Tim writes:
I have a question about "Is There Anybody Out There?" by Pink Floyd (see
the tab). I'm having trouble with the revolving Aminor chord, when you need
to play the fourth fret on the third string. With my pinky on there, I can't
seem to reach the other required frets. Is there any tips you have to help me
out?
This is one problem that might be solved with a little preparation. Sometimes, in order to move quickly from one chord to another, it's necessary to finger chords slightly differently than you're used to. Let's use the initial progression for "Is There Anybody Out There?" as an example. (listen to a note-for-note cover of this song on Spotify).
Many guitarists, when playing an A minor chord, tend to use their second finger on the fourth string, their third finger on the third string, and their first finger on the second string. While this is fine, if this is the only way you are able to play an A minor chord, you're going to be in trouble when playing progressions like the one in "Is There Anybody Out There?". Try starting with the previously mentioned fingering, then move through the following chord progression (ignore the red numbers).
A little bit tricky, right? You need to immediately shift finger positions between the first and second voicing. Now, try moving through the above progression again, using the suggested fingers (in red). Refer to the diagram of the hand if you're unclear how the numbers in red correspond to the fingers on your fretting hand.
A word of advice... be sure to remove fingers that are no longer being used from the fretboard. For example, for the above song, lift your third finger from the fretboard when fingering the last chord. This should give your fourth finger the ability to stretch a little farther. A common miscue amongst beginner guitarists would be to continue exerting pressure on the third fret with the third finger in the last chord, even though it was no longer fretting a note that was sounding.
This should prove to be a simpler way to play this progression. It may seem insignificant, but these small adjustments can often help to avoid those muffled sounding chords. You should always apply the same thought processes to playing chord progressions. If you change your fingering of one chord, will it make it easier to get to the next chord more quickly? Often, the answer is "yes".
For more insight, read this recent lesson on chord playing tips.
