• Registered: 2015-01-30
  • Posts: 4

Topic: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

Hey all:

I am new to both, Chordie and learning to play the guitar...I have been practicing/playing for just about a year now...I can play some songs but still struggle with speed and some chord changes...I have noticed a vast improvement in the last 2-3 months...However, I still struggle with chord changes to "C"...my left hand pointer finger was mangled several years ago in a fight with a chainsaw (chainsaw-1...me-nothing), so I have no knuckle at the mid point on my pointer...thus I have to really work to make it find the "B' string in the first fret...any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...I am a 54 year old novice with no musical background, but I do love learning to play!!!

  • From: Probably Somewhere
  • Registered: 2010-12-09
  • Posts: 2,446

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

Three options:
1. Play it with your middle, ring and pinkie finger.
2. In many circumstances you can substitute a C9:
0
3
0
2
3
x

3. Play as a 3rd fret barre chord with an "A" shape.

And welcome to Chordie!

  • From: Western Oregon,US
  • Registered: 2008-07-22
  • Posts: 2,498

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

Welcome to Chordie Steve!  (Hoping I got your name right? correct as you prefer)

Index not working?  Try learning your "open" chord shapes using the 2 3 4 fingers and let the 1 (index) have a little vacation.  I'm assuming that it is fairly straight and missing the "bendy bit".  Most of us had to learn how to do that later in our learning when getting into barre chords anyway, and it will make that transition easier when you explore barres as well.  Major, minor, and the 7th chords are all do-able index delete..... as well as the dim chord shapes. 

Bring that stiff index into play as your barre, and the whole fretboard opens up into usable "real-estate"!

Many of us are "older" and struggle with joints not working as well as we'd like, so you are sure to get lots of support from the Chordie Crowd as you go along.

Thanks for posting and introducing yourself to the Community.... Welcome Aboard!  smile

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare
  • dino48
  • Honoured Member
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
  • Posts: 6,801

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

Soonerpops welcome too chordie and you are among a lot of older players. Sounds like your finger damage is impeding your progress some . speed takes some time and it also takes a lot of practice the b chord is hard and some players here will not use it or figure way too get around it. You most likely will hear from them. K eep your post up hear so others can see it

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman
  • From: Tooele Ut
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 4,049

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

As stated above, using 2,3,4 finger sounds like the solution. Many people play that way. It will kind of be like starting over, but once you get it down, you should be good to go. Welcome to Chordie.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.
  • From: Scott County, Virginia, U.S.A.
  • Registered: 2008-03-19
  • Posts: 794

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

All good advice above, and welcome to chordie!

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".
  • From: The Land Of Song
  • Registered: 2007-12-10
  • Posts: 5,649

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

i have 2 options, 1 the easy way and 2 maybe controversial?

so 1) use the index finger as mentioned above as your barre, as long as the strings arn't too high off the frettboard it shouldn't be too difficult, use the third finger to play the 2,3 and 4th strings as a kinda mini-barre...it's how i do it for the last 40 years!

2) you could swap sides, i've always played lefty, but i know of others who have swapped due to unfortunate accidents. it'll mean starting over but you already have your foot in the door so to speak and of course everything costs more.

welcome to chordie

Ask not what Chordie can do for you, but what you can do for Chordie.

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  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

Welcome to Chordie, Sooner!

Sorry to learn of your chainsaw accident, but the others have given excellent advice on how to work around it. A local blue-grasser (who was a first-class picker) lost his ring finger on his fretting hand in a wood shop accident. He resolutely relearned how to chord and fret with the three fingers left, and most would say he's even better now than he was before. Sounds like your own determination has brought you a long ways, and it will continue to serve you well as your abilities increase.

  • From: Nottingham England
  • Registered: 2014-01-13
  • Posts: 621

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

Hello S P. Glad to learn that you swapped the chainsaw for a guitar.
Do you use a capo? A great little tool that helps you move around the fretboard and allows you to experiment with different sounds. Somewhere among these pages is even a capo conversion chart that tells you what your playing when you capo different frets.
Welcome to Chordie.

Thick as two short planks
  • Registered: 2015-01-30
  • Posts: 4

Re: New to Chordie and Novice Acoustic player

Thank you for all the new info and instruction, as well as the "welcome aboard" comments...I really appreciate your input...Never thought I could be so absorbed by anything, but learning to play has been a true joy in my life!!!