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Help: chord changing
Help learning new chord changes: I’m restarting after LONG break. In 1962/63 I played in small group. Learned some chords that that were shown to me at that time. I can still play some chords even though I only touched guitar every few years since then. I’m trying to learn/grow now but, having great difficulty learning new chord changes. I can fluently play C, A minor, F, & G (barre all strings) but, completely loose it with almost any new combination of chords.
What is the correct way to learn new chord changes? I can play many chords looking at chart but have great difficulty moving from one to another in reasonable time. Currently trying E, A, B7, D and you’d fall asleep while I’m changing.
Appreciate any tips to get these old fingers moving to new chords.
Regis
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This discussion was modified 3 years, 12 months ago by
Regis.
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This discussion was modified 3 years, 12 months ago by
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12 Replies
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@Regis Don’t worry about it. You’ll get faster. Keep it easy on yourself when learning. If you can strum C, Am, F & G, that’s a good start. Maybe add an E chord with that sequence. Play it C, Am, E, F & G. That way you only have to move your fingers over to get the notes to the E chord. If that is too many chords to concentrate on take one out. Do you think it would help if you strummed to a metronome? I know you said you were slow, but if you are only adding one new chord to chords you know already, you might be able to do it. You could set it on set the beats per minute at 40 or 50. It would put a little more pressure on those fingers to learn the chords. Good Luck, and just to let you know, B7 and F are both hard chords (at least for me).
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Maybe that is the key….add only one chord to a progression I can do well. Or, replace one. Rather than trying an entire new chord progression. E is certainly easy addition. No, I have not tried a metronome but, maybe with your “add one” chord, that may work.
Thank you
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@Regis , you got this!
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@Regis, my teacher taught me something that has helped tremendously. He had me write down the chords I wanted to work on. For me, since I am a beginner, I am working on A, Am, B7, C, D, Dm, E, Em, G. He then had me make a chart for each chord. Each chart was a chord progression chart. For example. Working on the A chord chart, I would switch between A, Am, A B7, A C, A D, A Dm, A E, A G. Then my B7 progression chart would be the same, and do a progression for each chord. I practice these with a metronome and keep a log of how fast I can do each one clearly. Speed is not the goal, but good solid changes. It doesn’t matter if you can only do 10 beats per minute. With practice it will improve. The main goal of this exercise is to get you comfortable with uncomfortable chord changes, and also makes you practice chord changes you would normally not practice. B7 to Dm for example, when I first started to practice this, I could only change at about 15 beats per minute. I’m now up to 40 beats per minute, and all of my change times have greatly improved. You can work on a different progression each day, or each week, depending on how much time you want to invest. You can build different progression charts as you introduce more chords, and drop some of the ones you start to feel very comfortable with. I will also practice progressions of songs I am working on as well.
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That makes sense.
Thank you,
Regis
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Hello Regis……I was just having the same issues with “silent gaps” between chords due to my slow chord changes. Then I started learning (on line) “If Not For You” by Dylon and found it a great help because classed as easy and just 4 chords (incl G, C and D) with continuous strumming and no separate notes in-between the chords. So it’s a lot of fun and you get to practice your chord changes throughout and learn a new tune at the same time. Have a go, mate………it worked for me!! Cheers from PeterBeGood
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Hello again Regis:
For speedy chord changes, I might also add that I have started training my left hand fretting fingers to be able to move the way that I want them to & move with strength to press down on the required string frets. I am using a “Finger Exerciser” with 5 adjustable pressing pistons and am finding that it is particularly good exercise for my ring finger and also my pinky. It’s very cheap, light and well built to last.
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Thank you for both tips. I actually have one of those finger exercise devices in a drawer … somewhere. I’ll get it out and use it for awhile.
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No worries Mate!
PeterBeGood………Queensland, Australia
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Welcome back to guitar @Regis ! As for transitioning between chords, I’m going to suggest that you break it down even further and just focus on 2 chords at a time. Work with a metronome at a slower speed initially, with a chord change every beat. As you’re able to transition at the slower speed, then increase the metronome speed by 3-5 beats per minute (bpm). It won’t sound or feel like that big of a difference in timing. Again work on just the 2 chords, and as you’re able to transition well between the chords at the increased bpm, then tap it up another 3-5 bpm and continue with this process. Soon you’ll be able to transition at a greater speed. Once you’ve got the 2 chords under your belt, keep one of the chords and add a new chord. Take these 2 chords and again start at the slow bpm, and you guessed it – repeat the entire process. I guarantee, you’ll get better at transitions using this method.
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Hey @Regis ;
You’ve gotten a lot of really good advice here. I agree with working on them slowly. I also agree with just 2 at a time, back and forth.
But I’m gonna add one thing: don’t even use a metronome at the very beginning. The idea is to first make a chord cleanly. Then add another chord and make it cleanly. Now, very, very slowly, move from one position to the other, noticing how your fingers, wrist, elbow, arm, all change as you go from one to the other. Then try going back. When you can do that with no extraneous motion and your chords are clean, then add the metronome at a very slow tempo and begin the work up as suggested.
MG 😀
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Hi Regis , welcome to TAC. Great advise so far. I just wanted to suggest that you look at the <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>Your Next Six Chords Skill course. It’s a very basic course but Tony shows some good basic ways to learn and transition to a chord. You could use those methods to learn chords that you are interested in. If you add a D major chord to your skill set you will be able to play House of the Rising Sum, pretty much the first song I learned when I first started my guitar journey a around the same time you did. It’s nice and slow so the changes come pretty easy.
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