If I ever got my fingers in that position, they would simply have to stay there for the rest of my natural life.

But this raises a question: Did the old guys KNOW that they were playing in D or Am or whatever, or did they just make up chords that sounded good and sort of accommodate each other until it sounded good together? Does that make sense? I mean, since so many of them were self-taught, how much of what we take for granted vis. music theory (key signature, circle of fifths, etc.) did they actuall know?

ww