Hi All, I'm learning guitar for over a month now. I can play the open chords and some barre chords and am also comfortable with any kind of strumming (so far 'any'). What I'm not comfortable so far is the chord changes. No matter how much I practice I just can't get a smooth chord change without breaking the rythm, and for sake of practice I keep the rhythm easy (DU DU DU). I read on it and each time I try to make a chord change I try to visualize the finger movement but even then at the moment it is done all goes awry. I think I might be on the right track and keep doing so or I'm missing something here that anybody would like to add? Thanks,
Chord changes aren't easy, when change chords try not to stop or alter ur strumming pattern ............. change change d u D u d u d u d u d u ........... change where c of change drops on "d" ..... this is a simple exercise .... move on to complex strumming later
Thanks Zak, As I gather, practice will make it lot easier. I only need to concentrate I think. I could figure out few easy ways to shift the chords depending upon from which chord to which chord I'm going. D to G only two fingers need to be lifted and A to C only one... so perhaps with time I'll get better
don't try any tricks,or shortcuts. i'll give u a simple method to make ur changes more flexible.and if u follow it for 2 weeks, u'll be strumming away... here.. now ur basic aim is to make ur chord changes smooth. now getting to the base of ur problem ur not able to put ur fingers in correct position when u try to change a chord. like when u r playing a c chord and u have to switch over to f chord, u start making the chord finger by finger, here is when things go wrong. so ur aim is to train ur mind to think of chords as a group and shape,and not make it finger by finger start out by choosing any chord, i recommend A maj . put ur fingers in position press them down on the fretboard, play the chord. now lift ur fingers slightly off the fretboard(so that ur fingers still touch the strings but do not produce any sound when strummed) without loosing the shape of A maj chord... it should be like a batsman does with his bat he lifts it off and puts it back in the place several times. now put ur fingers back down on the fretboard and play the chord again, do this several times till u get comfortable with the shape of the chord. now lift ur fingers again while maintaining the shape of the chord,this time increase the distance to about one inch stop for about 4 sec and put ur fingers back on the fretboard, repeat with this distance several times, after that increase, the distance a little more. similarily practice for other chords. practice for about 15-20 min daily. follow this ,and tell me how u progressed
saurabh.. that's a great advice! I can already picture out my fault..and if I kept doing that I could only master the art of individual moments and ending up with delays no matter what.. I will act upon your suggestion and will post the results... thanks again!
