5 steps how to change chords faster, easier, and smoother
If you want to play the guitar well, it is important to be able to change guitar chords smoothly and quickly. For beginners, it is very tricky to quickly change between chords while plucking the strings.
By following the 5 steps below, you can ensure that you can improve the chord transitions.
One, keep your fingers close to the guitar string
The simple truth. The less the finger movements, the faster the transition between chords.
When changing chords, usually the weaker your fingers, the further away they will be from the chord. But you may not notice how high they rise.
Test: change between two open chords such as G chord and E chord. If your fingers are lifted more than 2 cm from the strings, you will need to work hard to keep them closer.
Of course it takes some time to adapt, but all of this is to build muscle memory and strength. After regular practice, things that feel tricky today will become easy.
Two, don’t rush: slow down the practice
This is not a competition!!
Slowly play your chords. Only by learning to play slowly, so you can play fast. Playing chords slow and perfect, requiring skill and finger control. So you want to enhance your muscle memory, finger strength and control, and this can be established by playing slowly, starting slowly and then gradually increasing the speed.
Pro Tip: Using a metronome during practice can effectively control and monitor the speed of playing.
Three, Build It Up: Put your finger on one string at a time
When learning a new chord, everything is to build muscle memory. Don't rush to put all your fingers.
If you find that the new chord shape is particularly tricky, in fact, you can divide the chord. Try to put your finger on one string each time, and then add the next finger to the other string. Alternately play all the strings in different sequence, and then repeat.
Example: Open G chord: Try to press the note on the E string first. Next, place the second and first fingers on the bottom E and A strings, respectively.
Fourth, make good use of common string and fingers between different chords
Some chords will play notes on the same string when switching between them. The change from E chord to D chord is a good example, as shown in the following exercise. The index finger is the common shared finger between these two chord shapes.
When you switch between chords, keep your common finger pressed down on the string, and then slide your finger to the position of the next note.
Example: Slide your finger (Slide)
From E chord to D chord
1. Release 2 & 3 fingers first, but 1 finger continues to follow
2. Slide 1 finger to the A tone
3. Press the remaining tone
This will make chord changes faster, smoother, and clearer.
Fifth, Freezing method: Keep the shape of the chord with your fingers, and switch between pressing and releasing.
Freezing practice:
1. Choose a chord player that you have not fully mastered, place all your fingers on the chord you are playing, and keep the shape.
2. Lift your fingers from the string very slowly, try to fix your fingers in the shape of the chord, do not lift more than 1 cm at first.
3. Put your fingers back on the strings and try to get all your fingers to touch the strings at the same time.
4. You need to keep moving your fingers away from the chords until they start to strike the strings at exactly the same time. Raising your fingers a little bit can help the formation of muscle memory.
You will be surprised at the effect of using this method alone.
It all boils down to practice, but it's not just any practice, but perfect practice.