If you followed the instructions from the last lesson you should be confident with your first chord! Well done. If not go back and try again. Unfortunately, I'm not aware of any one chord songs so now we have to move onto our next two chords so you can start playing some tunes.

Video Lesson

 

Now it's time for the A Chord

The next chord we are going to check out is the A chord.

 

The traditional approach (which I taught for many years) has the first, second and third fingers, all in a row in the second fret. I prefer this newer fingering where you swap around your first and second fingers. This makes all the fingers closer to the frets, making fingers 2 and 3 right next to it and with the first finger just pushing in from behind.

I would recommend that you use the new method but if you have learned the traditional way them stick with that, it's ok, and I learnt using the traditional fingering. Later I will show you an easier and more useful way to play it - but it is important that you play it this way for now!

You should not pick the 6th string, but all the rest should sound. Put your fingers down and then strum, check individually, and then strum again. Later you might use your thumb to mute the 6th string, but keep your thumb behind the neck for now to build up that musle inbetween your thumb and your first finger. It should be getting a bit tired too if you are doing it right!

On the A chord the bits to watch out for are that your third finger is not touching the 1st string, and that your fingers are pressing hard enough to get all the notes sounding out. This chord can take bit of adjusting, and check that your left hand palm is not touching the neck, your thumb should be supporting your hand.

You can use this audio clip to check that your chord is sounding cool.

Chord-A by justinguitar

It's real normal at this stage for your fingers to be hurting real bad, for notes not to be coming out clearly, and a feeling that you might never get it. Pretty much everyone got that feeling when they started, I sure did! Just stick with it. It's just practice.

When your fingers are not toughened up yet the soft pads spread out and touch the strings in places they shouldn't. Sometimes you won't be able to press hard enough to get a good note. Don't worry about it - it will come, it's just going to need a bunch more hours of pain to get through to enjoying it!

I would strongly not recommend getting into using a mini-barre at this stage (just in case you have seen it someplace else). It is a cool technique to use later but I think for your chord changes and to get your fingers used to good position and above all, to toughen them up, you are best off starting with the A Chord fingering I show you in this lesson.

So when you have this one sorted it is time to get onto the next one: BC-113 • The E Chord

 

HELP!!!!

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