How can I

Switch from chords to chords faster.

All I know are the Em, Dm, C, D, and G. I am new to the guitar.

I am asking when do you switch chords and how if that makes sense.
Thanks!
-Duke

Hey Duke-

Welcome! And thanks for your question.

I just posted this new revised tutorial on speeding up and smoothing out your chord changes (Seamless Chord Changes for Beginners), that might be helpful for you.

Here's the link: http://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=484

This tutorial may help give you some strategies for making your chord changes more quickly and smoothly.

As to exactly WHEN to change from one chord to the next, that really varies depending on the song or piece you are working on. Give us a little more info and we'll try to be of help.

Best wishes - Lisa

I hear ya Duke. I have the same problem. I find myself shying away from dealing with chords because it's a hard area. I need to be doing just the opposite, spending MORE time.

In fact, I think this next week I'm not going to work on anything but chord switching. Here is a link to a site where you can learn chord progressions.

http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/chord_progressions.php

I am still struggling with chords too. I practice them everyday though and am making progress. I can play them fine its just switching that still gets me but I am getting better. Keep at it, all the lessons here are helping me big time!

Great link too Rick thanks!

Ed

Originally Posted by: oldtimehobbies
Great link too Rick thanks!

Ed

:) Lots of usefull stuff on that site.

You could also come up with a set of songs that you like that would allow you to practice your chords. A lot of rock and pop songs are made up of pretty standard progressions, but playing along to a song on your stereo versus simply playing changes to a metronome may expose you to the "feel" of when and where chord changes are made in a song.

This is a biased R.E.M. fan talking here, but "Man on the Moon", "Country Feedback" and "Wendell Gee" are 3 tunes that gave me a lot of practice in changing a full selection of basic chords at a very non-threatening tempo:)

I still recommend the tutorials on this site, btw...I'm just suggesting another way to augment the learning process.

Originally Posted by: DukeSewellSwitch from chords to chords faster.

All I know are the Em, Dm, C, D, and G. I am new to the guitar.

I am asking when do you switch chords and how if that makes sense.
Thanks!
-Duke

It's like riding a bike, in that you have to get up to speed. Trying to play 'at speed' only messes you up. I was teaching my wife Joan Jett's 'I love Rock -n- Roll' to help her get up to speed since it was easy. First thing she learned, the phrase 'get up to speed' is key. Learn a song but work on the changes slowly until they become more comfortable.

The first song I learned back when was Rush's 'Fly By Night'. The chords weren't tough but there was a little lead-like riff after the opening/primary chords. I just sat there and played it all slowly until I could get it doen and play it clean. When I did it with a slowed speed, I was able to get a feel for the change and by doing it slow and with repetition. If there's a riff I fancy learning these days, I still do it the same way. Nice and slow.

It's hard not to want to do it full speed and as you get good, some stuff you will. Others will still take work...Do it but do it slowly. My thoughts

In the beginning take your time to set up the fingering of the chords and strum them smoothly. After a while the syncopation and speed comes naturally. There are some great exercises that you can do like this one:

|-----------------------|
|--4--7--5--8--6--9----|
|--5--6--6--7--7--8----|
|--6--5--7--6--8--7----|
|--7--4--8--5--9--6----|
|-----------------------|

If you keep going up the fretboard like that, and try it on different strings - it works very nicely.

http://www.guitarticles.net