Topic: Some good chord changing exercises????

As a newbie im loking to find some good chord changing exercises.

Whats the best? Just write chords down and practice or is their chords that generally go with each other.

Any help appreciated.

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Mine is a simple yet effective bit of advice. Much like shooting pool(billiards). Don't think about the chord you are playing, instead think about the next chord you will be playing.  Visualize the next chord in your mind, apply, then repeat until the song is done. You're always one step ahead.

Give everything but up.

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

So from thst point am i better with songs or is their a pattern i can use?

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

If you like basic rock, blues, gospel, and country then try doing the 3 chord one four and five progression in each key. these groups of chords...

A D E           
B E F
C F G
D G A
E A B
F B C
G C D

Middleaged Redneck sorta guy who refuses to grow up...passion for music, especially Southern Rock but like bout everything cept Gangsta/Hip Hop. Collect guitars, mandolins, and love to ride Harleys.

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Magic mate exactly what im after

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Hi Clansman,

When I am practicing I always spend some time just playing chords at random, keeping a regular rhythm of course. Write a sequence, but keep changing the sequence or use songs to follow if it helps.

Now for me I am looking for a sequence of chords changes I can use in song writing but for you if you find you stumble on a particular change you can repeat it to get it smooth. Very obvious, but important, is to keep the tempo going, even if you muff a chord (muff a chord and keep going and very few will notice, muff a chord and stop and the world will know).

Roger

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

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Roger Guppy wrote:

Hi Clansman,

When I am practicing I always spend some time just playing chords at random, keeping a regular rhythm of course. Write a sequence, but keep changing the sequence or use songs to follow if it helps.

Now for me I am looking for a sequence of chords changes I can use in song writing but for you if you find you stumble on a particular change you can repeat it to get it smooth. Very obvious, but important, is to keep the tempo going, even if you muff a chord (muff a chord and keep going and very few will notice, muff a chord and stop and the world will know).

Roger

Thanks roger, sound advice

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Ditto what Roger says regarding tempo, and I will add it is helpful for me to use a metronome. Start slow and speed it up as you improve. The metronome is great for me because I can then easily track my progress. Here's the free online one that I use:

http://www.metronomeonline.com/

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

9 (edited by aj1 2008-02-08 00:03:46)

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

jaygordon75 wrote:

If you like basic rock, blues, gospel, and country then try doing the 3 chord one four and five progression in each key. these groups of chords...

A D E           
B E F
C F G
D G A
E A B
F B C
G C D

Almost right

For starters practice the I IV V progression and include the relative minor vi chord for each Major key

A  D  E  F#m
B  E  F#  G#m
C  F  G  Am
D  G  A  Bm
E  A  B  C#m
F  Bb  C  Dm
G  C  D  Em

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Practice the chord progression as shown. Stick with a progression until you are comfortable with the changes. Mix them up a little as you play 1 - 4 - 5 then play 1 - 5 - 4 and throw in an minor chord as you go along. Take your time and go slow as you want to develope "musle memory" with your fingers. The speed for quick changes will come in time. After you get to where you are making changes slow and easy with a progression, then go to another progression, BUT keep practicing them all. For starters I would stick with a "G" chord progression, a "C" chord progression. a "D" chord progression  and a "E" chord progression as I think these are the most popular.

Nela

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

aJ1, one more thing that I wish someone had told me when I was learning chords is too:

E chord learn to use middle, ring and pinky finger for this chord instead of the index, middle and ring finger. This will help in making an E shaped barre chord (this will come latter in your development)
 
In my post to you above I said to learn the C progressions - this is a popular progression but it does use barre chords for the F ( the G chord can be played as an open chord or a barre.) You may want to practice this progerssion a little later after your skills develope.


Same fingering for the Am chord - again it will help later with barre chords.

A chord - learn to use your ring finger as a barre to make this chord. Again this will help you later in making a A shaped barre chord.

Learn to use your middle, ring and pinky fingers to form an open "G" chord.
By using this fingering it will help you latter when you start learning a G7 chord.

There are several more "tricks" that will help you with chord changes. The more you play the more you will learn. Be sure to learn different ways to form chords as progress.


Nela

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

try this D G C F  or E A D G C part of the cycle of 4ths backwards from C its the cycle of 5ths try changing a chord for every beat till you can do it with ease then speed it up

"Growing old is not for sissies"

13

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Good advice from NELA

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

To get started, I picked out some songs I wanted to do.  For each song, I wrote down each chord change.  Then I practiced each chord change a few hundred times a night.  I didn't even strum or do anything with my right hand.  I did it all as left hand training.  I did not try and figure out the easy way to get between chords (though I do that now).  I completely removed all fingers and tried to press each new chord correctly and quickly. 

Once playing a chord and then another chord fairly quickly, I started to think about exactly how to 'leverage' existing position.  Which fingers need to move, which don't.  That sort of thing.  Then I went about much the same sort of exercise with this additional knowledge.

I don't know if that's the right way to do it, but it's what I did and it seemed to work out OK.  A buddy of mine who teaches guitar and has been playing pro for decades was impressed with my agility at getting between open chords after about six months of playing.  He said most his students are still learning the chord forms that I was shifting between with ease. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Lots  of  good  info  hear  fer  a  noob  like  myself.  Thanks  a  bunch  fer  posting  on  this  thread  everyone.

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

One important aspect of chord changing that I have not seen mentioned is to NEVER stop strumming. The stumming hand has to keep the rythem going and , as least to me, is just as important as making the chord changes. Also, by not stopping you can hide some minor "late changes" between chords and be able to keep the timing of the song goimg.

Nela

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Im looking for someone that can give me the basic chord groups........

ie If a song is in A, then the chords available are A, D and E (in most cases)
I have gotten so used to a book with chords in, although Ive played the song 100 times, close the book and Im nowhere!!!!!!

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

C - I
D - II
E - III
F - IV
G - V
A - VI
B - VII
C - VIII

Construct any major scale from your root note:
Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half
Or if you are from Europe and use semitones rather than whole step or half step:
Two, Two, One, Two, Two, Two, One

The basic rock and country chord pattern is I, IV, I, V.  Using the C major scale above, that's C, F, C, G.  If you do it in G, it's G, C, G, D.    If you do it in D then it's D, A, D, G.  If you can figure out WHY its GCGD or DADG to get I, IV, I, IV then you're doing great and well on your way.

Blues sometimes uses what's called a blues scale and flattens the third and sometimes also the seventh (which is a regular minor scale). 

Good luck.  Check into the theory forum on Chordie.  It's amazing.  Simply amazing reading in there from good teachers.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Zurf wrote:

C - I
D - II
E - III
F - IV
G - V
A - VI
B - VII
C - VIII

Construct any major scale from your root note:
Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half
Or if you are from Europe and use semitones rather than whole step or half step:
Two, Two, One, Two, Two, Two, One

The basic rock and country chord pattern is I, IV, I, V.  Using the C major scale above, that's C, F, C, G.  If you do it in G, it's G, C, G, D.    If you do it in D then it's D, A, D, G.  If you can figure out WHY its GCGD or DADG to get I, IV, I, IV then you're doing great and well on your way.

Blues sometimes uses what's called a blues scale and flattens the third and sometimes also the seventh (which is a regular minor scale). 

Good luck.  Check into the theory forum on Chordie.  It's amazing.  Simply amazing reading in there from good teachers.

- Zurf

Good advice, Zurf. I'd just like to point out a small inadvertent error here.
In the 3rd example it should be DGDA. (not DADG) I'm sure it's just a typo, but might confuse the poster a bit when trying to work back to the I, IV, I, V on that one.

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

vandean wrote:

Im looking for someone that can give me the basic chord groups........

ie If a song is in A, then the chords available are A, D and E (in most cases)
I have gotten so used to a book with chords in, although Ive played the song 100 times, close the book and Im nowhere!!!!!!

Vandean, I have been playing for years off and on and I still have to have chords and words in front of me.  I've just accepted it and move on.  I am envious of people who just pick up the guitar and start playing from memory.

You can see all my video covers on [url]http://www.youtube.com/bensonp1000[/url]
I have finally found happiness in my life.  Guitars, singing, beer and camping.  And they all intertwine wonderfully.

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Thanks folks for the great advice!

"I don't have pet peeves...I have whole kennels of irritation."  --Whoopi Goldberg

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

I have found it helpful to just use a chord chart and try progressions to and from each chord on the chart. Some work well and then some chords don't blend too well. Once you get used to doing the chords and you remember how then is the time to use them in songs.

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

I just had my group class and had a strange time going from Bm to A, or Bm to G with an F#m thrown in for good measure.  It was an Irish tune called the "Musical Priest".    It was hard, but the experience was good, as was the fact that we did it several times over until it became second nature!

"I don't have pet peeves...I have whole kennels of irritation."  --Whoopi Goldberg

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Great stuff.....however, a friend of mine (and yes, he's one of those that play several instruments......by ear) says that you can "hear" which way the song is going. If the song is in A, then you should be able to, by process of elimination, and in the time it takes to change chordes, know what the next chord should be.

Im self taught (2 years now and a vocab of swear words from frustration that would make a sailor jealous). I can play mostly all open chordes as well as the basic barre chordes, but for the life of me, cannot remember chorde sequences.

We have started playing a few gigs, but becomes a hassel setting up as its the mics, music stands, books, monitors, etc

Re: Some good chord changing exercises????

Stonebridge wrote:

Good advice, Zurf. I'd just like to point out a small inadvertent error here.
In the 3rd example it should be DGDA. (not DADG) I'm sure it's just a typo, but might confuse the poster a bit when trying to work back to the I, IV, I, V on that one.

Thanks for catching that, and for the kind way in which you pointed out the error.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude