Tips for changing chords faster

Texas Aggie · Newbie Alert Joined: 23 May 2005 Posts: 3

I've had my guitar since the end of 2001. Played sparingly in 2002 by myself, started lessons late that year (had about 2 months with a poor teacher). Again, played sparingly in 2003 and the first part of 2004. In October of last year, I decided I wanted to be ready to play Carols by Christmas. Didn't quite make it.

So this year, I took a Guitar class at a Juco. Great teacher and turned me in the right direction on a lot of things, but I still find it a struggle. I estimate I've been playing what amounts to about a year, and chord changes are not coming very fast. I'm putting fingers down one at a time on the frets, and only the D chord is one that I can form in any rhythmic sequence (i.e. over 50 bpm). Everything else, I have to stop, form the chord, and then go on. Its getting very frustrating to say the least.

I noticed my teacher putting all three (or two or four, whatever the case may be) fingers on the frets simultaneously to form chords. I have practiced about 15 minutes a day most days this year (we are at about 6 days a week, one day at 30 minutes or so). From last October through the end of the year, it was about 10 minutes a day, 3-4 days a week. Then, the fingers weren't in shape to play, but now they are -- at least one thing that came along OK.

My left hand dexterity is not that great, even though I do play some piano. The grip tool helped a little, but strength isn't much of an issue, at least not anymore. Perhaps that's another area I've improved, but I feel the chord changes coming very slowly, and I see virtually no improvement.

How do I get better?

PunkStar · Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 10:13 pm Post subject:

Forming chords quickly comes from muscle memory. You'll eventually get to a point where you will think of the chord and your fingers will automatically go to it. Just keep taking it slowly and eventually your fingers will get used to where they need to go. I've been playing about as long as you have (though a lot more frequently) and sometimes I still have trouble getting my fingers to go automatically to a new chord. It's all about practice and muscle memory. Keep going, you'll get there.

PeaceMaker · Goldfish Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 61

Hi Texas Aggie,

I feel and share in Your frustration... I started playing at 45 and it took me about a year and a half to get were I can grab chords with enough speed to play the song Amazing Grace.

Some of the things that I've done that have helped is:

#1 I pray to the Lord Christ and ask Him for the skills needed to play the Guitar Proficiently; and quote God's word over my life... Phil. 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me".

#2 Play the chords of the song without strumming; I form the chord shapes over the strings then bring all the fingers down on the strings at the same time.

#3 Work at keeping my fretting fingers as close to the strings as possible, for the more distance to move the more time spent.

#4 To write down all the chords in the song that I want to play, in the order that I want to play them, and do them in repition; making kind of a strumming/fretting game out of it (then when I get my speed up I try the song).

#5 I have also learned that my strumming hand is in charge (it's the band leader) and my fretting hand (the band member) just has to keep up (try to keep your strumming hand going at the same speed even if your fretting hand is falling behind).

#6 And the thing that I've learned that has helped the most is don't look at your fretting hand as you form the chords and play: do it from memory (it will seem hard at first, but your mind and fingers know what to do without you watching them).

Well, I hope this helps, and Love You,
PeaceMaker
Romans 5:1 KJV

lvjazz · Sea Monkey Joined: 09 Jul 2008 Posts: 11

Scale practice is important, because it helps train the fingers more rapidly for independent movement. It'll improve your left-hand dexterity for chord playing.

Simply do an exercise starting at the 1st position one string at a time. 1st position means your 1st finger at the 1st fret, 2nd finger on 2nd fret, and so on. One finger per fret.

Play a simple pattern of 1, 2, 3, 4 - 3, 2, 1 on one string, then... slide your left hand up to plant your first finger on the next fretboard position, the 2nd position, and repeat. Go all the way to the 12th fret, and reverse to go back to the 1st position. Make sure you alternate your right hand picking direction. No pic hit in the same direction twice. I recommend doing the little three strings as a daily exercise for warming up. Keep your left-hand fingers parallel to the fretboard as much as possible. It'll make it easier.

Also, hold down your left hand fingers as long as possible after playing a note. Make the notes sound while your next finger is getting into position (Legato). Place finger as close to behind the fret as possible without buzzing. Go slowly at first. Speed comes with slow quality playing first.

That will make your chord playing easier. Eventually, you want to change that 1, 2, 3, 4 pattern to something else for more finger independence.