man i just picked up a guitar for the first time in my life im 20 and ive always wanted to learn how to play and your tutorials make me feel like your talking to ME, everytime i say to myself how can anyone possibly do this you said "its okay to feel like this is impossible" you are gonna carry me sir and for that i thank you you deserve wayyy more than the views and subs you have
Try the free beginners course! Find your entry point or start from the very first lesson to make sure you don't skip anything valuable: www.justinguitar.com/site-map-and-lesson-structure | LievenDV | JustinGuitar Official Assistant
You hear it all the time. "My hands are too big to play guitar", "My fingers are too weak to play guitar", "I'm not cut out for guitar, I couldn't even play one chord!", that kind of thing. Justin isn't just being nice - it's super important that people understand that even the basic stuff is crazy hard at first.=
i'm restarting my guitar journey and came back to this channel as i was learning by your videos 5 years ago. so happy to know that you're still around!
I remember fighting with all the unintentional muting mostly due to soft fingers as a newbie when I was 10. Yes it hurt and I always tell new players it’s going to hurt, so just keep playing and it will get better. I have never tried the A like that, but I will thanks. Going to be hard to not use the 3 string bar thought. Thanks Justin.
This is how I learned to play an A chord, and my instructor's explanation as to why I should use this fingering was, when moving to a D chord, first finger stays put and never moves, and when changing to an E chord first finger just moves down one fret.
At 54, I am finally committing to learn guitar. And I have you to thank. I’ve spent three hours over the last two days just because your instruction is so clear. Thank you thank you thank you 🙏
@@Mary._.am028 i guess if you have zero knowledge on chords it would appear hard, it took me 5 minutes to learn but it's the worse chord because every finger placement is uncomfortable but it's an important chord sadly.
Thanks a million for this enlightening well explained video. I am 60 starting to play guitar for the first time I have stuck at it. Justin I was about to give up on the A chord after watching your simple straightforward explanation I pick-up up my guitar and did what you said and I played an A chord on the first effort. I had reviewed many others on RUclips in the hope of success no one explained it the way you did thanks so much - I can now play an A chord
Justin, thank you a lot! I was struggling with A chord all my life. My fingers just didn't fit with the traditional (1 2 3) finger position. Just amazing!
Hmmm. One of the rare things my brother showed me on guitar was to make an A with with the first joint of my middle finger. I taught a few people to do it the same way, too. Worked fine for me for 46 (!) years, now, and is flexible to move to other shapes. Just a thought.
Wow I always struggled with the open A major chord (I have bigger hand and I was unable to play the A chord "properly" - the traditional way - there were lots of buzzing and actually there wasn't enough space for my fingers) so I had to figure out a different finger position to play basic songs and I figured out the same finger position that I saw here... and always felt bad that I cannot play the basic A chord in the proper way so today I checked this video for maybe a good advice that help me with that... It actually helped, I don't feel bad anymore about this finger positioning! Thank you!
That's how I've learned it.... For me it's the perfect way to play the A: Pinky on B, ring on G, middle on D. Since pinky usually is thinner than ring, it allows you more space within the fret... Furthermore, it's perfect for several chord changes... Easy to go to Am (just lifting up pinky), easy to change to Em (lifting pinky, going one string higher), playing A7 by just lifting ring... Give it a try, if your pinky is not the same size as your thumb, it will certainly work for you as well ;-) Thanks Justin for all your great work!!!
Decided to start playing again since my 7 month year old son is goin crazy about the guitars on the wall and he's absolutely hypnotized when I play, he's very active so it's a miracle he's able to concentrate on anything. Played guitar for 23 years on and off. Learned mostly by myself, before RUclips. There are huge gaps in my skills and knowledge. Didn't quite know where to start from since I know a little about this and that. Kept searching for the best lessons online and this guy's name just popped up everywhere. Have to say, amazing videos, going start with the first lessons since I just learned how to play the A chord. Again after 23 years. Keep up the good work!
Tip: If you're having to press hard, then the nut slots are probably cut too high. On an acoustic, if you have the low E about 0.6mm above the first fret and the high E about 0.35mm, then you won't have to press that hard, and the strings won't go sharp much, like they do when the action is too high.
This is exactly how I was taught many years ago - the logic being that when playing a 12-bar blues in the key of E, playing the E chord in first position, that you avoid having to lift the index finger too far off the fret board when changing to first position A. Plus, it makes going from A to D chord much, much easier.
Hi Justin just want to take this opportunity to thank you so much you have given to us people out here .I have for years enjoyed learning new tunes of yourself and others..having played guitar for nearly 42 years now .I couldn't believe by trying this way having played so long on the 3 fingers together way how much easier it is. Tried it out on a james taylor track..absolutely lost for words how much easier it is ..so never to late to change..ps coming up a very young 68 lol..thank you so much again Justin..keep em coming..💪💪❤
This guy Justin explains and demonstrates perfectly. He does not assume knowledge and shows you the good and the bad techniques so you can see and understand what you are doing wrong so you can correct your mistakes.
Really the best position is 3-2-1, that way there is much less finger movement involved when changing to the following chords since the fingers are all facing the same way: Am E Em F Fmaj7 C Cmaj7 Cadd9 G Gmaj7
I now play the A chord using only my index finger, I find this much easier especially when moving between chords 🤔 I wonder why this alternate fingering isn't taught more often.
I just picked the guitar back up after 25 years. When I was a young teen I couldn't do the A chord the traditional way so I began just bending my index finger across all three strings. So my teacher told me if that's what is comfortable then stick to it. Problem is that many times there is a buzz in one of the strings and it can make chord transitions difficult. Thank you so much for this simple but very valuable advice!!
Just a tip for everyone, practice playing A chord on 9th fret, then when you move to second fret again it will be like cheating, this trick finally helped me get the A chord down
The great thing about learning the guitar, which lets face it ain’t easy, is the huge amount of support there is out there. It’s a labour of love but so worth it.
I tried learning on my own 10+ years ago when i was a teen. I started by a "non-boring" song, that is, one that is mostly picking: The Zephyr Song by RHCP. Then I actually learnt about one minute and a half of One by Metallica... Chords were boring. But of course, I couldn't get fast enough... I wasn't holding the guitar correctly (I just watched your video on that) and since I had skipped basic chords I didn't even have a feeling for the most efficient way of placing my fingers. Now I'm re-learning from the basics. It should go better this time. I was so surprised to see that A and D are actually two of The Zephyr Song's chords! Your videos are very clear. Thank you.
A better option if it works for your hands is to cover both 3rd and 4th strings with index and second string with middle. Sometimes I'll do the same configuration with my middle and ring, so you don't have to have huge fingers, just accuracy. I've been very happy with this position since I discovered it and use that high E ringing on the chord a lot.
@@itsmorphed6416 My E is usually two fingers as well. Middle covers 4th and 5th. Em is just index on same. I don’t really have issues with transitions, and If I did I would just use different fingers. I can’t really do the same thing up the neck. That does require big fingers.
I 'played' guitar appallingly and didnt practice or practised badly 28 years ago. Here he gives a really clear reason WHY this shape is better! I haven't played for decades But I'm getting better at understanding. Ty Justin.
I played guitar for a month basically, 5 years ago. Now I'm trying to actively learn it and this channel is a blessing. Also I'm fingers are really hurting lol. Thanks so much for this.
been playing 20 years and never knew this was even an option. I usually play open A with either just my index and just don't let the high E ring. Or I do Middle finger on the D string, ring on the G and pinky on the B. I'll try this for a while!
i would also argue that index across with pinkie on high E octave higher on 5th fret is great alternative voicing that would teach beginners to ease up not only for later barre chords, but also for entry for big stretches down the road and for early pinkie development
@@SteelSkin667 well i dont know, i tried playing guitar couple times with reversed hand and i found index mini barre easier to pull out than switching and remembering finger positions, d chord right underneath it too, so you just slide index from 4th to 3rd string
I prefer this as well. I can't seem to cramp a reversed D chord properly for the A chord. Doing this gives you the same advantage as going closer to the fret near the body
This is really a clever alternative way to do the A chord! Maybe even than the traditional way. Especially for thick fingers like mine. Traditional way to do A chord is what frustrated me when I tried to learn guitar last year, almost making me believe that guitar is not for me.
Justin, you are right about this being difficult and feeling like it is impossible. I feel like I have fat fingers and finger placement is very important and difficult. Thanks for the reassuring words and I like the talk about making small bursts of practice instead of focusing for an hour and really hurting the fingers and wrist from holding the position. 2 Thumbs up!
I usually play A by barring the second fret of the second, third and fourth strings. It works good if you're sliding that shape around, which I do pretty often.
What do you do when playing a third fret barred C chord? (Same chord formation if you are not familiar.) I've been playing 55 years now and I never knew this was a problem.
I just got done trying to go through someone else's video and ended up being frustrated, feeling like guitar is impossible, and I was thinking i should take up piano keyboard. And here you are, addressing the feeling that guitar is impossible and making it feel ok. I watched your first vid on the D chord where you explicitly addressed the issues i was having with the D. Again easing the frustration. You are a God send. Thank you for teaching guitar in a way that really benefits those of us picking one up for the first time. You've put most of my frustration at ease and i feel like it really is possible to learn.
Yeah, I've tried alot of other places but this has by far been the best. But don't ditch the idea of piano. I just started guitar but I've been playing piano for years and I love it.
I took a piano class years ago and it was much easier to understand where the chords are and it didn't kill my fingers. I've forgotten everything I learned but remember how hard it first seemed to stretch out and reach keys but it was a lot easier than contorting fingers to squish themselves into tiny spots without hitting other strings. I'm going to give the guitar a healthy try but I'm also going to go check out digital pianos to see if I'd rather go back.@@Faramir-ck9ys
I'm re-starting playing for the umpteenth time. The one thing I'm having the most trouble with is the A chord. I didn't before, but I was cheating. This was perfect, the exact knowledge I needed. I'm already using the fingering he suggested and it's already sounding better!
@@itsmorphed6416 that's been an added bonus for sure. Most of the songs I'm practicing with now are in A and are simple I-IV-V constructions so that became apparent pretty quickly!
@@itsmorphed6416 yeah, I've gone back to the beginning to get the basics down pat. I'm using Russ Shipton's books, and the A7 is just a couple of tunes away lol But seriously, it's coming along, my calluses are getting nice and hard!
@@cartman9675 its funny you should say that because i practiced for 2 years like 20 years ago and stopped and got frustrated. This time i said im going back to basics and glad i did . I've been using progressive guitar by Gary turner and Peter Gelling. Been at it 3 years this time lol. Im not frustrated tho ha ha , this time.
I have always played the A chord with one finger, as long as you mute or don't hit the bottom string, and even if you do everynow and again, it doesn't sound that bad
They both have their advantages. For beginners learning this way allows the introduction of learning chords, getting finger strength, move fingers together to form chords and change. One finger method is extremely useful and something to practice once you’re use to basic chords. Both good techniques.
After learning from you I have realized that when playing a Am that switched to a F bar chord, if I play the Am chord if I use my second finger on the G string it makes it easier to go right to a F bar chord. It took me some time to relearn the Am chord I didn’t play it that way. JUSTIN YOUR THE BEST
I also play the A chord using fingers 2, 3, and, 4 for cowboy chords and barr with first finger for barr chords, or if I need to use my pinky for embellishments, hammer on/pull offs.
This is how I learned to play an A chord. I learned it from the chord chart in the back of a copy of Alfred's Basic Guitar: Book One that I owned in the mid 70's and from which I did all of my initial learning of chords. I don't think I've ever met anyone who learned it the way I did. But, as you mentioned, it helped me learn how to transition from an E to an A without having to stop playing in the process. I think I tried the 1-2-3 positioning once and went straight back to 2-1-3.
Thank you so much. Have you considered supporting Justin and his mission of ‘teaching the world to play’? If you are able, every donation enables him to make more lessons and content free to all. www.justinguitar.com/donate 😊 | Richard_close2u | JustinGuitar Official Guide & Approved Teacher
I either barre it or play the “bad” way. But between light-ish strings, low-ish action and playing a long time (25 years or so) I don’t have to press too hard.
Thanks. Enjoying your tutorials. I was hoping you would talking about the one-finger A chord where the index lies across D, G and B. I'm wondering if you recommend this and whether I could ever get my finger to flex/bend that far to accomplish it if I cannot do it now.
Here's another - i.m.o. more natural - option to play the A major chord: middle finger, ring finger, pinkie. That way you keep your fingers in a natural order, the fret boxes do not get 'crowded' (your pinkie is very small) and it's the same starting point for the A minor chord (all you have to do is pick up your pinkie and move your free index finger to 1st fret of the B string).
For an A chord I put my fore finger on the 3rd and 4th strings, and my middle finger on the 2nd string. I'm self-taught and have never taken a lesson. When I saw the dots on the diagram showing which strings to hold, I never read the finger numbers; I just used whichever fingers seemed easier. As long as I can play the chord, I suppose it only matters that I get there, and not how I get there.
I really appreciate your videos! Do you have any where you talk about proper wrist and thumb placement? I find this is where I get the most tension and fatigue and nothing quite feels right. Either there is less strain but my hand isn't big enough to reach the strings, or there is strain but I am able to make the position work to get the chord to ring out.
I'm an intermediate guitar player. I play the A chord the way you suggest against playing it. I've played it this way for many years and it works fine for me. I'm not saying your way of playing it is wrong I'm just saying how you play it is up to the individual, what works best for them.
I just tried that and it's definitely easier, but the next lesson which deals with anchor figners shows an advantage of keeping finger 1 on string 3 fret 2 - it makes switching between the D and A chord far more straightforward
Thank you so much for all your videos and especially your reassurance. Struggling on the A cord. My fat index finger doesn't mute my high E string but when I strum it I can feel and hear it ringing off my index finger.
Sir, very good explaining. Learning guitar fot the very first time. Thank you very much for the free course. I was looking for a free channel to teach guitar and I found your youtube channel. Thank you again,Sir.
if just going from a d to an a chord or just alternating cord two chords I play the one finger Barre.. but it does make it easier in the traditional a chord if you're playing a to a 7
To premise, I learned how to play the guitar (and the 'A' chord) decades ago, from a 1950's era Mel Bay guitar book. I have been in bands, Playing rhythm guitar, touring all over the U.S., opening for some of the biggest '80's rock bands of the era. Yes, how he's teaching how to finger the 'A' chord in this video was the way I learned it all those years ago, but I don't understand when he says "The traditional way" of fingering when he refers to the other way. I don't know how old he is, but I've probably been playing the guitar longer than he's been alive. In fact, there is no "traditional way" of fingering any guitar chord: In the decades I've been playing the guitar, I finger a particular chord in a way to help transition the fasted way to the next chord. I've shown people multiple ways on how to finger a single chord and why I finger a chord a certain way for one song, but a different way for a another song. I do agree with the way he's teaching beginners how to finger the 'A' chord; he should just drop any reference to a "traditional way." Once a player gets better with their style of fingering chords, that player will experiment: Maybe play the 'A' chord bar style. Maybe using different fingers on the same fret to help transition to a different chord. Who knows? Get 100 guitars players in a room, you'll get 100 different style.
I wasn’t big on chords for quite a while, I managed to shrug them off by playing lots of metal. Zeppelin is what taught me lots of basic chords, I remember learning A this way so I could play Ten Years Gone. The main riff is much harder if you play A any other way.
I've been trying to get this chord for almost two weeks now, practising 2-4 hours a day and I simply cannot get it, my fingers will not bend in that manner, I've tried and tired and I just cannot do it at all. I've also tried the other version where you put your fingers in a line and my three fingers are far wider than my fret. So I'm about to give up the ghost before I've really started. I can do the D chord and that's all. Justin is superb and I believe this is simply down to my fingers. I though practice would get it but I'm no closer to the A now than I was the first day I tried.
I find it easiest to play the A chord with two fingers. The first finger presses both the D & G strings (or 3rd&4th strings) while the second finger presses the B string (2nd string) both fingers can overlap the G string if need be. After all, when you play an F chord you hold down both E&B strings on the 1st fret the same way. It just works easier for me.
I always play this way since I started last year from Justin and Andy guitar they both do it this way it sounds beautiful especially with a bass note strum on a song I'm working on
Hey Justin....thanks so much for your videos...I taught myself basic guitar back in the day when you had only a book or a good friend to learn from...so thoroughly enjoying all. I have a question...re a daily practice...how would you structure a daily practice?... Merry Christmas from OZ and thanks again🙏🧑🎄
I have problems playing the A chord with this way. It's just too uncomfortable. I mean I feel a constant lagging while changing to A chord with this method. If you feel uncomfortable with this playing method, I suggest you to keep using the common way. The 2.1.3 method may sound better, but you must follow the one you think is comfortable. For me It'll always be 1.2.3
I have waaaaay less difficulty with the A chord that with the D chord. I turned around the second and third finger (because I once learned it that way when I was still - sadly - playing a right-handed guitar and it works well for me for now)
Kinda glad I have fatish fingers, chord A I just use two fingers and it will hold all 3 stings down, only time that doesn't work for me is on chords like B major where there is a 4th string to hold down which is E second fret further back so it tilts your hand to far so you can't use just the 2 fingers to hold 3 strings down.
When I started out learning chords like this, I did it while watching TV. I'd watch a show and practice chords during the commercial breaks. This was especially helpful doing Justin's 1 minute chord changes. Instead of a set time, I'd chord changes during the first break and on the next see if I could beat what I did the first time.
Justin. This is my "method." I did not discover it through a lesson. It seemed obvious. Pulling your index finger off and over so as to grab the high "E" ( moving from A to D)is the only mildly tricky part. Surprisingly difficult to always press the high E good enough. The reason is (and not just for me) Sometimes the callouses (more callous talk) you form will have a channel in them. Easy for the high E to fall into this channel and the tip to bottom out before the string gets fully pressed. 16 months 3 hrs per day, I flake off callouses but no stable fingertips yet. Maybe use Dsus2 (a D chord without the high E included like in U2's "Desire.")
I thought 'this looks tricky!' so I picked up a guitar and realised I had been playing 'A' like this for years, just didn't realise it! Also play 'A' with fingers 2,3 and 4 straight across depending on context. Small fingers so it works!
Question for people out there! How much do you practice getting the notes! I have done the D chord and the A chord. I know he says it in the video but just wanted to know from someone that is learning and playing
I am a learner, and I found the A chord a struggle so I came up with my own solution. I am able to bar-chord it with my first finger, l have quite a flexible finger.
man i just picked up a guitar for the first time in my life im 20 and ive always wanted to learn how to play and your tutorials make me feel like your talking to ME, everytime i say to myself how can anyone possibly do this you said "its okay to feel like this is impossible" you are gonna carry me sir and for that i thank you you deserve wayyy more than the views and subs you have
Try the free beginners course! Find your entry point or start from the very first lesson to make sure you don't skip anything valuable: www.justinguitar.com/site-map-and-lesson-structure | LievenDV | JustinGuitar Official Assistant
hey how's the progress? I just started yesterday and i'm 20
Have you able to play any song am also in my 20 please reply man
@@Jack-id4qmjust started today too
Another 20yo just starting with the journey. We got this booys ✌️
I love the reassuring tip he throws in at the start, i know a lot of beginner guitarist needed that.
fr thats really sweet of him
best thing a person can do as a teacher
Me included :)
@L Manning are you still going?
You hear it all the time. "My hands are too big to play guitar", "My fingers are too weak to play guitar", "I'm not cut out for guitar, I couldn't even play one chord!", that kind of thing.
Justin isn't just being nice - it's super important that people understand that even the basic stuff is crazy hard at first.=
i'm restarting my guitar journey and came back to this channel as i was learning by your videos 5 years ago. so happy to know that you're still around!
I remember fighting with all the unintentional muting mostly due to soft fingers as a newbie when I was 10. Yes it hurt and I always tell new players it’s going to hurt, so just keep playing and it will get better. I have never tried the A like that, but I will thanks. Going to be hard to not use the 3 string bar thought. Thanks Justin.
This is how I learned to play an A chord, and my instructor's explanation as to why I should use this fingering was, when moving to a D chord, first finger stays put and never moves, and when changing to an E chord first finger just moves down one fret.
At 54, I am finally committing to learn guitar. And I have you to thank. I’ve spent three hours over the last two days just because your instruction is so clear. Thank you thank you thank you 🙏
Ditto, but 70 yrs old. Drummer since 1967. Now learning guitar! Gr8! 😎
This chord has been giving me depression 2 over the last week
Why???? Is it difficult???
@@Mary._.am028 i guess if you have zero knowledge on chords it would appear hard, it took me 5 minutes to learn but it's the worse chord because every finger placement is uncomfortable but it's an important chord sadly.
It’s a nightmare
same lol
The worst
Thanks a million for this enlightening well explained video. I am 60 starting to play guitar for the first time I have stuck at it. Justin I was about to give up on the A chord after watching your simple straightforward explanation I pick-up up my guitar and did what you said and I played an A chord on the first effort. I had reviewed many others on RUclips in the hope of success no one explained it the way you did thanks so much - I can now play an A chord
Justin, thank you a lot! I was struggling with A chord all my life. My fingers just didn't fit with the traditional (1 2 3) finger position. Just amazing!
Try fingers 2,3,4...these "great" teachers seem to omit that finger. I can only do the open A that way
I use the last 3 fingers and it works well for me. This also helps me with my little finger getting used to being used.
That's what I do too. It makes it easy to slide down into a bar chord too.
Because my fingers are thick, when I tried your style it fit me very well! Thanks for sharing.
Same
I’m self taught and use 2-3-4 (middle, ring, pinky). Super easy to change to other chords
Nice. I've been trying to incorporate more pinky action into my practice
woah this really helped thanks
Hmmm. One of the rare things my brother showed me on guitar was to make an A with with the first joint of my middle finger. I taught a few people to do it the same way, too. Worked fine for me for 46 (!) years, now, and is flexible to move to other shapes. Just a thought.
Wow I always struggled with the open A major chord (I have bigger hand and I was unable to play the A chord "properly" - the traditional way - there were lots of buzzing and actually there wasn't enough space for my fingers) so I had to figure out a different finger position to play basic songs and I figured out the same finger position that I saw here... and always felt bad that I cannot play the basic A chord in the proper way so today I checked this video for maybe a good advice that help me with that... It actually helped, I don't feel bad anymore about this finger positioning! Thank you!
Took me a while to get used to your way of playing the A chord but I think it makes switching to D and E so much easier! Thanks Justin :)
You're very welcome!
That's why my teacher taught me this fingering.
That's how I've learned it.... For me it's the perfect way to play the A: Pinky on B, ring on G, middle on D. Since pinky usually is thinner than ring, it allows you more space within the fret... Furthermore, it's perfect for several chord changes... Easy to go to Am (just lifting up pinky), easy to change to Em (lifting pinky, going one string higher), playing A7 by just lifting ring... Give it a try, if your pinky is not the same size as your thumb, it will certainly work for you as well ;-) Thanks Justin for all your great work!!!
Decided to start playing again since my 7 month year old son is goin crazy about the guitars on the wall and he's absolutely hypnotized when I play, he's very active so it's a miracle he's able to concentrate on anything.
Played guitar for 23 years on and off. Learned mostly by myself, before RUclips. There are huge gaps in my skills and knowledge. Didn't quite know where to start from since I know a little about this and that. Kept searching for the best lessons online and this guy's name just popped up everywhere.
Have to say, amazing videos, going start with the first lessons since I just learned how to play the A chord. Again after 23 years.
Keep up the good work!
Tip: If you're having to press hard, then the nut slots are probably cut too high. On an acoustic, if you have the low E about 0.6mm above the first fret and the high E about 0.35mm, then you won't have to press that hard, and the strings won't go sharp much, like they do when the action is too high.
How to lower the guitar action?
@@akshansh_sri adjusting the truss rod
@@ananysingh07 wym?
This is exactly how I was taught many years ago - the logic being that when playing a 12-bar blues in the key of E, playing the E chord in first position, that you avoid having to lift the index finger too far off the fret board when changing to first position A. Plus, it makes going from A to D chord much, much easier.
Hi Justin just want to take this opportunity to thank you so much you have given to us people out here .I have for years enjoyed learning new tunes of yourself and others..having played guitar for nearly 42 years now .I couldn't believe by trying this way having played so long on the 3 fingers together way how much easier it is. Tried it out on a james taylor track..absolutely lost for words how much easier it is ..so never to late to change..ps coming up a very young 68 lol..thank you so much again Justin..keep em coming..💪💪❤
This guy Justin explains and demonstrates perfectly. He does not assume knowledge and shows you the good and the bad techniques so you can see and understand what you are doing wrong so you can correct your mistakes.
Really the best position is 3-2-1, that way there is much less finger movement involved when changing to the following chords since the fingers are all facing the same way:
Am E Em F Fmaj7 C Cmaj7 Cadd9 G Gmaj7
I now play the A chord using only my index finger, I find this much easier especially when moving between chords 🤔 I wonder why this alternate fingering isn't taught more often.
I like playing it Justin’s way because it’s easier to move to Amaj7 and it sounds lovely
I just picked the guitar back up after 25 years. When I was a young teen I couldn't do the A chord the traditional way so I began just bending my index finger across all three strings. So my teacher told me if that's what is comfortable then stick to it. Problem is that many times there is a buzz in one of the strings and it can make chord transitions difficult. Thank you so much for this simple but very valuable advice!!
I use middle, ring, and pinky for this. It's super easy and makes it easy to slide down into a bar chord.
Thanks for this! I've been playing A this way for a few years and always felt a little embarrassed that I couldn't play it the "right" way.
You make explaining and instructions so clear that I was able to get it in the matter of 30 seconds, thanks!
Just a tip for everyone, practice playing A chord on 9th fret, then when you move to second fret again it will be like cheating, this trick finally helped me get the A chord down
wow thank you for the tip. this worked for me👍
I was struggling with the A chord and the way you showed it helped so much! I guess I’m going to keep going!
Rock on!
The great thing about learning the guitar, which lets face it ain’t easy, is the huge amount of support there is out there. It’s a labour of love but so worth it.
I tried learning on my own 10+ years ago when i was a teen. I started by a "non-boring" song, that is, one that is mostly picking: The Zephyr Song by RHCP. Then I actually learnt about one minute and a half of One by Metallica... Chords were boring.
But of course, I couldn't get fast enough... I wasn't holding the guitar correctly (I just watched your video on that) and since I had skipped basic chords I didn't even have a feeling for the most efficient way of placing my fingers.
Now I'm re-learning from the basics. It should go better this time. I was so surprised to see that A and D are actually two of The Zephyr Song's chords!
Your videos are very clear. Thank you.
I like using the last 3 fingers
Helps to change chords quickly
I didn't know an A chord could be played this way
Thanks Justin
A better option if it works for your hands is to cover both 3rd and 4th strings with index and second string with middle. Sometimes I'll do the same configuration with my middle and ring, so you don't have to have huge fingers, just accuracy. I've been very happy with this position since I discovered it and use that high E ringing on the chord a lot.
myyootube2
Same here.
Nice . But not good for transition to D and E .
@@itsmorphed6416 My E is usually two fingers as well. Middle covers 4th and 5th. Em is just index on same. I don’t really have issues with transitions, and If I did I would just use different fingers. I can’t really do the same thing up the neck. That does require big fingers.
I 'played' guitar appallingly and didnt practice or practised badly 28 years ago. Here he gives a really clear reason WHY this shape is better! I haven't played for decades But I'm getting better at understanding. Ty Justin.
I played guitar for a month basically, 5 years ago. Now I'm trying to actively learn it and this channel is a blessing. Also I'm fingers are really hurting lol. Thanks so much for this.
You mean I've been playing the A chord wrong for the last 50 years!
And me.
Not worng. Just different.
No
Haha me to brother I learned to just bar the DGB with my pointer.
No, just worse than Justin xD
Thank you.
So simple once you demonstrated it.
Just learning to play the guitar I have had for over 20 years.
been playing 20 years and never knew this was even an option. I usually play open A with either just my index and just don't let the high E ring. Or I do Middle finger on the D string, ring on the G and pinky on the B. I'll try this for a while!
i would also argue that index across with pinkie on high E octave higher on 5th fret is great alternative voicing that would teach beginners to ease up not only for later barre chords, but also for entry for big stretches down the road and for early pinkie development
@@100thschool That's very hard for a beginner, but definitely an interesting thing to sneak in an advanced level course.
@@SteelSkin667 well i dont know, i tried playing guitar couple times with reversed hand and i found index mini barre easier to pull out than switching and remembering finger positions, d chord right underneath it too, so you just slide index from 4th to 3rd string
I prefer this as well. I can't seem to cramp a reversed D chord properly for the A chord. Doing this gives you the same advantage as going closer to the fret near the body
I hold it however I want, with whatever finger depending, on what I'm doing or what my arthritis allows. There simply is no absolute.
This is really a clever alternative way to do the A chord! Maybe even than the traditional way. Especially for thick fingers like mine. Traditional way to do A chord is what frustrated me when I tried to learn guitar last year, almost making me believe that guitar is not for me.
Justin, you are right about this being difficult and feeling like it is impossible. I feel like I have fat fingers and finger placement is very important and difficult. Thanks for the reassuring words and I like the talk about making small bursts of practice instead of focusing for an hour and really hurting the fingers and wrist from holding the position. 2 Thumbs up!
I usually play A by barring the second fret of the second, third and fourth strings. It works good if you're sliding that shape around, which I do pretty often.
What do you do when playing a third fret barred C chord? (Same chord formation if you are not familiar.) I've been playing 55 years now and I never knew this was a problem.
You taught me so much this last few years 🤟😛 gotta get your app next!
I just got done trying to go through someone else's video and ended up being frustrated, feeling like guitar is impossible, and I was thinking i should take up piano keyboard.
And here you are, addressing the feeling that guitar is impossible and making it feel ok.
I watched your first vid on the D chord where you explicitly addressed the issues i was having with the D. Again easing the frustration.
You are a God send. Thank you for teaching guitar in a way that really benefits those of us picking one up for the first time. You've put most of my frustration at ease and i feel like it really is possible to learn.
Yeah, I've tried alot of other places but this has by far been the best.
But don't ditch the idea of piano. I just started guitar but I've been playing piano for years and I love it.
I took a piano class years ago and it was much easier to understand where the chords are and it didn't kill my fingers. I've forgotten everything I learned but remember how hard it first seemed to stretch out and reach keys but it was a lot easier than contorting fingers to squish themselves into tiny spots without hitting other strings. I'm going to give the guitar a healthy try but I'm also going to go check out digital pianos to see if I'd rather go back.@@Faramir-ck9ys
I'm re-starting playing for the umpteenth time. The one thing I'm having the most trouble with is the A chord. I didn't before, but I was cheating. This was perfect, the exact knowledge I needed. I'm already using the fingering he suggested and it's already sounding better!
Well played mate . Its perfect for moving to D and E also
@@itsmorphed6416 that's been an added bonus for sure. Most of the songs I'm practicing with now are in A and are simple I-IV-V constructions so that became apparent pretty quickly!
@@cartman9675 yep . Pretty important the 145 progression . If you take the first finger off it also gives you A7
@@itsmorphed6416 yeah, I've gone back to the beginning to get the basics down pat. I'm using Russ Shipton's books, and the A7 is just a couple of tunes away lol But seriously, it's coming along, my calluses are getting nice and hard!
@@cartman9675 its funny you should say that because i practiced for 2 years like 20 years ago and stopped and got frustrated. This time i said im going back to basics and glad i did . I've been using progressive guitar by Gary turner and Peter Gelling. Been at it 3 years this time lol. Im not frustrated tho ha ha , this time.
I like when he talks about guitar, that's my favorite part.
I have always played the A chord with one finger, as long as you mute or don't hit the bottom string, and even if you do everynow and again, it doesn't sound that bad
Me too, the index finger is all you need.
They both have their advantages. For beginners learning this way allows the introduction of learning chords, getting finger strength, move fingers together to form chords and change. One finger method is extremely useful and something to practice once you’re use to basic chords. Both good techniques.
After learning from you I have realized that when playing a Am that switched to a F bar chord, if I play the Am chord if I use my second finger on the G string it makes it easier to go right to a F bar chord. It took me some time to relearn the Am chord I didn’t play it that way. JUSTIN YOUR THE BEST
I also play the A chord using fingers 2, 3, and, 4 for cowboy chords and barr with first finger for barr chords, or if I need to use my pinky for embellishments, hammer on/pull offs.
This is how I learned to play an A chord. I learned it from the chord chart in the back of a copy of Alfred's Basic Guitar: Book One that I owned in the mid 70's and from which I did all of my initial learning of chords. I don't think I've ever met anyone who learned it the way I did. But, as you mentioned, it helped me learn how to transition from an E to an A without having to stop playing in the process. I think I tried the 1-2-3 positioning once and went straight back to 2-1-3.
I’ve just turned 50 and decided I want to learn guitar. Loving the simple lessons, step by step, that you have put together for us.
Thank you Justin
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I either barre it or play the “bad” way. But between light-ish strings, low-ish action and playing a long time (25 years or so) I don’t have to press too hard.
Thanks. Enjoying your tutorials. I was hoping you would talking about the one-finger A chord where the index lies across D, G and B. I'm wondering if you recommend this and whether I could ever get my finger to flex/bend that far to accomplish it if I cannot do it now.
Really appreciate your videos they are helping me fast forward my guitar playing
MY FINGERS!!! THE PAAAAAAIN!!!!
Your 1st shape for the A chord is good. Take the 1st finger away, then there is the 7th.
Now that's a good lesson. Thank you Justin, that's been real helpful
Your app was the ad before this video started 👀👀 just downloaded!!
Middle finger first, ring finger and and pinky finger would be easy for beginners
Here's another - i.m.o. more natural - option to play the A major chord: middle finger, ring finger, pinkie. That way you keep your fingers in a natural order, the fret boxes do not get 'crowded' (your pinkie is very small) and it's the same starting point for the A minor chord (all you have to do is pick up your pinkie and move your free index finger to 1st fret of the B string).
For an A chord I put my fore finger on the 3rd and 4th strings, and my middle finger on the 2nd string. I'm self-taught and have never taken a lesson. When I saw the dots on the diagram showing which strings to hold, I never read the finger numbers; I just used whichever fingers seemed easier. As long as I can play the chord, I suppose it only matters that I get there, and not how I get there.
I have big fingers so I use my 2nd and 3rd for all 3 strings
I just love how easily he teaches... Am learning soo fast
I really appreciate your videos! Do you have any where you talk about proper wrist and thumb placement? I find this is where I get the most tension and fatigue and nothing quite feels right. Either there is less strain but my hand isn't big enough to reach the strings, or there is strain but I am able to make the position work to get the chord to ring out.
I'm an intermediate guitar player. I play the A chord the way you suggest against playing it. I've played it this way for many years and it works fine for me. I'm not saying your way of playing it is wrong I'm just saying how you play it is up to the individual, what works best for them.
brilliant tip. Thanks again, Justin!
I'm a beginner. I've also seen it done with fingers 2, 3, and 4, which seems an easier fit, to me. 🤷♂️
I just tried that and it's definitely easier, but the next lesson which deals with anchor figners shows an advantage of keeping finger 1 on string 3 fret 2 - it makes switching between the D and A chord far more straightforward
Thank you so much for all your videos and especially your reassurance. Struggling on the A cord. My fat index finger doesn't mute my high E string but when I strum it I can feel and hear it ringing off my index finger.
I’ve always played it as Tomas below . By barring it with one finger . Very very easy . Same with the E
Sir, very good explaining. Learning guitar fot the very first time. Thank you very much for the free course. I was looking for a free channel to teach guitar and I found your youtube channel. Thank you again,Sir.
Love you justin so solved my problem
if just going from a d to an a chord or just alternating cord two chords I play the one finger Barre.. but it does make it easier in the traditional a chord if you're playing a to a 7
To premise, I learned how to play the guitar (and the 'A' chord) decades ago, from a 1950's era Mel Bay guitar book. I have been in bands, Playing rhythm guitar, touring all over the U.S., opening for some of the biggest '80's rock bands of the era. Yes, how he's teaching how to finger the 'A' chord in this video was the way I learned it all those years ago, but I don't understand when he says "The traditional way" of fingering when he refers to the other way. I don't know how old he is, but I've probably been playing the guitar longer than he's been alive. In fact, there is no "traditional way" of fingering any guitar chord: In the decades I've been playing the guitar, I finger a particular chord in a way to help transition the fasted way to the next chord. I've shown people multiple ways on how to finger a single chord and why I finger a chord a certain way for one song, but a different way for a another song.
I do agree with the way he's teaching beginners how to finger the 'A' chord; he should just drop any reference to a "traditional way." Once a player gets better with their style of fingering chords, that player will experiment: Maybe play the 'A' chord bar style. Maybe using different fingers on the same fret to help transition to a different chord. Who knows? Get 100 guitars players in a room, you'll get 100 different style.
I only use 2 fingers. Works for me.
I love to hear your kinda teaching🙏😊😊😊
I wasn’t big on chords for quite a while, I managed to shrug them off by playing lots of metal. Zeppelin is what taught me lots of basic chords, I remember learning A this way so I could play Ten Years Gone. The main riff is much harder if you play A any other way.
God bless you, Justin ❤️ infact you deserve the best Sir
this tip really helped me. Thanks
I've been trying to get this chord for almost two weeks now, practising 2-4 hours a day and I simply cannot get it, my fingers will not bend in that manner, I've tried and tired and I just cannot do it at all. I've also tried the other version where you put your fingers in a line and my three fingers are far wider than my fret. So I'm about to give up the ghost before I've really started. I can do the D chord and that's all. Justin is superb and I believe this is simply down to my fingers. I though practice would get it but I'm no closer to the A now than I was the first day I tried.
Did you try playing it like this? www.justinguitar.com/guitar-lessons/first-finger-a-chord-bg-1002 | LievenDV | JustinGuitar Official Assistant
@@justinguitar Thank you so much! That is brilliant and far easier for my hands. Awesome!
I find it easiest to play the A chord with two fingers. The first finger presses both the D & G strings (or 3rd&4th strings) while the second finger presses the B string (2nd string) both fingers can overlap the G string if need be. After all, when you play an F chord you hold down both E&B strings on the 1st fret the same way. It just works easier for me.
Day six, & you are a godsend, mister. Correcting the orientation of my digits and I am playing an A chord, thank you so much!!
🦓💚
I always play this way since I started last year from Justin and Andy guitar they both do it this way it sounds beautiful especially with a bass note strum on a song I'm working on
I play A in whatever position suits the song. It may be as shown here or possibly using an F shape at the 5th fret.
Thanks! Just started learning. A chord seemed impossible!
Is that e string slightly out of tune? :P
this is how I play an A chord and had never seen anyone else play it like this or recommend it'
Thank you very much man, I felt like it was impossible.
Hey Justin....thanks so much for your videos...I taught myself basic guitar back in the day when you had only a book or a good friend to learn from...so thoroughly enjoying all. I have a question...re a daily practice...how would you structure a daily practice?...
Merry Christmas from OZ and thanks again🙏🧑🎄
I have problems playing the A chord with this way. It's just too uncomfortable. I mean I feel a constant lagging while changing to A chord with this method.
If you feel uncomfortable with this playing method, I suggest you to keep using the common way.
The 2.1.3 method may sound better, but you must follow the one you think is comfortable.
For me It'll always be 1.2.3
I have waaaaay less difficulty with the A chord that with the D chord. I turned around the second and third finger (because I once learned it that way when I was still - sadly - playing a right-handed guitar and it works well for me for now)
I love it I'm your new subscriber I lovee it mucj
Kinda glad I have fatish fingers, chord A I just use two fingers and it will hold all 3 stings down, only time that doesn't work for me is on chords like B major where there is a 4th string to hold down which is E second fret further back so it tilts your hand to far so you can't use just the 2 fingers to hold 3 strings down.
When I started out learning chords like this, I did it while watching TV. I'd watch a show and practice chords during the commercial breaks. This was especially helpful doing Justin's 1 minute chord changes. Instead of a set time, I'd chord changes during the first break and on the next see if I could beat what I did the first time.
Justin. This is my "method." I did not discover it through a lesson. It seemed obvious. Pulling your index finger off and over so as to grab the high "E" ( moving from A to D)is the only mildly tricky part. Surprisingly difficult to always press the high E good enough. The reason is (and not just for me) Sometimes the callouses (more callous talk) you form will have a channel in them. Easy for the high E to fall into this channel and the tip to bottom out before the string gets fully pressed. 16 months 3 hrs per day, I flake off callouses but no stable fingertips yet. Maybe use Dsus2 (a D chord without the high E included like in U2's "Desire.")
That finger placement worked like magic
Any person from planet earth can hear you well well sir .... we are very greatful to your unselfish heart sir
I thought 'this looks tricky!' so I picked up a guitar and realised I had been playing 'A' like this for years, just didn't realise it! Also play 'A' with fingers 2,3 and 4 straight across depending on context. Small fingers so it works!
Question for people out there! How much do you practice getting the notes! I have done the D chord and the A chord. I know he says it in the video but just wanted to know from someone that is learning and playing
I've always played the A chord the common way. No problem.
same, justin's method feels slower to transition to and more difficult but that's probably just ingrained habits on my part.
I am a learner, and I found the A chord a struggle so I came up with my own solution. I am able to bar-chord it with my first finger, l have quite a flexible finger.