Congrats on nailing your A,D,E chords TabbTPul.
Great job.
Sounds like youâd like to learn your C and G chords now. Cool.
I have an idea that I generally donât see discussed.
So youâve learned your D chord. Perfect. That D chord is part of your C chord you want to learn.
Play your D chord but only play the top 3 strings. I believe this to be a inversion chord of D since the A tone is the lowest tone and not the root note, but the 1st, 3rd and 5th tones are there, just a different sequence making it a inversion. Now, take that D chord and start sliding it down 1 fret. Now your D chord is a Db or C# chord. your still needing three fingers to play that Db chord. Now slide that D chord down another semi tone. Now you only have to use one finger to play the C tone on the B string. Play them top three strings only again. That is a C chord. Notes are G, C, E. Another inversion chord, but a C none the less. Then you can learn to add the 4th and 5th string one string at a time to get your full C chord. In my mind, there is a relationship between C and D as that D shape occurs on the top three strings, itâs just that D shape has been slid down the neck one whole tone (2 frets down) and now itâs a C chord.
Same thing with your G chord.
Youâve already learned you A chord. Slide your A chord down two frets and itâs the G chord, but only played on the DGB strings. This would also be a inversion chord imho as the root note again, is not the bottom tone played. Note that them three strings being played are just open strings. But they are a part of the normal G chord. Then start adding the rest of the tones as you learn where to put your fingers at.
I assume you play A using three fingers on the DGB strings on the second fret. I play A chord various ways. One way is by just barring them three strings w/my index finger and then adding the A tone at the 5th fret of the E string with my pinky. Still a A chord. Youâve just changed the highest tone played from E to A and thatâs ok I think. The E tone is still there itâs just on the 4th string D played at the second fret which is then E. So now youâve got your A chord played by barring the DGB @ 2nd fret making the tones EAC#. Add your pinky @ 5th fret E string and that will be a root note A.
now, Slid that A chord down a fret and itâs a Ab/G# chord. Slide it down another half step and itâs G played on 4 strings. Open DGB string and E fretted @ the third fret making it the root tone of G.
In each of these examples all three tones that make up a G or C chord are present. But they are being played out of sequence (inversion chord) for a regular chord made up of the 1st third and 5th tone of whatever scale your playing. You would just be playing a inversion chord of 5th, root, 3rd tone as opposed to 1st third and 5th tone.
C chord is CEG. My example of C played with the D shape, which is only one finger on the B string @ 1st fret making it the note C. So them three notes from low to high are GCE. A inversion of the C chord.
Same with the G.
G is GBD, the 1st, third and fifth of the C scale.
in my example youâd be playing DGBG, DGB being open strings (the three tones that make up a G chord, 1st, 3rd, and fifth), G note played on the E string @ 3rd fret. If ya play that G note with your pinky, youâve got the start of a regular open G chord played on all 6 strings. Your just playing 4 of them strings. Them 3 open strings the DGB are part of the A chord you already learned, just slid down a tone to become G chord.
I hope that makes sense. I played a long time before I saw this relationship of how to play a chord and the relationship of D chord vs C chord and A vs G chord.
All that said.
Your doing this all with one finger and playing select strings. Either the top 3 for the C chord or the top 4 strings for the G chord. For this G chord to be the inversion youâd only play the DGB strings, but adding the high G is just a duplicate of the root tone and part of the regular G chord. Hint. play that G tone with your pinky so you can then work on adding in the bottom two strings fro a full G. Same with the C chord. Index finger on the C tone on the B string, then work on adding in the A and D strings, A fretted at 3rd fret for C and D string fretted @ 2nd fret adding in the E tone.
Hope I didnât confuse you.
If any of the more experienced folks here find error in my statement, please correct me so I donât get others confused. Like the op.
All Iâm trying to do here is show the relationship between D and C chord and A and G chord as to me, I find them the same general pattern of playing said chords.
Sorry about the long statement.
Happy playing!
. I know this is a very minor achievement to some folks, but it means EVERYTHING to me. Magically, my fingers just find the chords. I donât know when that happened, but itâs so rewarding!
Overcoming frustration is very much a part of learning to play the guitar.
!
, and as you use these skills to play songs youâll feel a lot of pride while having lots of fun!!! Keep striving and before you know it, youâll have that G & C under your belt!!!
