Options for voicing this 5-note chord?

[2bornot2bop]

Happy Holidays everyone!

I know I can use my thumb to voice this 5 note chord. But are there alternatives to voice it?

It’s from the 6th measure of Wes’ While we’re Young.
Thx!

[Dave70]

Double stop the f# and b with the middle finger I guess.

[2bornot2bop]

Double stop the f# and b with the middle finger I guess.

Thx for the reply Dave! Do you mean like a mini bar? And I don’t recall ever seeing Wes playing with his thumb…

[Dave70]

more like you put your finger on the f# and collapse the first digit so it also presses the b... maybe that counts as a mini bar?

[rpjazzguitar]

Move the D to the third string and play the B open. Slightly different sound, but some might prefer it.

[2bornot2bop]

more like you put your finger on the f# and collapse the first digit so it also presses the b... maybe that counts as a mini bar?

thx Dave. Actually I’ve just discovered that I can cover the f#, b, and d only using the index. Hadn’t thought of attempting that before you mentioned it.

much appreciated!

[2bornot2bop]

Move the D to the third string and play the B open. Slightly different sound, but some might prefer it.

sure, that’s the easy way. But the low d is used to thicken the chord. It’s not the same chord (sound) tonality without it

[Mick-7]

It's not necessary to double the root, D, on the 5th string, just omit it, no one but you will notice.

I’ve just discovered that I can cover the f#, b, and d only using the index.

Whether a fingering is possible or practical are two different things. Can you play it at tempo, easily get in and out of it? If not, find a practical alternative to it.

[ragman1]

the low d is used to thicken the chord. It’s not the same chord (sound) tonality without it

Absolutely (I tried it). I've seen two YouTube transcriptions so far. One has your chord in it and the other omits the D and just uses the A bass: x A F# B D x. But it doesn't sound as good, as you say.

It's a tricky chord but not entirely impossible and worth playing.

[Tal_175]

The most comfortable fingering for me is (finger numbers):
x
1
2
2
4
3

[ragman1]

That's the one that was suggested earlier, using the middle finger on two strings.

[ragman1]

I always play an A major like this:

x0122x

I don't think I've ever played it x01230 because there's not enough room for all those fingers

(numbers are fingers)

[rpjazzguitar]

55470x

A D F# B D (ascending pitch. The B string is below the G string in pitch)

[2bornot2bop]

Okay, after trying several I’ve found I can regularly do it playing 44321x

[Mick-7]

Seriously, no one will notice if you leave out the doubled D note on the 5th string, Wes'es descending bass line is A>G>F# and that D note is included in the following chord so it's redundant.

[LanBaul]

Try experimenting with inversions or leaving out a note to make it playable without the thumb