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Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.mandohangout.com/archive/33002
Boettcher - Posted - 04/23/2013: 12:16:57
I am a beginner who is teaching himself to play. There are 10 million chord charts online. As I look at them two questions come to mind:
1. There are chord charts that our Two Finger chords and some with multiple finger. Obviously, the two finger chords are easier to play. Should I do the easy thing or start off with the simple chords or should I dive in head first.
2. As I start learning chords, should I use whatever finger feels right on the strings or is there a better way? I know that with the guitar if you use correct fingering it is easier to change chords. True with the mando?
Jim Yates - Posted - 04/23/2013: 14:51:26
A lot of this has to do with trhe style of music you plan on playing. Bluegrass mandolin players almost always use closed/movable chords in order to get the "chop" sound that comes from relaxing your grip on the strings right after chopping on the 2 and 4 beats. Folkier players can use the open string chords effectively, but learning closed chords is always a handy thing if you want to be able to play in all keys.
swamplunker - Posted - 07/07/2013: 14:37:41
Starting with the open string chords is fine,you might find it a little easier to change from one chord to another which is one of the big challenges at first,you can sing along with it, and you need to know these chords anyway.It's not too early to start thinking about how chords work in groups.Lets say it's a bluegrass song in G.G is now the"1" chord of the song,you"ve got to be ready to go to the "4" chord(C) and the "5" chord(D) when you hear them come around, which you will be able to do with practice.The relative minor,"6 minor"which is E minor in this key(and to find it you either count to six,GABCDE,or two backwards,GFE then make it minor by flatting the third note of the chord) is another powerful and thus often used chord.So learn the "1","4","5",and relative minor for each key you want to play in, and you'll be off to a good start.When you start learning closed position chords (Which can be 2,3 or 4 fingers,you just don't play open strings) the nice thing is that the distances for these progressions are the same(one string over for the "4" chord, two frets more up the neck for the five,and so on.The book Fretboard Roadmaps may be helpful,for the last part of the question I would do the fingerings they give you,if they're only showing you little black dots I'd get another chord chart.Good Luck.
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