Originally Posted by: stacykhuffman

Another thing I did is I bought a few book called Really Easy Guitar and I flagged songs that have chords from lessons and songs that I like.

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I just started to play the chord-songs in the lessons and for now, they're still sufficiently challenging, but I'll check out some other songs after "mastering" the 5-chord power pack lessons. Those books seem to be fun indeed.

[quote=stacykhuffman]

What I don't have though is speed. I can do the 8 chords I know well but only about as fast as 70 bpm. So now I'm trying to figure out how to bring that up to about 120 bpm.

That's where the metronome comes in... I practiced at 60 / 70 bpm for a while and then gradually moved up a few beats every time when I start to feel comfortable. Though, I have to admit that some changes are easier than other. A minor to E minor is much easier than D to G. Especially on that D to G switch, I'm lacking accuracy on the first strum, but then I slide my fingers to the correct postition for better tones. Mostly, by the end of a measure, I'm good I don't always play at my highest speed. Sometimes, I lower the rythm and focuse more on accuracy and tone.

[br]I have to admit that playing with a metronome is not as fun as playing songs, but it allows me to have a clear view on my progress. Knowing for a fact that I'm improving is very motivating, so I'll continue with this "boring" part in my routine.