Fingering 5th string root 9th chords

[tot_Ou_tard]

How do you prefer to finger the following 9th chord?


-----|-----|-----|--- ---- x
-----|--o--|-----|--- ----
-----|-----|--o--|--- ----
-----|--o--|-----|--- ----
-----|--o--|-----|--- ----
-----|--o--|-----|--- ----

using the ring finger as the partial barre on the top 3 strings like this:

-----|-----|-----|--- ---- x
-----|--2--|-----|--- ----
-----|-----|--1--|--- ----
-----|--3--|-----|--- ----
-----|--3--|-----|--- ----
-----|--3--|-----|--- ----

or using the pinky for the partial barre like this:

-----|-----|-----|--- ---- x
-----|--3--|-----|--- ----
-----|-----|--2--|--- ----
-----|--4--|-----|--- ----
-----|--4--|-----|--- ----
-----|--4--|-----|--- ----

or do you choose one based on what the other chords are?

The reason I ask is that the latter is much more efficient if there are a lot of 6th-string root 7th chords, but it is harder to barre with the pinky than with the ring finger.

Thanks!

[tot_Ou_tard]

I answered my own question.

I was playing the following variation of the 12 bar blues;

| A7 | D9 | A7 | Bb7 A7 |
| D9 | D9 | A7 | F#7 |
| B7 | E9 | A7 | E7 |


& the incresed efficiency of using the index, ring, & pinky to finger the D9 & E9 chords is well worth the effort of working on increasing the pinky's ability to collapse and do the partial barre.

For example, then the ring finger never leaves the fifth string.

[marnold***]

I assume you've got the tab upside down to the way it's normally shown (i.e. in your case the low E is on top). I play it the first way you list with my ring finger barring the top three strings. I can see a minor potential benefit to playing it the other way, but not enough to make me want to switch. That might just be because "that's the way I've always played it." My fingers are trained to go from A9 in this form (note: the numbers indicate the fret and the low E is on the bottom):

X
5 (pinky)
4 (middle)
5 (ring)
4 (index)
X

to D9 in the shape you mentioned:

5 (ring)
5 (ring)
5 (ring)
4 (index)
5 (middle)
X

automatically. Works for me. Learned that from a Keith Wyatt video.

[aeolian]

X
5 (pinky)
4 (middle)
5 (ring)
4 (index)
X

Marnold, I take it you mean:

X
5 (pinky)
5 (middle)
4 (ring)
5 (index)
X

As an aside, the 9th chord only needs 4 notes to be complete. In this case we are showing a D9. The 4 notes needed are root, 3rd, dominant 7th, and the 9th; you can leave out the 5th fret 1st string and you will get a D9 (just as shown above). I normally play it like that unless I really wanted the A note on the 1st string to sound out.

[hubberjub***]

I use my third finger for the barre. This leaves your pinky free for fretting the 13th or doing other funky things.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Ooops! Sorry about the upside-down TAB

Hubberjub has a great point as does Aeolian.

I think that I'll learn both ways

[marnold***]

Marnold, I take it you mean:

X
5 (pinky)
5 (middle)
4 (ring)
5 (index)
X

Nope. That would be a D9. I was talking about an A9. The formula for a ninth chord is 1, 3, 5, b7, 9.

That fingering for an A9 chord is relatively common in blues stuff. The interesting thing about that form of an A9 is that you don't actually play the root anywhere! The C# on the second string is the third, the G on the third string is the flat seventh, the B on the fourth string is the ninth, the E on the fifth string is the fifth.

[aeolian]

Nope. That would be a D9. I was talking about an A9. The formula for a ninth chord is 1, 3, 5, b7, 9.

I apologize for not reading your post carefully. I thought you were showing the D9 with and without the high A.

[marnold***]

I apologize for not reading your post carefully. I thought you were showing the D9 with and without the high A.

Not a problem! It made me bust out my Metal Method booklets and review how various chords are formed.

[hubberjub***]

It is an odd voicing when you play it by itself because without the root it is a half diminished chord. I typically leave off both the root and the third and just grab the dominant 7, 9, and fifth.

[tot_Ou_tard]

It is an odd voicing when you play it by itself because without the root it is a half diminished chord. I typically leave off both the root and the third and just grab the dominant 7, 9, and fifth.

Thanks for the tip, I'll try that.

[aeolian]

It is an odd voicing when you play it by itself because without the root it is a half diminished chord. I typically leave off both the root and the third and just grab the dominant 7, 9, and fifth.

The way I learned chord construction I was told that you need the 3rd to give the chord its flavor i.e. a major 3rd gives the major chord, and a minor 3rd gives the minor chord. On the other hand, the 5th is always the 5th, so even if you leave it off the chord is still sonically defined as long as you have the root and the 3rd.

With a power chord you only play the root and the 5th. By leaving out the 3rd you are leaving out the sonic definition of the chord as either major or minor, which means you can make the power chord fit in in either minor or major context.

[tot_Ou_tard]

The way I learned chord construction I was told that you need the 3rd to give the chord its flavor i.e. a major 3rd gives the major chord, and a minor 3rd gives the minor chord. On the other hand, the 5th is always the 5th, so even if you leave it off the chord is still sonically defined as long as you have the root and the 3rd.

With a power chord you only play the root and the 5th. By leaving out the 3rd you are leaving out the sonic definition of the chord as either major or minor, which means you can make the power chord fit in in either minor or major context.

Wow! I love tidbits like that. I was just gonna ask someone to expalin which notes can be left off & why.

[marnold***]

The way I learned chord construction I was told that you need the 3rd to give the chord its flavor i.e. a major 3rd gives the major chord, and a minor 3rd gives the minor chord. On the other hand, the 5th is always the 5th, so even if you leave it off the chord is still sonically defined as long as you have the root and the 3rd.

Sonically defined as having a major or minor tonality anyway, yes. Dominant chords seem to be a slightly different animal. For example:

Major 7: 1, 3, 5, 7
Minor 7: 1, b3, 5, b7
Dominant 7: 1, 3, 5, b7

To my ear dominant chords sound mostly, but not quite, major. Perhaps by dropping the third you could make that ambiguity even more, umm, ambiguous. Of course, this is all making me think too much so I should probably have a beer or go to bed or both.

[hubberjub***]

The way I learned chord construction I was told that you need the 3rd to give the chord its flavor i.e. a major 3rd gives the major chord, and a minor 3rd gives the minor chord. On the other hand, the 5th is always the 5th, so even if you leave it off the chord is still sonically defined as long as you have the root and the 3rd.

With a power chord you only play the root and the 5th. By leaving out the 3rd you are leaving out the sonic definition of the chord as either major or minor, which means you can make the power chord fit in in either minor or major context.

That's true. The third dictates whether a chord is major or minor. I'm just a music geek. I spent six years in college studying music with no degree to speak of.: When you're playing jazz it's common to add degrees of a scale that aren't just contained in the triad. You can typically count on the bass player taking care of the root and the pianist has so many fingers that they are playing all the cool notes. As a guitarist you must settle for what ever is left over. If you have too many people doubling the same three notes things can get a little muddy sounding.

[oldguy]

I usually wrap my thumb up and over onto the E & A, use my index for the D, and my ring finger for the G, B, and E strings. That leaves the pinky free.