Ableton Forum

leedsquietman wrote:avoid shortcuts like using one finger to do an A chord (you actually get A6 because you tend to hold down the F#...

disagree. I seasoned that advice with "only play what you have properly fretted." do you ALWAYS use three fingers to play an open A chord? it's also good to know all the ways you can use your fingers to make the same chord. for example the two ways to do an F chord, with a barre, and with your thumb.

anyway, smutek will find his way.

Tone Deft wrote:do you ALWAYS use three fingers to play an open A chord?

For me I always do...but thats because it sets me up nice for either using the dominant 7 or the 7sus. Its personal and just a part of my style.

it's also good to know all the ways you can use your fingers to make the same chord. for example the two ways to do an F chord, with a barre, and with your thumb.

Yes, because depending from which chord your are coming from there can be less work involved in moving to your next one...it all depends.

anyway, smutek will find his way

Yes... the process of discovary. There are some chord patterns I avoid because I struggle to get my fingers to do what I want so I just find work arounds. That then contibutes to my style, which then tranlates into the music I play and even the choice of guitar. Just go for it, soak it all up as best as you can.

Yes, I always play an A chord with 3 fingers

Similar to the last poster, I tend to play around variations of a chord a lot, so sus2, sus 4, dominant 7, dominant major 7 etc.

I don't know why I don't choose to short cut and lay one finger across the strings and just miss out picking/strumming the top E, I just never did. Anal retentive maybe ?

yo SMU, which one did you get?

leedsquietman wrote:I don't know why I don't choose to short cut and lay one finger across the strings and just miss out picking/strumming the top E, I just never did. Anal retentive maybe ?

I use one finger on the A chord and still manage to let the high e string ring out normally, I've learned to bend that last knuckle a bit backwards so the flesh clears the string. funny, I thought everyone did that.

the wife was watching About A Boy, I think Hugh Grant plays Smutek's guitar in the talent show towards the end.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49-82yNxiKg <--- skip ahead to 6:00, turn off your monitors.

a natural ash pacifica 112.


good, inexpensive instrument.


I recently bought a mexican jazz bass. it is really fun to learn