Beginner Problems

I'm having difficulty with the lessons I'm on now and want to see if I can get some help from you. I'm finding it hard to remember the fingerings/frettings – – C and D major – and chord names. I've studied repeatedly Anders' lessons on the two chords and once I get to the lesson on switching between the two, I become totally confused.

I just read William MGs response to a student on the "New player problems with chords positioning fingers" thread. These seem like good suggestions. I practice about 20 minutes a day (until I get too frustrated). I think I just need to spend as much time as it takes to learn these two chords until I can do the fretting automatically, without thinking about it.

Let me suggest a couple of possible improvements to the videos. It is difficult to see where Anders fingers are. Your Cord Finder is useful. Perhaps you could superimpose the court finder photo for the respective courts being studied onto his videos. Secondly, would it be possible to have closed captions which would make it easier to understand the trainer. Your slow-motion feature is useful, but these two additional features would make your instructor easier to follow.

I'll continue to read forum posts to learn what steps or tips other people found useful for learning chords and frettings.

I think I just need to spend as much time as it takes to learn these two chords until I can do the fretting automatically, without thinking about it - repeating lessons over and over will build in muscle memory but it can also be overdone. Its good to take a break for a while and come back to lessons that are difficult. Don't leave it too long, I find I study something up to a point and leave it till next day or the day after and come back to it. Then there are "basics" I must be able to do and these licks are constantly played if not daily then every other day and they play on auto pilot no

It is difficult to see where Anders fingers are. Your Cord Finder is useful. Perhaps you could superimpose the court finder photo for the respective courts being studied onto his videos. - use the notation window to find your tabs. Regardless of the site you use, reading the tabs will help tons and will speed up learning songs.

Good luck

Bill

Hey & welcome!  William gave you excellent advice.  And you are exactly correct in your assessment.  It's necessary to repeat certain physical motions until they become second nature, ingrained in your own subconscious & therefore "muscle memory".  This is true for all guitar playing stages of learning, from the beginner to intermediate to advanced.

I also encourage you to make your practice more focused on the motions.  Don't strum in time or add any unnecessary steps.  Form the C chord, think "C chord", stop, form the D chord , think "D chord", stop.  Repeat!

I find some beginner students get frustrated & try to add more steps, readjusting their fingers, strumming in time, looking back at the chord charts or notation, (or in this case video). Which only takes up valuable time that could be spent on repetitious practicing of the material.

It takes a different amount of time & effort for every individual learner.  But the same thing has to happen.  You have to repeat the motions until they become automated, your brain builds the neural pathways instructing your fingers to do those fine small motions required to play the chords precisely & accurately.

Keep practicing!   

 Thank you William MG and Christopher!  This is good advice. I am (stuck) on Anders' lesson about changing from the C to D chord. I was able to accomplish the transition earlier, but then I didn't practice for a week or so around Christmas. I lost the "programming" and find myself getting confused now.  I'll get back on it and try to spend more time with it.

Best of luck with it!

When I started out, I stared with 2 chords, A and D. Once I could make them with all the notes sounding, I would switch back and forth at the fastest pace that I could do with a metronome for about 1 minute. When I could manage the change at 60 times a minute, I added the E chord. Then I would do A to D, D to E then E to A. To this day if I find a new chord change that is giving me trouble I go back to this routine.