BEGINNER LESSON
The C/G Chord
Guitar fingerpicking chords? Yes please. The C/G chord is a hybrid between C and G and when fingered correctly opens up a lot of possibilities for fingerpicking.
Example 1 - The C/G chord
There are 2 ways to get into the C/G chord. Either you can play a C chord and then move the third finger from the 5th string up to the 6th string.
Or you can start just by fretting the thickest string (6th string) at the 3rd fret with your 3rd finger (ring finger) just like I have done below. Then fret the 4th string (D string) at the 2nd fret with your 2nd finger (middle finger) and the 2nd string (B string) at the first fret with your 1st finger (index finger).
At first, just play using a simple strum to change between G and C/G
Example 1 TAB
Exercise 1 Audio
Example 2 SPLIT INTO BASS & STRUM
Now we just play one bass note – the 6th string at the 3rd fret. This is a G note. and we alternate between the 3 middle strings below being open (G chord) or having those two notes fretted (the C/G chord).
Aim for the bass note to be played at a steady regular pace – even if slowly. And then strum open and strum fretted and continue.
Example 2 TAB
Exercise 2 Audio
TIP:
If you want to know which right-hand fingers to use to play this exercise, I suggest using the thumb for the bass and then using the 1st, 2nd, 3rd fingers together (index, middle, ring) to pluck the three strings at the same time.
This article on 3-finger plucking describes this in more depth.
Example 3 - STRUMMING PATTERN
The above exercise could be strummed as well as fingerpicked.
Here is a fully strummed version of it.
You will note that I am also now fretting the 1st string (thinnest string) at the 3rd fret. This will help if you strum all strings – this note will now be in the chord.
EXample 3 TaB
Exercise 3 Audio
Example 4 - FINGERPICKING WITH HAMMER-ON
Back to fingerpicking and in this exercise we add a hammer-on.
To play the hammer-on, we want to first ring those 3 strings and after playing the strings, then we fret afterwards.
Listen to the audio to guide you. This is a fingerpicking move you will see time and again so it’s worth mastering it!
EXAMPLE 4 TAB
Exercise 4 Audio
Example 5 A MUSICAL EXAMPLE
In this example, we have our G and C/G chords.
Bar 1 is just a G chord with that hammer-on we learned (making that chord into a C/G)
Bar 2 is a C chord but it uses the same hammer-on.
Give it a try and see how it feels!
EXAMPLE 5 TAB
Exercise 5 Audio
summary
The C/G chord is an excellent way to break out of the monotony of changing between regular open chords (C, G, A, E, D for example).
Have fun with it by mixing your fingerpicking with strums, hammer-ons and introducing new chords!
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