Topic: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Hey gang, I was wondering how many of you use (and how often you use) alternate fingerings for the open C and D chords.  By that I mean using fingers 2-4 instead of 1-3.

I can see where they could be useful, but I've never seen it in videos or heard of it being taught.

Reason i ask is because I recently encountered a song which called for an Emaj7, and to get the right tonality it was a Cmaj7 shape barred on fret 4.  Not exactly the same (because I can reach the A and D strings with fingers 2 and 3 while barring), but thinking about that it made me think about the possibilities for the full C shape all the way up the neck.

The D wouldn't be a full barre necessarily;  you only need to fret the D string two above where the G is fretted.  Again, rare (I guess), but it would work.

Thoughts?

"Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid." - Despair, Inc.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Well, not really rare.  smile  These are examples of the portability of open chord shapes.   If you can fret the five basic chord shapes (C A G E D), you are never more than two frets away from any chord.  The next time you see a really good guitar player, pay attention to the shapes his fretting hand makes as he works the neck.

Observe Mark Knopfler and pay close attention to his left hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcdrVidwmPY

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

And if that isn't enough guitargasm, here is Knopfler and Chet Atkins.  Again, watch the shapes they play all over the neck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTVLIZaxMk

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

jerome.oneil wrote:

And if that isn't enough guitargasm, here is Knopfler and Chet Atkins.  Again, watch the shapes they play all over the neck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTVLIZaxMk

Amazing, inspiring, and delightful. Thanks!

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

jerome.oneil wrote:

And if that isn't enough guitargasm, here is Knopfler and Chet Atkins.  Again, watch the shapes they play all over the neck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTVLIZaxMk

Jerome thats some good advice,the video was great Mark Has always been an insperiation for me as I do not use a pick either.

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

6 (edited by Astronomikal 2012-05-27 23:17:07)

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

jerome.oneil wrote:

Observe Mark Knopfler and pay close attention to his left hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcdrVidwmPY

That's not Mark Knopfler (apparently it's somebody called Pedro Javier Gonzalez), but I get it.  Some of the work he does starting around the 6:40 mark is so surreal it makes me think that aliens are among us.

Anyway, I watched both videos.  The C shape is good all the way up the neck for the A, D and B strings, but unless I missed it I still haven't seen anyone do the full barre C such that A, D, G, B and e are all in play. 

In other words, make a C with fingers 2-4 and barre above finger 2 with the index.  That's what I was asking about.  Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

"Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid." - Despair, Inc.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Astronomikal wrote:
jerome.oneil wrote:

Observe Mark Knopfler and pay close attention to his left hand.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcdrVidwmPY

That's not Mark Knopfler (apparently it's somebody called Pedro Javier Gonzalez), but I get it.  Some of the work he does starting around the 6:40 mark is so surreal it makes me think that aliens are among us.

Gah.  Good thing I don't read Spansh.  big_smile

Anyway, I watched both videos.  The C shape is good all the way up the neck for the A, D and B strings, but unless I missed it I still haven't seen anyone do the full barre C such that A, D, G, B and e are all in play. 

In other words, make a C with fingers 2-4 and barre above finger 2 with the index.  That's what I was asking about.  Sorry I wasn't clear on that.

Take a look at his hand shapes during his run right around the 3:30 point.  At the 3:27 mark he's using a closed C shape to play E.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

jerome.oneil wrote:

At the 3:27 mark he's using a closed C shape to play E.

Ah, OK.  Got it.  I think I was looking for a big barre and it didn't stand out.  I only just realized that you need only barre the first three strings (really only 1 and 3) in order to move the C shape up the neck and bring all five into play.

Duh.  Thanks for your patiernce.

"Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid." - Despair, Inc.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

janejam wrote:

It is far to much work to use the red.

Sorry, what is "the red"?

"Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid." - Despair, Inc.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

C7 is a good chord to move up the fret board. just don't play the E strings.

I see friends holdiong hands, saying "How do you do"
They're really saying, "I love you"
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Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Hello Everyone
I have only just started to play, I am having a real problem with the C Chord. My fingers just wont reach. The arthritis is really causing a problem for me. Does anyone have any suggestions for an replacement for this chord.

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Whatch where your thumb is on the back of the neck.   If your thumb is reaching over the top of the neck it is much harder to reach.  Put the pad of your thumb on the back of the neck and get your wrist way out in front.

You'll find you can reach those strings after all.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

Also Alison, if you have arthritis in your hands, as have I, try working some scales or warmup exercises before you play. There are a slew of them on Youtube.   I also keep a tube of Ben Gay right handy. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
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Re: Alternate fingerings for open C and D?

watch these


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KsVtD01 … re=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ueN2gGs … ure=relmfu