A Chord Doesn't Sound Right

[Madeline Armstrong]

Hi! First-time thread poster here. ^^;

I just recently recommitted to learning the guitar, so I got myself situated here and dove into the beginner lessons.

So far, everything's going good, but I'm on the A chord lesson where you learn the finger bar technique, and for some reason, it doesn't sound right coming out of my guitar. One thing to know about me is that some music teachers of mine confirmed I have perfect pitch. So, I don't know if it's because I tuned my guitar wrong and it slipped my ears (messed with it a few times), or if it's one of those things where it doesn't sound right to you and it sounds right to others...does that make sense? Basically, it sounds like my guitar is producing a chord that sounds like it's a half step down from what it should be.

Would the guitar brand matter? I have an Ibanez. Don't know the exact model, but it's one a lot of beginners are usually given.

This was a chord I struggled with all the time when I first started learning (and that was before this was a thing!), so I really want to learn this one! Any help would be appreciated, big time!

 

[Andrew Milner]

Hello there Madeline.

The guitar brand shouldn't matter. To me, it seems like a tuning issue. Maybe your guitar is tuned a half-step down?

 

[Dominik Gräber]

Hey, nice to see you Post Here!

Could you maybe record a short Clip of playing that chord? It would definetly help finding Out where the Problem is.

 

[idssdi]

It could be that your guitar is tuned a halve step down. Could also be that you're pressing to hard in certain places making it go a little sharp. What I tend to do a lot with the A shape is bar the high E string too which creates a major 6 chord if you do that too that may be the reason it sounds off

 

[Rute Rodrigues]

When I was in a music school, I used to watch a lot of beginner lessons before mine.
There was a girl with a problem about that. She was basically doing a big effort on the neck of the guitar that she was like bending some notes without noticing it. It can be your problem. As somebody already said, try to record a short clip of yourself playing that chord so I can see

 

[John Robinson]

Hi! First-time thread poster here. ^^;

I just recently recommitted to learning the guitar, so I got myself situated here and dove into the beginner lessons.

So far, everything's going good, but I'm on the A chord lesson where you learn the finger bar technique, and for some reason, it doesn't sound right coming out of my guitar. One thing to know about me is that some music teachers of mine confirmed I have perfect pitch. So, I don't know if it's because I tuned my guitar wrong and it slipped my ears (messed with it a few times), or if it's one of those things where it doesn't sound right to you and it sounds right to others...does that make sense? Basically, it sounds like my guitar is producing a chord that sounds like it's a half step down from what it should be.

Would the guitar brand matter? I have an Ibanez. Don't know the exact model, but it's one a lot of beginners are usually given.

This was a chord I struggled with all the time when I first started learning (and that was before this was a thing!), so I really want to learn this one! Any help would be appreciated, big time!

I think i know what youre doing...if you use three fingers to chord A it sounds clunky...use one finger and barr the A it sounds better...i hope this helps

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I think i know what youre doing...if you use three fingers to chord A it sounds clunky...use one finger and barr the A it sounds better...i hope this helps

I use 3 fingers and I have no issue. But my fingers are also small enough to fit.

 

[Madeline Armstrong]

Hey guys! I shot a quick video. Now the question becomes...is there a way to upload an iPhone video? I swear, I’m usually more technologically inclined than this, but it didn’t give me the option to attach it. So how do I upload a video here?

 

[idssdi]

Hey guys! I shot a quick video. Now the question becomes...is there a way to upload an iPhone video? I swear, I’m usually more technologically inclined than this, but it didn’t give me the option to attach it. So how do I upload a video here?

Upload it to.youtube, Vimeo or instagram and copy the link. Then click add riff in the riff section. When you did that click embed media and put the URL of the video you just uploaded there. It also gives a list of sources it accepts

 

[Madeline Armstrong]

 

[idssdi]

Your account is private so we can't see

 

[Jesse Salmons]

I know everyone else said you may be tuned down a half step, but perhaps your intonation may be out? Just a thought!

 

[Madeline Armstrong]

Your account is private so we can't see

Ack. Sorry guys, that's not an account I use very often, so I forgot to set it to public! It should be available to you now.

Jesse, can you help me understand what you mean by intonation?

 

[idssdi]

Ack. Sorry guys, that's not an account I use very often, so I forgot to set it to public! It should be available to you now.

Jesse, can you help me understand what you mean by intonation?

It's close but not entirely right. It's hard to make up what's wrong though

The 9th fret on the g string is an E. Intonation means that when you play that one it is actually an E and not a little flat or sharp even though your open string are in tune. Reasons for intonation being off can be old strings or a poorly setup guitar

 

[Lucas Weiman]

Ack. Sorry guys, that's not an account I use very often, so I forgot to set it to public! It should be available to you now.

Jesse, can you help me understand what you mean by intonation?

Intonation involves how the guitar is set up. If you have an electric guitar, it has to do with the saddles and their positions.

Basically, if your intonation is off, your guitar won't stay in tune for more than 5 minutes... But there is a way to tell if the notes are correct, just go through each note in your A chord, and test them individually (5th fret 6th string, 7th fret 5th string, etc.) with a tuner app on your phone (pano tuner works great and is free) to see if you are in tune.

Also, I clicked the link to your insta-vid, nothing comes up. Here are all the notes you should be hearing in an A major barre chord if you are going from the low E to the high E string: A, E, A, C#, E, A

 

[Madeline Armstrong]

It's close but not entirely right. It's hard to make up what's wrong though

The 9th fret on the g string is an E. Intonation means that when you play that one it is actually an E and not a little flat or sharp even though your open string are in tune. Reasons for intonation being off can be old strings or a poorly setup guitar

Hmm...it has been some time since I changed my strings! I’ll have to replace them and see. Thanks!

 

[Adin Shepherd]

Something is a little off, does it only occur when playing the A? Do all the other open chords sound OK? If all the other chords are a little off too it could be an issue with tuning stability or the strings. Do you tune by ear or do you use a tuner?

Also, feel free to try different fingering for the A chord if it gives you trouble, I use 2 fingers and I think it was Calvin who said he uses 3.