C to E Minor

Questions & Answers

2 months ago

My issue at the moment is that when I am using a pick the sound does not sound as good as when I use my finger, almost hollow. And I can hear the pick hitting the chords. It is difficult to know the 'strength' you need to strum the chords with, is this something that is learnt in time?

Mike Olekshy 2 months ago

Hello - thanks so much for your question! Indeed, the sound of the pick is very different from your fingers. You'll find ways to use your picking technique to make different sounds as you go, so keep at it. In time, you will learn how strumming at different "strengths" affects the tone - and then you can use how hard to strum as a musical choice for different sounds. Hope this helps!

7 months ago

Is it ok to use the "alternate" Em (first and second fingers) as well as the the "original" Em (second and third fingers). I find the transition better with the C. Thanks in advance.

Mike Olekshy 7 months ago

Hello and thanks for your question. Yes it's okay to use whichever set of fingers feels the most natural to you. You'll find that each variation of the Em chord has it's own best use depending on the musical context.

8 months ago

Do you recommend being able to play each lesson perfectly with consistency before moving on? Or is it more efficient to move forward with some mistakes/dead strings etc if we know the shapes?

Mike Olekshy 8 months ago

Hello - thanks for the question! I think it's okay to move on, but if you are still having consistency issues, I would recommend continuing to work on the particular lesson in your practice routine as a 3-5 minute exercise. These are fundamental and common chord changes that you should really get comfortable with.