Open Position Major, Minor & 7th Chords / Introduction to Finger Weight & Movement Awareness

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If you are returning for reference, click here to go to examples

The purpose of this lesson is

to train your brain to send clear, concise finger weight and
focused finger movement signals to your fret hand

so that glitches, fumbles, or hesitations are not a factor in determining any other aspect of your playing.

This lesson you will teach you how to be aware of:

• Keeping The Weight;
• Adding Or Removing;
• Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically;
• Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally;
• Keeping The Weight Before Removing;
• Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically;
• Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally, and;
• Phantom Movement

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Prerequisites

You must understand how to read chord diagrams that include fret hand fingering information in order to understand this lesson.

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Finger Weight

“Pushing on” or “applying pressure to” the strings with your fingers are not thoughtful ways to describe fretting notes.  Think of fretting notes as “allowing weight on“ or “giving weight to“ your fingers. 

The weight of your fingers is mostly determined by their angle to the fretboard.

The angle of your fingers is determined by the position of your hand. Therefore, you can manipulate the weight being given to each finger by being sensitive to the angle of your hand/fingers to the fretboard. Pushing harder is not the solution to muted or buzzing strings.

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Keeping The Weight

For this lesson, just define a chord as a collection of “string/fret locations”. Any number of these locations can change when moving from one chord to the next – one of them to all of them. Sometimes, the common string/fret locations can be played with the same finger. In these cases there is no reason to move this finger when changing between the chords. This is called “Keeping The Weight”. This is used in conjunction with other fingering activities such as “Adding Or Removing”.

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Adding Or Removing

The simplest finger activity when changing chords is to add and/or remove one or more fingers while you Keep The Weight with one or more fingers.

Keeping The Weight + Add or Remove Example 1

Keeping The Weight + Add or Remove Example 2

Keeping The Weight + Add or Remove Example 3

Explore more examples of Keeping The Weight + Adding & Removing

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Understanding Finger Weight/Movement Observations

Notice that neither the starting nor the ending locations of your fingers is stated in the observations above. This information is already in the diagrams.

Furthermore, these observations are NOT meant to be viewed as a list of instructions for you to memorize. They are to draw you attention to finger weight and finger movement awareness. DO NOT memorize these observations as a “list of instructions”.

Only memorize the chord shapes.

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Change Of Location Finger Movements

When a finger needs to change location in order to play the upcoming chord, there are only three new location possibilities:

• it can stay on the same string and move to a different fret;
• it can stay at the same fret and move to a different string, or;
• it can move to both a different string and a different fret.

When a finger needs to move to a new string but not a new fret, you can restrict its movement to vertical only. Said another way, you can “focus this finger vertically”.

Although, strictly speaking, you are removing and re-adding a finger that is moving vertically, don’t think of it this way. Think of vertical finger movements as “staying on the fretboard in the same fret” and moving to a different string.

Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically

When one finger is focusing vertically and another finger is not moving at all (is keeping its weight), it is referred to as “Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically”. The keep the weight finger(s) act as a stabilizing force or anchor for your fret hand.

Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically Example 1

Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically Example 2

Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically Example 3

Explore more examples of Keep The Weight + Focus Vertically

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Reminder

Again, there is no information regarding direction (up or down/higher or lower), or regarding destination in our observations. This information is in the diagrams. And again, don’t memorize these observations as instructions. Just think about them when you are practicing/learning. Use them to be aware of what your fingers are doing.

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Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally

The next easiest finger weight/movement principle to physically execute is to keep the weight with one on finger while focusing another finger diagonally. “Diagonally” means that your finger moves to both a different string and a different fret.

Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally Example 1

Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally Example 2

Notice that the observations for both example 1 & 2 is identical. This is because in terms of finger weight/movement awareness, they are identical. Only the locations, given in the diagrams, are different.

Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally Example 3

Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally Example 4

Explore more examples of Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally

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The First Four Principles

You now have four finger weight/movement principles to help you send clear, concise signals from your brain to your fingers:

• Keeping The Weight;
• Adding Or Removing;
• Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically;
• Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally;

Keeping The Weight Before Removing

For this awareness principle, you are still keeping the weight but, only for one reason. Up to now, you have been keeping the weight for two reasons; 1) you need the note for the upcoming chord anyway and, 2) as an anchor or place holder for your fret hand while adding, removing, or focusing other fingers vertically or diagonally.

Now you are going to use your keep the weight finger as a place holder only. Which means you are only going to keep the weight until your other fingers are in place and you are giving them weight. As you give the weight to these other fingers, you will release the weight you have been keeping.

Keeping The Weight Before Removing Example 1

Keeping The Weight Before Removing Example 2

Keeping The Weight Before Removing Example 3

Keeping The Weight Before Removing Example 4

Keeping The Weight Before Removing Example 5

Keeping The Weight Before Removing Example 6

Explore more example of Keeping The Weight Before Removing

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Reminder

Again, the weight/movement observations are just meant to help you learn to be thoughtful about your fingers’ actions so you can avoid developing any undesirable finger fumbling habits. They are not meant to be a list of instructions that you memorize.

You may have heard the comment, “Practice until you can move all of your fingers at the same time”. This is bad advice. You will end up hacking and fumbling away at playing chords for years and then only get them right half the time.

Your fingers almost never move all at the same time. They move in sequence. It’s just that once this sequence becomes internalized (you can do it “automatically” or “without thinking”) it becomes so refined and rapid that it to appears or feels like it is happening at the same time. If you learn to play chords through an awareness of finger weight/movement principles, you will be able to actually play chords in a matter of weeks or months – not just know them,.

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Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically

Keeping the weight before focusing vertically introduces the first time you are being ask to remove all your fingers from the fretboard in order to facilitate a chord change. However, this happens for only a few brief milliseconds.

In Keeping The Weight Before Removing you waited until you were actually giving weight to your other fingers before executing the release and removing this finger. For Keeping the Weight Before Focusing Vertically, you release your finger before you give the weight to your other fingers, and then immediately move it to a new string (focus it vertically). It is for this brief millisecond that all your finger are actually off the fretboard.

Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically Example 1

Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically Example 2

Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically Example 3

Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically Example 4

The next two examples are actually Keep The Weight Before Focusing Vertically + Diagonally. The difference between diagonally and vertically was discussed earlier and does need further discussion.

Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Verticall + Diagonally Example 5

Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically + Diagonally Example 6

Explore more Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically (or Diagonally)

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Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally

To focus horizontally means to stay on the same string but, move to a different fret. This means you can just slide your finger along the string. It is much easier, and generally sounds better when playing chords, not to keep the weight with this finger.

However, you do want to keep your finger on the string. Keeping your finger on a string without enough weight to make it sound is referred to as “keeping some weight“. In other words, you want to relax the weight but keep the finger in contact with the string.

Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally Example 1

Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally 2

Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally 3

Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally 4

In this next example, you can keep the weight with one finger as well as keep some weight with another.

Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally 5

Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally 6

Explore more Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally examples

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Phantom Movement

Phantom Movement involves combining Keep Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally with Before Removing or Before Focusing Vertically. This means you will slide you finger to a fret location on the string but, just as you apply weight to you other fingers, you will remove it because the location you have slid to isn’t actually required for the chord. It could also be the case that this finger needs to be focused vertically to another location rather than removed.

Because you don’t actually need the finger at the location to which it is sliding, you don’t have to worry whether or not it makes it all the way to this phantom location. To remind you of this, in the observations phantom movement is stated, “and allow it to focus horizontally”.

Phantom Movement Example 1

Study the above example carefully. Notice the nuanced difference between Focus Diagonally and Phantom Movement.

Phantom Movement Example 2

Phantom Movement Example 3

Phantom Movement Example 4

There can be more than one finger with a phantom movement.

Phantom Movement Example 5

In Example 6, there are three fingers with phantom movement. Plus, two end up focusing vertically and one ends up being removed.

Phantom Example 6

Explore more phantom movement examples

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Your success learning to play guitar will have little to do with memorizing “stuff” and everything to do with:

• heightening your awareness
• using this awareness to inspire internalized thought processes, and;
• trusting these thought processes

An alternative title for this article is “How To Thoughtfully Watch Your Fingers”. That is all you are being introduced to here. The following examples are for this purpose only. They are not “exercises” or “studies”. You don’t need to practice the same one over and over again. Just reading through the observations without your guitar will improve your playing.

The awareness observations are presented in both directions – i.e. A to C to A. The observations for most pairings of the selected chord shapes fall into the same weight/movement category. Although the locations and which finger is weighted may be different, the actual movements and how the fingers are weighted is the same.

One last important point: the relative level of physical difficulty when playing chords is much less dependent on finger weight/movement considerations while changing chords than it is on “finger weight distribution” once you get to the chord.

For example, although the finger weight/movement observations among the chords A, D and E are more involved, they are three of the easiest in terms of finger weight distribution. The finger weight/movement observations for playing G to G7 is super simple but, requires a far greater refinement of finger weight distribution.

Refining your finger weight distribution will take more time than learning to be aware of finger weight/movement. Don’t worry if you have difficulty making some of the chords sound clean. For now, your only goal is learning to:

be aware of what your fingers are doing
while shifting from one location to another

– no fumbling.

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Finger Weight Movement Category Index

1. Keeping The Weight + Adding Or Removing;
2. Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically;
3. Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally;
4. Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically + Focusing Diagonally;
5. Keeping The Weight Before Removing;
6. Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically;
7. Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally, and;
8. Phantom Movement
9. Unique In Each Direction

Individual Changes Index

Major to…

A to…	C to…	D to…	E to…	G to…
C	A	A	A	A
D	D	C	C	C
E	E	E	D	D
G	G	G	G	E
Ami	Ami	Ami	Ami	Ami
Dmi	Dmi	Dmi	Dmi	Dmi
Emi	Emi	Emi	Emi	Emi
A7	A7	A7	A7	A7
B7	B7	B7	B7	B7
C7	C7	C7	C7	C7
D7	D7	D7	D7	D7
E7	E7	E7	E7	E7
G7	G7	G7	G7	G7

Minor to…

Ami to…	Dmi to…	Emi to…
A	A	A
C	C	C
D	D	D
E	E	E
G	G	G
Dmi	Ami	Ami
Emi	Emi	Dmi
A7	A7	A7
B7	B7	B7
C7	C7	C7
D7	D7	D7
E7	E7	E7
G7	G7	G7

Seventh to…

A7 to…	B7 to…	C7 to…	D7 to…	E7 to…	G7 to…
A	A	A	A	A	A
C	C	C	C	C	C
D	D	D	D	D	D
E	E	E	E	E	E
G	G	G	G	G	G
Ami	Ami	Ami	Ami	Ami	Ami
Dmi	Dmi	Dmi	Dmi	Dmi	Dmi
Emi	Emi	Emi	Emi	Emi	Emi
B7	A7	A7	A7	A7	A7
C7	C7	B7	B7	B7	B7
D7	D7	D7	C7	C7	C7
E7	E7	E7	E7	D7	D7
G7	G7	G7	G7	G7	E7

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Keeping The Weight + Adding Or Removing

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Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically

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Keeping The Weight + Focusing Diagonally

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Keeping The Weight + Focusing Vertically + Focusing Diagonally

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Keeping The Weight Before Removing

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Keeping The Weight Before Focusing Vertically

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Keeping Some Weight While Focusing Horizontally

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Phantom Movement

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Unique In Each Direction

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