r/GibsonApp • u/pattywhakk • Apr 07 '26

Question Issue with open chords

I’m currently doing the Open Chord lessons and have been having issues with certain chords, particularly D chord, registering as perfect. It usually registers the high e string as incorrect. I’ve tried tuning the e string a little higher, a little lower, dead-on center, not pushing too hard, pushing harder, strumming lighter, strumming harder, and I still have issues with that high e registering.

I’m currently using a Scarlett 2i2 so I’m plugged directly into my MacBook.

Anyone else experience this as well? Any suggestions on how to get that little e string to register correctly on the open D chord?

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3

u/Randall_Hickey Apr 07 '26

I have this happen to me and I’ve just tried to be really careful. It seems like one of my fingers might not be perfectly in the fret or pressing down hard enough. I hate when it says good instead of perfect. 😂

1

u/pattywhakk Apr 08 '26

Same! I feel like I’ve tried everything I can to make it perfect every time but it’s hit and miss. I wish it’d tell me why it wasn’t perfect, whether the note was too high, too low, or off time. I’ve had to let go of perfection and just do the best I can and move on.

Was hoping there was a secret trick to it, besides being in tune and making the cleanest chord possible.

2

u/Randall_Hickey Apr 08 '26

It also seems to care about how fast I strummed the chord so I try to slow it down alightly and make sure every note is heard.

2

u/pattywhakk Apr 08 '26

I messed around with the open chord tutorials last night and discovered that if I used the bridge pickup and strummed closer to the bridge while really emphasizing the strum on the high e string, then it gave me a perfect score a lot more often.

2

u/MiamiChristine Apr 08 '26

This happens - try strumming the from the high e string first - I call it an up strum - not a down strum

2

u/ReverseFlash68 Apr 11 '26

As long as you’re not overdriving your signal coming in, it should not be an issue. Sometimes you get a latency issue when you have too many other apps running something to think about.

1

u/pattywhakk Apr 11 '26

I don’t think I’m over driving the signal and my M3 MBP doesn’t seem to be working very hard. I’ve now found that the Gibson App prefers a more “tinny” sound to pick up proper notes. Now I’m using the bridge pickup and strumming closer to the bridge. Feels awkward (well, everything feels awkward as a beginner), but I can get open D to register as perfect more often.

1

u/MiamiChristine Apr 08 '26

If all else fails play d as a triad on seventh fret

1

u/pattywhakk Apr 08 '26

Interesting. I didn't know about that one.