Frustrated!

I have practiced the chords and transitions daily for months. I'm retired now so when I say practice, I mean 3-7 hours daily. But when it comes around to playing a song with Lisa, I can't do it, I'm either too slow or the song is too fast. It's making me wonder if this is a waste of time for me as I see no improvement.

God Bless Lisa, she is so cheery and encouraging, not unlike my usual self, but lately I'm fighting the urge to smash my guitar over my computer monitor!

Somebody Help ME! Any ideas or tips to get me through this?

I find that simply grabbing the guitar and practicing changing my left hand positon between two or three chords, while watching TV, has helped a lot. No strumming, no playing, just absentmindedly switching between A, D, E, and back and forth has helped a lot. It's almost second nature now and I have rarely strummed a note. May be worth a try...

It certainly cant hurt. I start it that way but I go right into strumming shortly after, maybe I dont spend enough time on that.

Thank You for the advice

Hi wjmaroo to the last figure. That's like running a marathon daily. I'm pretty keen, and I definitely can't do that, and I play a lot.

A few questions. The guitar you're using. What type? Is its action OK. Is its neck a good fit with your hand? Do you know what string gauge and brand is fitted? High action and high string tension will make an acoustic guitar in the particular more difficult to fret, especially for a beginner.

Anyway, which song specifically are you having problems with and which chord changes?

It's pretty pointless attempting to play any song until you can form the necessary chords, and once you've mastered that, can then change confidently between them. Do that first, or trying to play a song will just be a depressing exercise in frustration and failure.

[br]There are lesson exercises for changing chords, although it's just a common sense mostly. So unless you have a hand injury, arthritis or some co-ordination health issue interfering with doing that, with that amount of practise, a week should see you capable of fluently changing from ADAEA repeat 'n repeat 'n repeat gradually building speed and arguably more.

[br]Expand from there. If you've been doing Fundamentals 1 you should have C, Em, Am G under you belt by now. With G, Em, C & D or D7, you can play a zillion songs. Similarly C, Am, F, G.

Do that with the chords for the song you want, then stitch the song together slowly at first, eventually increasing to tempo. Picking a song you really like but within your competency will provide the drive. Success reinforces confidence.

In parting. Here's a gem I love which you can play with just two easy chords."A Horse With No Name" by America. Em and a chord with a complex name but simple shape. That's it. Just an easy swap between at moderate tempo back and forth between those two chords, get the strumming right and you've got the rhythm for the song.

Hi wj,

take a break!! If you practice 3-7h a day it could mean you are pushing yourself way too hard. You are trying to do things faster than your brain can process it at the moment. Changing cords on the fretboard fluently and fast is a combination of muscle memory and brain - and for this you need to allow time. Pushing it is not going to work and you will get frustrated (went through this stage myself years ago).

Take two cords and change between them for no longer than 5 minutes in a row (perhaps a few times a day with breaks). Then play along with a song of your choice just using the base cord (only one cord) to accompany the song (that's to put your mind away from cord changes). Alternatively you could just listen to some music :-)

The danger of practicing 3-7 hours deperately and tensly cord changes will do only one thing - you get frustrated and the brain get the message that it's not working at all and blocks any further progress.

Take a deep breath and sloooow down. You will be surprised how much better it will work after a couple of days break. Don't make practicing a chore - make it fun!!

Best wishes

Good morning. I am an older learner - late 50's. I get frustrated as well. If it helps, one thing I have adapted to is that at my stage in life this is just for fun and there are some things I simply can't do, or become so frustrating to try and do, it takes the fun out of this. So I move on to something else. And frankly sometimes I cheat on cords - such as the G Chord. When I am playing something like "Wish you were here" I cheat like the blazes. Friends still recognize the tune and my timing is good so a bass player can fit in. That is more important to them than perfection. If someone is looking for perfection .... it doesnt happen here.

Best of luck.