One of the primary obstacles newcomers to guitar chords face is unwanted string mutes due to improper finger placement or other factors.
Ideal finger positioning involves keeping them as close to the fret as possible for optimal sound production and to avoid muted strings more efficiently.
Thumb Position
Thumb position depends heavily on both hand size and neck length. In general, your thumb should rest close to but not directly over any fret to reduce pressure on the fingers and reduce tension on them.
Too high of a thumb position on a fret can create unnecessary tension and make chords harder to access, especially when string bends must be adjusted in order to sound right. You also risk over-squeezing, leading to buzzy notes.
Your thumb should ideally rest within the lower quarter of the space, with its knuckle slightly pointed toward the nut. This placement enables you to play certain bar chords which require you to place it on specific strings with precision; alternatively, your thumb may also be bent for added flexibility, helping you tackle more challenging chords that may otherwise not be playable.
Index Position
Most chord charts provide a recommended fingering pattern for the index (first) finger; this should serve only as a guide, and must be tailored specifically to you and your hand and finger size. Any strings with “X’s” on them indicate you should forgo fretting these strings entirely and instead pick or strum them along with those which have fretting fingers pressed against them instead.
Beginners often struggle with playing barred F chords on the left of this chart; many try playing it using full barres which often leads to buzzy notes and poor sound quality. Instead, beginners should aim to place their index finger slightly behind the first fret – this will not only prevent buzzing notes but will allow your index and middle fingers to curl around it more naturally as demonstrated on the right of this chart below (more about this in later lessons). This tip will be discussed further during lesson two.
Middle Position
Many chords will require you to fret notes with your middle finger, so make sure it is placed just behind the fret so it does not sit on top or too far from it. Too close will dampen sound quality while too far will reduce leverage, forcing you to press harder than necessary.
Some chords require you to use your ring finger for barring, as indicated by the X’s and O’s on the chord chart. This can be difficult for beginners as it requires strength in playing these chords correctly.
Most chord diagrams feature note names and color circles associated with them, along with fretboards that look as though you were playing vertically (with thin 1st string on the left and thick 6th string on the right). Chord boxes also typically show dots to indicate how to finger each chord.
Pinky Position
Your left pinky may not be required when playing one or two styles of chords; however, if you wish to incorporate it into some chords you can add its presence by placing it on the B string (third fret) for 8 counts before removing for 4 and repeating this process.
Dependent upon how your fingers are curled into your hand, each finger’s tips naturally point toward the Scaphoid and Lunate bones in your wrist. Avoid pointing them too far from these as this requires additional strength when fretting the strings.
Remind yourself that fingers should be placed just behind each fret rather than directly on it; placing fingers directly on frets produces dead or buzzing notes while too far behind may cause flattening of the knuckles and cause the string to go out of tune.