Adjacent fret doublestops

[UnityGain]

Hey mando folks,

I've just realized the importance of doublestopping adjacent frets for that "power chord" sound. I've found they are really useful all over the neck in riffs and chord inversions. #The problem is I can't figure out how to fret them. #Its hard for me to fret all four strings of the two double courses with just one finger. #My finger isn't quite wide enough to go straight down on the strings and I get some buzzing/muted notes. #But it feels the most correct on chords like 0220 Em. #Laying one finger across both strings like a bar chord works, but its hard to get enough pressure since I dont have that nifty double joint in the first nuckle of my finger. Like for a 2335 F. # I also have tried using two fingers but then my fingers are too fat to fit together to get both strings cleanly, execpt for pink+ring finger which actually works pretty well on something like a 5530 C or a 455X G. #I guess I'm wondering if anyone has and advice or wants to share their technique.

Edit: Also sometimes my thumb wants to go behind the neck to squeeze on some chords, I dont think this is proper but the only other way is to palm the neck majorly and I'm not sure this is proper either. Also, is there any different technique that is used in melody/lead picking versus chording?

[Fretbear]

I came to the same realization as you of the importance of fretting adjacent frets and re-cut my nut so that I could (just) grab them by mashing the pad of my fingertip onto both strings and getting them to fret cleanly. For my finger size the total string spread ended up at 1". It really helps if all the string distances are as equal as possible.

[AlanN]

For 0220, try ring and pinky on the D and A strings.

[Peter Hackman]

I would never really use the 0220 form; in my present condition I can only do it fretting the A dn D strings with my second finger; putting the tip on the d strings and slanting the finger backwards to catch the a strings as well (i.e., I don't pölace the tip between the two courses).

There are chord forms that (at least to me) that defy all concepts of good left hand technique, such as the 7-5-2-3 G chord (does anyone use it?). I suppose you then simply choose the hand position that most easily shifts back to normal.
I can't finger that exotic G chord without almost palming the neck.

[Doug Hoople]

I would never really use the 0220 form; in my present condition I can only do it fretting the A dn D strings with my second finger; putting the tip on the d strings and slanting the finger backwards #to catch the a strings as well (i.e., I don't pölace the tip between the two courses).

There are chord forms that (at least to me) that defy all concepts of good left hand technique, such as the 7-5-2-3 G chord (does anyone use it?). I suppose you then simply choose the hand position that most easily shifts back to normal.
I can't finger that exotic G chord without almost palming the neck.
Am I mistaken, or does 7-5-2-3 mean the G chop chord? Meaning that the 7 is the G string and the 3 is the E string?

Does anyone use it, you ask! That's the chord that everyone is either 1) supposed to get good at because they're going to play it ALL the time, or 2) find interesting variants for because they're tired of hearing everyone else playing it all the time. Jethro Burns, in particular, used to take flak for NOT playing it.

Exotic? No. Not at any bluegrass gathering!

[Martin Jonas]

All depends on your string spacing. These days, I mainly rotate between three nice mandolins, and have to finger adjacent fifths dfferently on each. My Embergher bowlback has a nut width of well under an inch, and it's easy to stop two courses with one fingertip. My Mid-Mo has the wide nut option (1-1/4"), and I can cleanly stop two courses with two fingers without muting the adjacent ones. On my 20's Gibson A (1-1/8") I can do neither.

Martin

[Peter Hackman]

I would never really use the 0220 form; in my present condition I can only do it fretting the A dn D strings with my second finger; putting the tip on the d strings and slanting the finger backwards #to catch the a strings as well (i.e., I don't pölace the tip between the two courses).

There are chord forms that (at least to me) that defy all concepts of good left hand technique, such as the 7-5-2-3 G chord (does anyone use it?). I suppose you then simply choose the hand position that most easily shifts back to normal.
I can't finger that exotic G chord without almost palming the neck.
Am I mistaken, or does 7-5-2-3 mean the G chop chord? #Meaning that the 7 is the G string and the 3 is the E string? #

Does anyone use it, you ask! #That's the chord that everyone is either 1) supposed to get good at because they're going to play it ALL the time, or 2) find interesting variants for because they're tired of hearing everyone else playing it all the time. #Jethro Burns, in particular, used to take flak for NOT playing it. #

Exotic? #No. #Not at any bluegrass gathering!
Ach, the eternal cultural conflict, mischievous European irony vs. American matter-of-fact-ness (OK, I'm joking this time too). In fact the G chop chord was the first chord I figured out on the mandolin - I simply looked for a four-part G chord without open strings and this looked like the easiest one.
b-g-d-?, (4-5-5-?) - no, not really.

Of course, I quickly found other chord forms and have been using these a lot.
My standard G would be 7-8-10-*

It's a bit odd that such an awkward chord (not to mention the horrible
d-f#-d-f# chord which I've never used) has come to be considered essential in Bluegrass.


erratum: G major is 7-9-10-*. I don't think TAB.

[AlanN]

In the latter day videos of Monroe, he rarely gets that shape, prefers a somewhat lazy show of 2-4-5 (for the V if the tune is in G). When I was first starting out, that 7-4-5-2 D chord looked like the bomb!