Session 10: The G Chord: Stretching Out

Duration: 50 minutes

The G major chord is the biggest stretch your fretting hand has encountered. Your fingers will span from fret 2 to fret 3, across all six strings. It is challenging, but G opens up a vast number of songs — once you have G, D, Em, and C (next session), you can play the majority of popular music ever written. Today features two songs: “About a Girl” by Nirvana (Em and G) and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan (G, D, and Am).

Learning Objectives

By the end of this session you will be able to:

1. Play the G major chord cleanly with all six strings ringing
2. Transition between G, Em, and D at 60 BPM
3. Play a folk/rock strumming pattern
4. Play “About a Girl” by Nirvana using Em and G
5. Play “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan using G, D, and Am

Materials Needed

• Your Saga SF-600C-BK guitar
• A guitar pick
• A clip-on tuner or phone tuner app
• A metronome
• Reference: Chord Transitions

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Segment 1 — Warm-Up and Stretch (5 minutes)

Finger Stretches

1. Finger spread — 3 times, hold 5 seconds each.
2. Wrist circles — 5 each direction per wrist.
3. Spider crawl — Place fingers 1-2-3-4 on frets 1-2-3-4 of string 6. Pluck each fretted note. Move to string 5 and repeat. Continue through all strings. This stretches your fingers and builds independence.

Tune Your Guitar

Tune all six strings (EADGBE).

Warm-Up

Play the “Iron Man” riff (Session 9) at 65 BPM for 2 cycles (Part 1 twice + Part 2 once = 1 cycle). Then play A → D → E at 70 BPM (D D U U D U pattern, 1 measure each) for 9 measures (3 cycles).

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Segment 2 — Technique Focus: Big Stretches and Finger Independence (10 minutes)

Preparing for G

The G chord requires your fingers to stretch across a wider area than any chord you have played so far. Let us prepare your hand.

Stretch Exercise

Place these fingers simultaneously:

1. Finger 2 (middle) on string 5 (A), fret 2
2. Finger 1 (index) on string 5 (A), fret 1

Now, without moving fingers 1 and 2, stretch:

3. Finger 3 (ring) to string 6 (low E), fret 3
4. Finger 4 (pinky) to string 1 (high E), fret 3

This is a big stretch — fret 2 to fret 3 across the widest possible string distance. Hold this shape for 5 seconds. Release. Repeat 5 times.

If you cannot reach: That is normal. Each attempt stretches the muscles and tendons slightly. Do not force it — gentle, repeated stretching over days is more effective and safer than one hard push.

Finger Independence Exercise

This exercise trains each finger to move without disturbing the others:

e|---1---2---3---4---|---4---3---2---1---|
B|-------------------|-------------------|
G|-------------------|-------------------|
D|-------------------|-------------------|
A|-------------------|-------------------|
E|-------------------|-------------------|

Place finger 1 on string 1 fret 1, play. Add finger 2 on fret 2, play (keep finger 1 down). Add finger 3 on fret 3, play (keep 1 and 2 down). Add finger 4 on fret 4, play (keep 1, 2, and 3 down).

Then reverse — lift finger 4, play fret 3. Lift finger 3, play fret 2. Lift finger 2, play fret 1.

Do this at 50 BPM, one note per beat. Repeat 4 times.

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Segment 3 — New Learning: The G Major Chord (15 minutes)

The G Major Chord

G major is a full, ringing chord that uses all six strings. It has the widest finger spread of any open chord.

Chord Diagram:

G

OOO

1

2

3

EADGBe

Step-by-step:

1. Place your middle finger (2) on string 5 (A string), fret 2.
2. Place your ring finger (3) on string 6 (low E string), fret 3.
3. Place your pinky (4) on string 1 (high E string), fret 3.
4. Strings 4 (D), 3 (G), and 2 (B) are all open.
5. Strum all six strings.

Sound check: Pluck each string:

• String 6 (E): Fret 3 — clear (finger 3)
• String 5 (A): Fret 2 — clear (finger 2)
• String 4 (D): Open — clear
• String 3 (G): Open — clear
• String 2 (B): Open — clear
• String 1 (E): Fret 3 — clear (finger 4)

Why the pinky? Some chord books show G with fingers 1, 2, and 3 instead. This course uses the 2-3-4 fingering because:

• It leaves finger 1 (index) free for embellishments later
• It builds pinky strength, which you will need for barre chords in Phase 3
• The transition from G to C (next session) is easier with this fingering

The challenge: Your pinky (finger 4) on string 1 fret 3 may feel weak and uncooperative. This is normal. The pinky is the least developed finger. Every time you play G, your pinky gets stronger.

Key Transitions with G

G → Em: This is one of the easiest transitions. From G, lift your pinky and ring finger. Your middle finger (2) stays on fret 2 but moves from string 5 to string 5… wait — for Em, finger 2 is on string 5 fret 2 (same position!). So finger 2 does not move at all. Add finger 3 on string 4 fret 2. Lift pinky. Done.

Em → G: Reverse. Finger 2 stays on string 5 fret 2. Add ring finger (3) to string 6 fret 3, add pinky (4) to string 1 fret 3. Lift finger 3 from string 4 (Em position).

G → D: From G, lift all fingers. Place finger 1 on string 3 fret 2, finger 2 on string 1 fret 2, finger 3 on string 2 fret 3. No shared fingers.

G → Am: Lift all fingers. Place Am shape (finger 1 string 2 fret 1, finger 2 string 4 fret 2, finger 3 string 3 fret 2).

Drill: G → Em → G → Em, one strum per chord, 10 times. Then G → D → G → D, 10 times. Then G → Am → G → Am, 10 times.

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Segment 4 — Song Workshop: Two Songs (15 minutes)

This session features two songs. Spend approximately 8 minutes on the first and 7 minutes on the second. If time is short, prioritise “About a Girl” and use “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” as a practice extension.

Song 1 — “About a Girl” by Nirvana (8 minutes)

Song: “About a Girl” Artist: Nirvana Album: Bleach (1989) What you are learning: The verse progression — a two-chord pattern (Em and G) with a driving strumming pattern.

Tempo: 75 BPM (the original is approximately 145 BPM — you are at half speed) Strumming pattern: D D U U D U

Complete Transcription — “About a Girl” (Verse)

Structure: Em for 2 measures, G for 2 measures, repeat

Strum: D D U U D U | D D U U D U |

Count: 1 2 & 3 4 & | 1 2 & 3 4 & |

Chord: Em Em

 

Strum: D D U U D U | D D U U D U |

Count: 1 2 & 3 4 & | 1 2 & 3 4 & |

Chord: G G

Repeat the 4-measure pattern throughout the verse.

TAB:

Measures 1-2 (Em): 


e|---0-------0---0---0---0---|---0-------0---0---0---0---|
B|---0-------0---0---0---0---|---0-------0---0---0---0---|
G|---0-------0---0---0---0---|---0-------0---0---0---0---|
D|---2-------2---2---2---2---|---2-------2---2---2---2---|
A|---2-------2---2---2---2---|---2-------2---2---2---2---|
E|---0-------0---0---0---0---|---0-------0---0---0---0---|


Measures 3-4 (G): 


e|---3-------3---3---3---3---|---3-------3---3---3---3---|
B|---0-------0---0---0---0---|---0-------0---0---0---0---|
G|---0-------0---0---0---0---|---0-------0---0---0---0---|
D|---0-------0---0---0---0---|---0-------0---0---0---0---|
A|---2-------2---2---2---2---|---2-------2---2---2---2---|
E|---3-------3---3---3---3---|---3-------3---3---3---3---|

Lyrics with chords (Verse 1):

    Em                 G
I   need an easy friend

    Em                      G
I   do,   with   an   ear  to  lend

    Em                 G
I   do   think  you  fit  this  shoe

    Em                      G
I   do,   but   you   have   a   clue

What it should sound like: Punchy, rhythmic, and slightly raw. The Em-G movement has a grunge character — dark (Em) alternating with brighter, fuller (G).

Performance note: Keep the strumming aggressive for this song — it is a rock song, not a ballad. Hit the downstrokes hard.

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Song 2 — “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan (7 minutes)

Song: “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” Artist: Bob Dylan Album: Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973) What you are learning: A three-chord progression (G, D, Am) with a gentle, flowing strumming pattern.

Tempo: 70 BPM Strumming pattern: D U D U D U D U (straight eighth notes)

Complete Transcription — “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” (Verse/Chorus)

Structure: The song alternates between two 2-measure phrases:

Phrase 1: | G | D |

Phrase 2: | Am | Am |

Verse

Strum: D U D U D U D U | D U D U D U D U |

Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & | 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & |

Chord: G D

 

Strum: D U D U D U D U | D U D U D U D U |

Count: 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & | 1 & 2 & 3 & 4 & |

Chord: Am Am

Repeat this 4-measure pattern.

Lyrics with chords (Verse 1):

G                    D
Mama, take this badge off of me

Am                          Am
I can't use it anymore

G                           D
It's gettin' dark, too dark to see

Am                              Am
I feel I'm knockin' on heaven's door

Chorus

Same chord pattern as verse:

G                       D
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Am                      Am
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

G                       D
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

Am                      Am
Knock, knock, knockin' on heaven's door

How to Learn These Songs

“About a Girl”: The Em → G transition is easy (finger 2 stays put). Focus on the strumming pattern (D D U U D U) — this pattern is the same one from Sessions 5 and 8, so it should feel familiar. Play the 4-measure pattern on loop 4 times to complete one verse.

“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”: The G → D transition is the hardest (all fingers move). Start slow — 55 BPM. The Am → Am (same chord for two measures) gives you a rest between transitions. The strumming is straight D/U eighth notes — no complicated pattern.

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Segment 5 — Review and Practice Plan (5 minutes)

What You Learned Today

• The G major chord (finger 2 string 5 fret 2, finger 3 string 6 fret 3, finger 4 string 1 fret 3)
• G ↔ Em transition (finger 2 anchors on string 5 fret 2)
• G ↔ D and G ↔ Am transitions
• “About a Girl” by Nirvana (Em–G, D D U U D U strumming)
• “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan (G–D–Am, D/U strumming)

Common Mistakes

1. Pinky muting string 2 in G chord — Your pinky on string 1 fret 3 must not touch string 2. Curl the pinky so it arches over string 2. This is the most common G chord issue.
2. Weak pinky sound — If string 1 fret 3 buzzes or sounds thin, press harder. Your pinky is weak but will strengthen with daily practice.
3. Slow G → D transition — All three fingers change position. Lift them all together, hover briefly, then place the D shape. Drill this pair in isolation.
4. Forgetting which song uses which pattern — “About a Girl” = D D U U D U (rock feel). “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” = D U D U D U D U (gentle, flowing). Before playing each song, play the strumming pattern on Em for one measure to set the feel.
5. Strumming string 6 on the D chord — D only uses strings 1–4. When you switch from G (all 6 strings) to D, you need to narrow your strum. This takes conscious practice.

Self-Check Questions

1. Can you play G with all six strings ringing clearly, especially string 1 (pinky) and string 2 (open)?
2. Can you switch between Em and G 10 times in 30 seconds with both chords sounding clean?
3. Can you play the verse of “About a Girl” at 70 BPM without stopping?
4. Can you play the verse + chorus of “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” at 65 BPM?
5. Do you know all six open chords now — Em, Am, E, D, A, G?

Practice Plan (Daily, 25 minutes)

Block	Time	Activity
Warm-Up	3 min	Finger stretches + spider crawl exercise + tune
Chord Review	3 min	All six chords (Em, Am, E, D, A, G), 4 strums each, D/U pattern at 70 BPM
Transition Drill	4 min	Focus on G → D and G → Am: 15 clean transitions each in 60 seconds
About a Girl	7 min	Full verse (4-measure loop) at 70–75 BPM. Play 4 verses. Focus on Em → G timing
Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door	7 min	Verse + chorus at 65–70 BPM. Focus on G → D transition
Iron Man Maintenance	2 min	Play the riff once through at 65 BPM to keep power chords sharp

Guitar Tip — Saga SF-600C-BK

The G chord uses frets 2 and 3, which are close to the nut. On the Saga SF-600C-BK, the fret spacing is widest near the nut and gets narrower as you move up the neck. This means the G chord stretch is the biggest it will ever be — as you learn chords higher on the neck in future sessions, the same stretches will feel easier because the frets are closer together. If the G chord feels like a big reach right now, take comfort: your hand is adapting to the widest spacing on the entire fretboard.