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Glad to help Chris and good for you to have a few years in i read somewhere that a high percentage of people who start guitar quit before the first year is out so pat on the back for you. it takes awhile for the hands to adapt but with lots of repetition they will… repetition is key in all of this, the more you do it the quicker you develop your guitar hands.
And you nailed it re chord changes. Most people can learn chords fairly quickly. Even on the first few lessons you can usually get G D C Em under your fingers. The real skill necessary for playing songs is not so much playing chords, its moving from one to the next ie playing a progression. You have to get to that next chord very quickly. While theres many exceptions, most songs can have anywhere from 3 – 5 chords so you have to be able to switch between these chords very quickly, almost immediately. Thats the main skill you need to focus on and develop, assuming of course your goal is to play songs. To practice this i pick just two chords and switch them back and forth while strumming a basic rythmn. You can use any strumming pattern you like but maybe keep it easy so youre not focusing too much on your right hand. Your main attention should be your left hand. Hold one chord down and strum a four beat measure and then switch and strum another measure. Go back and forth for about five minutes and then pick two other chords. rinse and repeat. Most songs are 3-5 minutes long so you have to be able to play a progression for that long. Thats why I do each pair of chords for about five minutes without stopping.
Sometimes when im playing something that, even tho i know it very well, i sort of drift off and kind of forget what chord is next. Only takes a second to remember but that throws my rythmn and timing off. Plus i may rush to the next chord and screw it up. So i always try to think ahead…anticipate what chord is coming up next. Do this on the last half of each measure and your fingers will get a good start on the upcoming change.
This two chord switch exercise will be good for your strumming and timing as well. Re keeping your right hand going while youre switching, dont worry if you strum open strings for a beat during the chord transition. In other words keep that right hand going while your switching. Hitting those open strings just for a beat or half a beat actually sounds pretty cool. As you get quicker it wont be as necessary, you’ll be able to switch on the beat. But like I say I think just a quick hit on those opens strings can add a little extra to the transition so i sometimes do it intentionally.
Main thing my friend is repetition. Whatever it is youre working on, you have to do it over and over and over again. Embrace the suck and remember Rome wasnt built in a day. And sorry for the long post…once I get going…but i hope it makes some sense and is maybe helpful. rock on bro