Simple Dexterity Finger Stretch Guitar Chord Exercise (A5add9)
1,412 views · Published 3 November 2018 · 3:12 · Indexed 22 September 2026
Channel: Ulrich Peise · 2018 · Music
Thanks for watching my video "Simple Dexterity Finger Stretch Guitar Chord Exercise (A5add9)". I hope this video was helpful and gave you an idea on how to use this 'weird' chord shape to enhance your chord vocabulary, but also to build up muscle and dexterity. Read my post on this topic on my website: http://guitaringenuity.com/simple-dexterity-finger-stretch-guitar-chord-movement-exercise/ Alright, let's break things down a little bit. Our base chord for this exercise is an A5 power chord. But instead of just playing the root note A on the sixth string in the 5th fret along with the fifth (E) on the fifth string 7th fret, you also add the 9th - which gives you the pitch of B (which is the 9th to A). Here is an overview of where your fingers should go for you little chord finger dexterity exercise: Index finger is on the 6th string, fifth fret, giving you the pitch of A (root). Middle finger on the 5th string, 7th fret, giving you the pitch of E (fifth). Pinky on the 4th string, 9th fret, producing the pitch of B (ninth). So, once you get comfortable placing your fingers accordingly, just play the chord and get the sound into your ears. It might sound a bit uncomfortable, especially if you are only used to basic open chords, because when we add the 9th to a regular A5 power chord, we turn it into an A5add9 chords, which makes creates tension - at the same time, the tension is 'released', so you get this weird tonal mix. I'm sure there is a better term for this, but I think you know what I mean. It is important to start out slowly with this. After all, you will have your fingers stretch across 5 frets (horizontally) and 3 strings (vertically). So, it's really critical that you take your time. If you have small hands, this might be very difficult. As always, while you need to put in and effort to overcome this challenge, always use common sense and don't hurt yourself. Stop BEFORE things get painful. But also, don't just give up because you feel this is just too hard. Remember, when you had to learn your first guitar chords? Wasn't that C-major chord quite challenging? And what about the F-Major bar chord?? Didn't it see almost impossible to play when you started out playing guitar? The exact same dynamic is going on here. You need to learn you to stretch your fingers and build up dexterity and strength gradually, one step at a time. This doesn't happen over night - as I always recommend, spend 20 minutes on this - or even less - but do it every day! That way you allow your fingers and hands to slowly get used to these - at this point - unusual fingerings. You will see, if you do this for a couple of weeks every day, things will slowly become much easier. Your fingers will make these stretches without you even thinking about it anymore. But don't get me wrong, even to me, these 5add9 chords are sometimes really difficult, especially when you play these chords close to the head of the guitar where the frets are wider. So, what exactly is going on this Simple Dexterity Finger Stretch Guitar Chord Exercise? Well, the good news is, the chord shape is always the same. But you just move this shape up and down the guitar neck, both horizontally and vertically (one set of strings). Now, I want you to do two things: first, when you are comfortable holding his chord shape, either strum the chord with your hand or a guitar pick. My suggestion is that you do both, actually. I don't play with a pick these days all that much anymore, because I feel when I use my fingers instead, I get a better sound. But that is always just personal choice. Do whatever works best for you, as Joe Pass always used to say. So, then pluck the chord. Plucking means that you play all three notes of this chord at the same time by grabbing the strings and then just release them with a snap/pluck. It creates a beautifully layered harmonic sound. Warm but very differentiated at the same time. In a next step, and this is very important not just in order to build dexterity and teach your fingers to do these stretches on your guitar, but also to immediately hear any inaccuracies in your playing: pick the strings one-by-one - listen to the video. It doesn't matter what kind of picking pattern you use, just make sure that each note rings clearly. If you get a buzz, you know something is off and you need to adjust. Again, start out slow! Okay, in a last step, you would then just move this chord around. I came up with the melody for this video but you might as well create your own - as a matter of fact, I would highly encourage that. But I do hope this Simple Dexterity Finger Stretch Guitar Chord Exercise was helpful to you and will help you in feeling more comfortable around the fretboard. Alos, combine these 5add9 chords with other chords - that makes for very interesting sounds and creates an intense atmosphere.
