Hi all, i’ve just started playing and have been switching between the G chord and the C chord for a couple of weeks. I joined the community today and signed up for the free trial. My question is - that when I play the C chord my second finger is so fat that pretty much no matter how I hold the D string, unless it is pushed upwards toward the A string, the G string is muted. Any tips or videos on how to overcome this?
Hi there,
Try to press down the strings with the fingertips and keep your fingers curved as much as possible. That way the G string will have enough space to vibrate and will not get muted.
Hi Matt, welcome! My guess is that you may need to arch that finger a little more. That’s really difficult to do at first, but it gets better. If you share a picture here it might help to confirm that’s what’s going on. I think C is kind of cruel because it just looks so easy, but it is not actually easy at all, especially at the beginning.
Also, depending on how you finger the chord currently, you may need to spread your fingers a bit more.
Hello Matt and welcome. 
I’m sure the great people on here will be able to get you sorted with your issue.
Hi Matt and welcome.
Yes you need to arch your fingers more but also be aware of where your thumb is positioned. If it is too high up it will flatten the fingers. As a beginner keep your thumb in the middle of the neck and at 90 degrees to the neck as well. This will not only allow you to arch your fingers more but also stop your hand rotating. If the problem persist try taking a photo of your chord grip and also the thumb position and post here for assessment. As you gain more experience and have been playing more, the thumb will naturally move to a higher position and indeed hook over the top of the neck. But when you are starting keep it straight and centre.
Hope that helps
Cheers
Toby
I second this. I am still struggling with the small F cord in “Sound of Silence” and I am pretty sure thumb placement is the culprit.
The first small F comes after an Am, where I have my thumb high to mute the low E if needed and I consistently fail to pull it back far enough. This pulls my middle finger flat and mutes the 2nd string.
Not your specific problem, but an example of how that works. Think of your thumb and get the calluses going. It is all going to sort itself with time and intent full practice.
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HI this is a photo of me attempting the C chord. Sorry about the shadowing. Thanks all for our advice.
This is not a C chord, more like an Fmaj7 Unless it’s the middle finger in question in which case disregard my comment.
In any case, when you play the C chord, the bass note is C at string 5 fret 3. Try to fret that C note so that the tip of your finger touches and mutes the E string. That way you’ll have a clean-sounding chord and a bit more space for string 4 to ring out.
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Yes but if he frets that note you won’t be able to see the string that’s giving him problems ! Which is the finger on the 4th muting the G.
Matt I suspect your thumb may need to come down a little, which move your palm lower on the bottom of the neck, so you can roll the middle up a little more. But …
Also, as the 5th is played on the 3rd fret, don’t worry about going up a little on the note E where you are fretting. If the finger touches the 5th string it will not matter. That will give you a little more clearance under the finger and allow the open G to ring out.
Try fretting the shape in the picture, without worrying about the root on the fifth. Raise the finger up a little towards the 5th string, away from the G string and strum 4 to 1. Adjust the position until all 4 ring clean, then bring the root back on the 5th string 3rd fret.
Sometimes its just minor movements that sort these issues out.
Cheers
Toby
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This is not the issue, Matt is muting the G
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