The E- Chord - Is there an alternative?

[Neil_O]

Thanks for keeping this thread alive. I would have missed some great ideas if the zombie-thread-killers had their way!

 

[Voran]

I realize mine is not actually an E chord with my downtuned uke, but I can do that finger position.

Had to figure out a way to not make an annoying noise when my fingers leave the strings afterwards though.

 

[Ccreavy]

Would it be very wrong to play an E7 instead?

 

[Joe T]

Would it be very wrong to play an E7 instead?

Not if you're playing the blues.

 

[Mr RAH]

I've searched under E-chord...can't find what I'm looking for.

I guess I'm like most newbies - the E-chord (along with several others needing four fingers) is the chord from hell in terms of finger placement. I'm also pretty certain that short of growing a third hand, I'm not likely to ever get the contortions right!

So My questions are:

1. Is there a harmonic alternative to the E chord? ie what could I get a way with at a push!??

2. Any sneaky tips on finger positions?

3. Suggestions for painless amputations?

Thanks

3-fingered Bill

PS

Shucks ...got my first callous forming....so proud!! It's like a first born! (OK I know ...that's a bit OTT - but you know what I mean!)

I use an app on my tablet called Pocket Ukulele Chords that shows fingering as well as alternative fingering for all chords

 

[IslandSounds]

Easiest way I've figured out to do it is like this:

Use the first three fingers to hit the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th string on the the 4th fret, then use the base of your index finger to hit the 1st string, second fret.

holy moly… love this

 

[Voran]

I'm honestly now slightly worried because I can do this chord shape no problem. Am I missing something? I don't get what I'm supposed to find so hard...

I don't THINK I have, say, Marfans or Loeys Dietz...I would be much, much taller...I'm only 5'5...

 

[DarrenMarkBuckley]

I've searched under E-chord...can't find what I'm looking for.

I guess I'm like most newbies - the E-chord (along with several others needing four fingers) is the chord from hell in terms of finger placement. I'm also pretty certain that short of growing a third hand, I'm not likely to ever get the contortions right!

So My questions are:

1. Is there a harmonic alternative to the E chord? ie what could I get a way with at a push!??

2. Any sneaky tips on finger positions?

3. Suggestions for painless amputations?

Thanks

3-fingered Bill

PS

Shucks ...got my first callous forming....so proud!! It's like a first born! (OK I know ...that's a bit OTT - but you know what I mean!)

I'm a month in to my Uke-venture and the proud owner of four lovely callouses on my fret fingers. I share your pride! Regarding the dread "E". I got got some great advice from a wonderful lady in a Ukulele themed Facebook group: Tuck your fret arm tight into your ribs and tilt the fretboard downwards. It makes the chord much easier to hit. I haven't mastered transitioning to and from it yet, but I'm getting there. There is no substitute for determination, practice and patience. Stick with it, Bill.

 

[kkimura]

Try leave out the #1 string. Just play the 2, 3 & 4.

444x

 

[merlin666]

I prefer 1442.

 

[greenfrog]

Another solution: A baritone ukulele.

On a baritone an E chord takes two fingers. Just get good at switching between your GCEA ukulele and your baritone very quickly while you play and you can avoid your least favorite chord shapes on both.

If you want an excuse to let your UAS run wild, with 12 ukuleles and a little creative tuning you could play all your majors, minors, and 7ths as 1-finger chords. This approach may benefit from an assistant or two to hand you the correct ukuleles for different parts of the song.

(Not a practical solution, but it would probably be a fun video to watch!)

 

[ripock]

if you had money to burn, you could bespeak a double-neck uke with one neck a baritone and the other neck a soprano/concert/tenor. Then for the E you could move to the baritone neck and then move back to the other neck. However it would expend a lot less money and time if people would just learn the 1X02 E major voicing.

 

[Mercury59]

Easy E. Sounds good too. Don't forget to mute the 2nd string.

 

[Whiteman]

1. Place your 1st finger on the 4th string/2nd fret.
2. Place your 2nd finger on the 3rd string/4th fret.
3. Place your 3rd finger on the 1st string/4th fret.
4. Place your 4nd finger on the 2nd string/5th fret.
5. Mute strings 5 and 6.

watch stories
cc generator

 

[GOERKEL]

I could not manage to play the E-Chord until I found this alternative:

 

[Wiggy]

Or, play Goerkel's without playing the 4th string: x-E-G#-B

 

[GOERKEL]

Or, play Goerkel's without playing the 4th string: x-E-G#-B

for me this was the easiest way,on my bariton it is the B -Chord; I Am always looking for Ways to play Chords the Easiest way, because my fingers are still not trained well(As a beginner ,this site has helped me a lot https://ukulele-chords.com/E

 

[bbkobabe]

It's like deja vu all over again...

 

[kkimura]

It's like deja vu all over again...

Yah, the E major chord is like a maelstrom waiting to catch new ukulele players.

 

[bbkobabe]

Yah, the E major chord is like a maelstrom waiting to catch new ukulele players.

A perennial... Second thread this year!