Topic: Changing Chords

How do you change Chords faster?

2 (edited by bensonp 2014-01-21 23:28:20)

Re: Changing Chords

Practice two chords at a time changing back and forth until you can do it effortlessly. Then add another and so on.  You have to practice a lot.  The more the better.  Good luck

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Re: Changing Chords

Practice, practice, practice, it will come to you, give it time.  May I ask, how long have you been playing?  What chords are trying to learn?  We have all been where you are now.

Live in the "now" - a contentment of the moment - the past is gone - the future doesn't exist - all we ever really have is now and it's always "now".

Re: Changing Chords

Once again - justin guitar - 1 minute chord change app - free

https://play.google.com/store/apps/deta … uteChanges

Rule No. 1 - If it sounds good - it is good!

Re: Changing Chords

thanks and i know all the basic chords by heart and the chords in the song i want to learn are c d g and i know them but i switch slowly


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Re: Changing Chords

Good advice above you,you will get better with more practice!

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Re: Changing Chords

A little practice tip if you are looking to play C D G faster try thinking the word "change" on the last beat of the bar you are playing before changing to the next chord, in other words think ahead  if the song is in 4/4 count 1  2  3  change  1  2  3  change this will help you play the next chord on the 1st beat.  A simple progression would be 
                                                                                C  2  3 change   D  2  3 change   G  2  3  change  D  2   3  change and repeat
This will help your tempo, chord change and making the chords clean there is no need to stare at the chord you are on and wait look ahead to the next chord you have to play and thinking "Change" on the last beat of the bar will buy you the extra time to do it

"Growing old is not for sissies"

Re: Changing Chords

Learning to change chords quickly is simply a matter of "muscle memory", like shooting foul shots in basketball or driving a manual shift car. If you keep at it regularly, it eventually becomes second nature.

Re: Changing Chords

any thing that will help with bar chords

Re: Changing Chords

All good advice above!  Now as for barre chords...  learn your open first position chords as if somebody had cut off your index finger.  I know that seems a little extreme, but you will want to be using that finger for your barre and that means you have t learn to make the shapes using the 234 fingers.  Especially the E and A shapes (although the CAGED system uses all of those as well).  You will want the major and minor variants, and it's useful to know the maj7 and min7 fingerings too.

Many chord shapes are movable without the barre, but you sacrifice the bass tones as a trade off.

It all takes practice, and patience, and we are all here to support you as you progress.

Take Care;
Doug

"what is this quintessence of dust?"  - Shakespeare

Re: Changing Chords

This is where an electric is better LOLOL  Ill pound that drum for ever. Electric and Barre chords are like PB&J they just go together.

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Re: Changing Chords

beamer wrote:

This is where an electric is better LOLOL  Ill pound that drum for ever. Electric and Barre chords are like PB&J they just go together.

I just have to disagree with you Scott. If a guitar is set up properly barre chords are no problem. I play barre on my 12er as easily as I do my electric or acoustic. The only guitars I have trouble playing barre is a classical with it's extra wide, flat fretboard and I am sure if I used one regularly I could master that. smile

At the end of the day it is all down to three things....................... practice, practice, and then some more practice.

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Re: Changing Chords

As everyone has said - PRACTICE - PRACTICE - PRACTICE - is what is needed to speed up chord changes. Start slow and develope the changes between 2 or 3 chords until you have them perfect. Even if it takes all night, Look at the chord fingerings. There are chords that if made with the middle, ring and pinky fingers will speed up the change to the next chord. And this is the MOST important piece of advice I can give you. When changing chords NEVER stop your strumming hand. Your strumming hand controls your timing for the song you are playing. So what if you hit a few open strings when changing between changes. Thats better than not keeping the song in rythem. So when you practice the chord changes and finger placements keep that rythem hand going.

Nela

Re: Changing Chords

beamer wrote:

This is where an electric is better LOLOL  Ill pound that drum for ever. Electric and Barre chords are like PB&J they just go together.

I was struggling to make an effective barre on my acoustic guitar, and I had come to believe that I never would be able to do it . . . that something was inherently wrong with my finger or technique. Then I picked up a friend's electric, and to my amazement, I could barre easily. I didn't switch to electric, but I went back to my acoustic with the knowledge that I could, in fact, do a barre chord. That feeling of confidence helped me keep practicing until I could barre successfully.

Re: Changing Chords

Something I think is important is posture. If you are standing, find the most comfortable position to hold your guitar. You should'nt have to low or you find yourself supporting it by the neck, it needs also to be angled right so that your hand can move freely up and down the neck. If seated, and this is what I do, don't slump over the guitar or you'll find that your hand tends to slide round the fretboard, your index finger isn't flat and the result is muted notes especially the high e. As everyone has said it's all down to practice. The main thing is, enjoy it, you'll get there

Thick as two short planks

Re: Changing Chords

I completely agree with KIR ... posture is indeed more important than one would think. Having the neck at the right height & angle to the body frees the hand and wrist so that they can work with, not against, the chord shapes.

17 (edited by Grah1 2014-08-12 13:26:46)

Re: Changing Chords

One thing nobody has mentioned yet is about string choice and hight all my guitars including acoustic have light strings and low action which makes such a difference to finger pressure when playing my only exceptions are my two resonators and my stratocaster which I use for slide these are set higher and have heavier strings .Ok light stings on an acoustic Will be quieter but as I only play amplified thats no problem

Re: Changing Chords

Waaaaay back when, the F chord was the bane of my existence. I would avoid songs with an F. I knew I would have to learn it eventually so I broke down and started going back and forth between the C and F because of the similar structure. After a few weeks I could make a smooth, clean change. There's no substitute for sheer repetition. It builds "muscle memory" in your hand. I look back now and wonder why it seemed so hard at the time.

I'm doing the same thing with the mandolin right now. Although I have to admit, even though the chords have different shapes, the guitar background has made it easier.

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Re: Changing Chords

I cant say much more than the guys have. Practice those chord changes over and over and over and over.  You WILL get faster!  We are all living proof. smile

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

Re: Changing Chords

thanks it has really helped