A new version if this lesson is available with my Beginner Grade 3 Course!

Switch Up Your G Chord Grip

& Unlock loads of fretboard possibilities!

In this lesson - we're tackling variations of the G Chord Shape. This shape is a big deal - there are so many different ways you can explore it!

Lots of notes can be added in and you can combine the scale and chord together with ease. This makes it interesting for chord melody experiments and adding melodic elements to your guitar rhythm playing.

There are loads of great ways it can sound, and I'll show you how I typically play the G chord. It won't be the way most people play it or how you've been taught, but it's a really fun shape to get into!

🚨 Log in to your account to access the chord diagram downloads in the resource section. It shows diagrams for most of the chord variations in the video - which will be a helpful way to visualize them.

How Guitar Players Should (Really) Play the G Chord

Let me be straight up - I don't often play the G chord the traditional way. I don't love the sound of the note with the first finger. I very rarely play the low 3rd - this is the B which is usually played with Finger 1. I think it sounds a bit muddy down there!

So personally - I think leaving this chord out gives a better sounding G chord. But keep in mind - that's a personal preference, so you can choose to play the C chord however you prefer. What's important here is that you explore new ways of playing chords on your guitar. :)

I often will capo a song to use the G chord as the root or the key of the chord. This lets you play songs exactly how you'd like! There are so many ways of making these embellishments sound fantastic.

🔑 It's super important to put this into practice! Go and check out some songs that you know that use the G chord. Try as many of these variations as you can. Practice them over and over again. Do it deliberately until it starts to become automatic! Then it'll just happen naturally, and that's when you know you've correctly explored the shape. :)

G Chord Shape Variations

Let's check out all the different ways you can vary this chord to add some interest! Don't worry about the chord names or technical aspect of things - just have fun and step out of your comfort zone!

If you play it using your third and fourth fingers on the thinnest two strings, you'll get the big four-fingered Rock G. If I'm playing this chord, I typically don't use my first finger at all. Not playing the first finger becomes a G power chord.

Using the third and fourth fingers to play the G chord is super interesting! It gives us the most different variations - we can change up the 2nd finger down on the thinnest string, which becomes a G major 7 chord.

Do the same thing with the first finger down - you get a G7. This chord is used in many pop songs. You might even recognize the sound from common Beatles chord progressions!

There are loads of variations that can happen if you add fingers in. Leave your first finger down for a minute, then go down in the first fret of the second string - this gives you the G sus 4 chords.

💡 The G chord is the fifth chord in the key of C. You'll see chord progression from a C chord to a G chord. So practice those chord changes with your newly discovered variations!

Next lesson - we're exploring the A Shape. See you there! :)