C Major Chord & How to Read the Chord Diagram
This is the chord diagram for the C major chord. Numbers in the circles represent the left hand fingers that are to be used to push the strings down. 1 is for the index, 2 is for the middle finger, 3 is for the ring finger and although you don't need it to play this particular chord, 4 is for the pinky.
X at the top means that you don't play that string, and O means you play it. You obviously have to play all other strings because if you are not gonna need play them, I'm not gonna ask you to put fingers on them!
Make sure that your left hand finger tips push down the strings at about 90 degrees angle and place your finger tips to the left of the frets as close to them as possible without being right on top of the frets.
Play the 5 strings from the 5th to the 1st in a downward motion. Can you hear ALL 5 NOTES ring out? If not, make sure that all fingers are touching only the string that it is supposed to be pushing down. If your ring finger is touching the 4th string, you won't be able to hear any sound coming out from the 4th string. Likewise, if your index is touching the 1st or the 3rd string, you won't be able to hear those notes either.
Keep strumming away until you get a good sounding chord with all 5 strings ringing out . . . or if your fingers are hurting, take a break and realize that your left hand finger tips are about to go through some difficult time until they start generating some thicker skin! There really is nothing you can do but to keep playing for a month or so until you notice those fingertips getting harder and harder.
posted by Retired Rock Star Wannabe at 10:53 PM
5 Comments:
Am I supposed to use a pick or fingers to play this chord?
1/16/2006 12:06 AM
It depends on what kind of guitar you are playing and what kind of music you are going play. If you have a nylon string classical guitar, traditionally it is played with fingers and not a pick. Steel string acoustic guitar can be played with fingers or picks. Electric guitars are played with picks most of the time.
I use picks most of the time, but I like to use my fingers when I play rhythm guitar parts in jazz. It is the best if you can play both ways so that you can be more versatile.
It's much easier to play fast passages with a pick, but when you are playing bass lines and chords at the same time, fingers are much easier. They have different sound quality as well, so you should try to experiment. Thank you for your comment!
1/16/2006 11:39 PM
Teeth will be another choice if you want to become a rock star!
that's what retired rock star wannabe told me when we were a
high school students.
houtx
1/30/2006 5:42 PM
If you put some peanut butter on the strings, it helps with the teeth playing technique!
2/01/2006 12:08 AM
I'm sorry, but this is the easiest way to play this chord.... Lowering the left hand thumb on the back of the neck may help you. It will free up some space in front of the neck. Let me know how it goes. Good luck.
10/02/2006 10:18 PM
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