The common guitar chord mistakes are placing fingers in the middle of the fret instead of close to the fret wire, letting fingers touch neighbouring strings and mute them, not pressing the strings down firmly enough, and rushing the chord change, so the fingers are not in place when the strum comes.
What are the common guitar chord mistakes?
The common guitar chord mistakes are placing fingers in the middle of the fret instead of close to the fret wire, letting fingers touch neighbouring strings and mute them, not pressing the strings down firmly enough, and rushing the chord change, so the fingers are not in place when the strum comes. Each mistake is easy to make, and each one is easy to fix, once you know what to look for, and the chord will ring cleanly when the mistakes are avoided, and the song will sound clear, instead of muddy. The mistakes are made by beginners, and by experienced players, because the fingers are fast, and the attention is on the song, not on the fingers, and the fingers slip, and the chord is not clean, and the player does not notice, because the strum hides the mistake. The fix is to slow down, and to check each string, one at a time, and to listen for the buzz and the mute, and to fix the finger, and the chord will be clean, and the song will sound better. The C major guitar chord and the G major guitar chord are the chords most players first make mistakes on, and the metronome keeps the beat steady.
How guitar chord mistakes happen
The mistakes happen because the fingers are not in the right place, or they are not pressing firmly enough, or they are touching the wrong strings, and the strings do not ring cleanly. A finger in the middle of the fret will buzz, because the string is not held down firmly against the fret wire, and the string vibrates against the fret. A finger that lies flat will touch the neighbouring string, and mute it, because the finger is not curved, and the fingertip is not pressing the string, and the neighbouring string is dampened. A finger that does not press firmly enough will let the string buzz, because the string is not held down, and it vibrates against the fret. The chord change mistake happens because the fingers are slow, and the strum is fast, and the fingers are not in place when the strum comes, and the chord is incomplete, because the fingers are still moving, and the strum plays the strings before the fingers are ready. The fix is to start the change early, on the last strum of the bar, so the fingers are in place for the first strum of the next bar, and the strumming hand never stops, and the rhythm stays steady. The D major guitar chord and the A major guitar chord are the chords the mistakes are built on.
Worked example — fixing a buzzing G major chord. Play a G major chord, and strum it: the chord buzzes. Play each string one at a time, from the 6th string to the 1st string, and listen: the 6th, 5th, 4th and 3rd strings ring cleanly, but the 2nd string buzzes. The 2nd string is the open B string, and it buzzes because the middle finger, on the 1st fret of the 5th string, is touching it, and muting it, or because the ring finger, on the 3rd fret of the 6th string, is touching it. Curve the middle finger, so it does not touch the 2nd string, and play the 2nd string again: it rings cleanly, as B, and the chord is now clean, and the fix was to find the buzzing string, and fix the finger that was touching it. The key of G major lists the chords the mistake is built on.
How to practise avoiding guitar chord mistakes
Practise avoiding chord mistakes by playing each string one at a time, so you can hear which string buzzes or is muted, and fix it, instead of strumming the whole chord and guessing.
- Play a C major chord, and play each string one at a time, listening for a clean note on every string, and fixing the finger that buzzes or mutes.
- Practise placing each finger close to the fret wire, on the side nearest the body, so the string is held down firmly, with less pressure.
- Practise curving your fingers, so they do not touch neighbouring strings, and the neighbouring strings ring freely, and the chord is clean.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major and check each chord, string by string, listening for a clean note on every string.
- Practise the chord change, starting the fretting hand moving early, on the last strum of the bar, so the fingers are in place for the first strum of the next bar.
Common mistakes
- Placing fingers in the middle of the fret — A finger in the middle of the fret will buzz, because the string is not held down firmly against the fret wire. Place each finger close to the fret wire, on the side nearest the body, so the string is held down firmly.
- Letting fingers touch neighbouring strings — A finger that lies flat will touch the neighbouring string, and mute it, and the chord will be missing a note. Curve your fingers, so the fingertip presses the string, and the neighbouring strings ring freely.
- Rushing the chord change — A chord change that is rushed will be incomplete, because the fingers are not in place when the strum comes, and the chord will be missing notes. Start the change early, and keep the strumming hand moving, so the change is ready when the beat comes.
Quick reference
This table lists the four common guitar chord mistakes, with the symptom each one causes and the fix for it, so you can diagnose a chord that is not clean in seconds. The first three mistakes are about the fingers, and the fourth is about the change, and the fix for each is different.
| Mistake | Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Finger in the middle of the fret | Buzzing string | Move the finger close to the fret wire |
| Finger touching a neighbouring string | Muted string | Curve the finger, press with the fingertip |
| Not pressing firmly enough | Buzzing or weak note | Press the string down firmly |
| Rushing the chord change | Incomplete chord | Start the change early, keep strumming |
Use the table as a checklist when a chord is not clean: find the symptom, find the mistake, and apply the fix, in order, finger position, finger curve, pressure, and then the change. When you can diagnose a chord in seconds, you will never be stuck with a chord that is not clean.
Frequently asked questions
What are the common guitar chord mistakes?
Placing fingers in the middle of the fret instead of close to the fret wire, letting fingers touch neighbouring strings and mute them, not pressing the strings down firmly enough, and rushing the chord change, so the fingers are not in place when the strum comes.
Why do my chords buzz?
Because a finger is not close enough to the fret wire, or because it is not pressing the string down firmly, or because a finger is touching a neighbouring string, and muting it, or because the strings are old, or the action is too low.
Why do my chords sound muted?
Because a finger is touching a string it should not touch, and muting it, or because a finger is not pressing its string down firmly, and the string is not ringing. Curve your fingers, and press each string down firmly, and the chord will ring.
How do I fix a chord that is not clean?
Play each string one at a time, find the string that buzzes or is muted, and fix the finger that is causing it, by moving it close to the fret, or curving it, or pressing harder, and the chord will be clean.
Are chord mistakes normal for beginners?
Yes. Every beginner makes chord mistakes, because the fingers are learning, and the shapes are new, and the mistakes are the learning, because the ear hears them, and the hand fixes them, and the fix is the skill.