre the A and D strings and my ring finger to fret the E
>>string. However I nearly always end up muting the A string with my
>>ring finger. If I bend my ring finger enough to get it out the way
>>then my first finger always lifts and I lose the "E".
>>Does anyone have any tips to help?
>>
>>TIA.
>
>Did you learn the F chord yet. I've been playing 40 years and still
>have to think when I play that one! Seriously...just keep
>practicing...no other way around it. It will come sooner than later.

Yes. However I find the full barre version of F (133211) much easier
to play than the version I learned first (xx3211) ;-)

--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Owing to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups
(")_(") I am blocking most articles posted from there.