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The open G Chord can be so tasty. :) In this lesson, we'll learn how to quickly pull out many G chord variations anytime you encounter a regular G chord.
💡 This lesson is part of my Chord Shapes Explorer series - included in my Beginner Course - Grade 3. If you've missed the previous lessons, check them out now.
And much more to come!
Note: Explorer lessons for all five CAGED shapes can also be found, grouped together, under All Courses here.
If you're following my free beginner guitar lessons, you already know a few different common approaches to playing the G chord as a beginner. You can choose from lots of different fingering options! But it's time to take that even further. :) We'll now explore why there's a preferred option fingering if you want to get into many embellishments.
Many of you started learning the G chord using three fingers unless you learned to play it with me! In which case, you would have learned to play a 2-finger G Chord - the grip I recommend for beginners - or the 2-finger G Chord that I recommend for the acoustic guitar.
Regarding variations, the 3-finger grip is just not great. You're better off using your fingers 3 & 4 only and easily accessing the full scale. Check out the video tutorial to watch what I mean and explore some incredible G chord variations you can try from there! It's easy and effective. :)
Explore the G chord from the fingering that has your fingers 3 & 4 down. Follow this step-by-step:
Place your third finger on the third fret of the thickest string.
Use your third finger to mute the fifth string as well.
Your little finger is on the third fret of the thinnest string.
You've just got loads of G chord embellishments and variations to explore from that starting point! Let's look deeper into some of them.
Add your first finger to the first fret of the second string, and you'll get a Gsus chord. Praise that chord! :) In all seriousness, the Gsus chord is a lovely variation to explore on the guitar. Just popping that extra finger there sounds very interesting. Give it a go and see it for yourself.
Put your second finger down on the second string of the second fret, and you'll encounter a very specific sounding G chord. It's not one you'll use a lot, but it's worth trying. Check out my Theory course to learn more about the Lydian Mode!
More useful than exploring that Lydian Mode would be putting your second finger down on the third string of the second fret. How lovely is this chord? We call it the Gadd9 chord. Easily replace the regular G chord for this variation to spice up your playing!
💡Put the first and the second fingers down at the same time, placed as we learned in the previous two chords! It sounds great, and you can create incredible sounds just by exploring these chord fingerings. This little bonus is one of my favorite G chord variations ever. :)
Now your second finger goes down on the second fret of the fourth string, which gives you a Rock and Roll sound. Very tasteful! Again for bonus points, add your second finger down on the second fret of the fourth string. Your first finger goes down on the first fret of the second string, so it's almost like you're adding a C chord. It sounds lovely!
💡 Sometimes, you'll find that putting your first thing down sounds a little bit hazardous. Explore and see what works and what doesn't. :)
Don't forget to explore hammering on the second finger. It might sound good! Don't worry too much about the technicalities of each chord. Just focus on listening to the chords you're playing and letting your ear decide if it sounds good!
Lifting off your little finger and putting your first finger down on the first fret gives you a G7 chord. Now put your second finger down, and you have a Gmaj7 chord. You can hear the difference between Major 7 and Dominant 7 sounds. The easiest approach to choosing when to use each one is by listening to them!
Be aware that this G chord fingering gives you easy access to a scale, and you'll open a few extra doors! If you're a songwriter, this is the kind of toolkit that can help you find pretty interesting ideas!
Try chord variations on any of the songs you're familiar with, and if things start to go wonky, that's okay too! It doesn't have to sound good immediately. Focus on experimenting with the different fingerings and trying to train your ear to decide what sounds good. Your goal is to link your musical imagination with your hands. :)
You're missing Strumming Dynamics, and all great techniques that add a percussive hit to your rhythm guitar!