Faster Chord Changes?

wirt · 2012-11-21T09:32:47+00:00

So, as my sig says, I'm still pretty useless at guitar. Mainly right now I'm trying to get the basics down. My biggest problem is that I can't get my chord changes down fast enough. What I'm doing to try and improve just playing a chord, switching to another chord and back ad nauseum to the rythm of a metronome. My problem is that I can't play the chords consistently and clearly at more than 40BPM and I feel like I've hit a wall and can't progress past it. I'm not looking for any short-cuts or anything, I'd just like to know if there's anything else I can work at to help improve my speed a bit besides "just keep at it". ? Besides the inane chord changes, I also practice some scales, finger stretching exercises and learning some basic songs. Any advice? Thanks in advance! ?

Malkav

=

8)

DaFiz

Very useful thanx Chad 8)

Fingerpicker

One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that a lot of guitarists get into the habit of placing their fingers in to place sequentially and not simultaneously when changing chords. Sequential may be okay when learning a chord but try and get simultaneous placing as soon as you can. I see a lot of people with many years behind them with this bad habit slowing them down and interrupting their rythmn. I recently bought an instructional video and the instructor has this annoying habit as well.

Another way to generate the illusion of speed is not to play the whole chord but just the notes you need, or inversions of the same chord. This is where a teacher can help you sometime in the future.

wirt

So I finally managed to progress to a point where I can do the chord changes I've been practising in a second or less, which I set as a kind of milestone.
Mistakes I've been making were the following:

Looking at the fretboard
Not practising enough with a metronome
Pressing down too hard on the strings
Horrible posture while practising

Besides for those things, I just needed more practice and callous build-up.

Thanks to all for the advice, it's been damned useful ?

Psean

Chad Adam Browne wrote =

8)

Thanks ?

AlanRatcliffe

Fingerpicker wrote One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that a lot of guitarists get into the habit of placing their fingers in to place sequentially and not simultaneously when changing chords.

I have to differ with you on that one. Particularly for fingerstyle or classical players, who think in terms of individual notes rather than chords. I'd go as far as saying it's an integral part of my playing (heck, sometimes I make it a visual feature ?). As long as the right note is fretted at the right time, sequential placement actually lets you cope easier with faster tempos, helps break players of the "strumming all strings at once" habit and helps them visualise the chord as a collection of notes.

Bob-Dubery

Alan Ratcliffe wrote
Fingerpicker wrote One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that a lot of guitarists get into the habit of placing their fingers in to place sequentially and not simultaneously when changing chords.
I have to differ with you on that one. Particularly for fingerstyle or classical players, who think in terms of individual notes rather than chords. I'd go as far as saying it's an integral part of my playing (heck, sometimes I make it a visual feature ?). As long as the right note is fretted at the right time, sequential placement actually lets you cope easier with faster tempos and helps break players of the "strumming all strings at once" habit and helps them visualise the chord as a collection of notes.

Yes. I don't think about it much, but it's pretty much the same way I play, especially when playing fingerstyle. As long as the finger is in place at the time you strike the string then all is well.

Fingerpicker's advice may have some relevance for those who play that old-fashioned (and, to my ears, delightful) jazz rhythm style.

Attila

wirt wrote So I finally managed to progress to a point where I can do the chord changes I've been practising in a second or less, which I set as a kind of milestone.
Mistakes I've been making were the following:

Looking at the fretboard

Not practising enough with a metronome

Pressing down too hard on the strings

Horrible posture while practising

Besides for those things, I just needed more practice and callous build-up.

Thanks to all for the advice, it's been damned useful ?

One to add is not to make playing a burden. MUST be fun

arjunmenon

Alan Ratcliffe wrote
Fingerpicker wrote One thing that hasn't been mentioned is that a lot of guitarists get into the habit of placing their fingers in to place sequentially and not simultaneously when changing chords.
I have to differ with you on that one. Particularly for fingerstyle or classical players, who think in terms of individual notes rather than chords. I'd go as far as saying it's an integral part of my playing (heck, sometimes I make it a visual feature ?). As long as the right note is fretted at the right time, sequential placement actually lets you cope easier with faster tempos, helps break players of the "strumming all strings at once" habit and helps them visualise the chord as a collection of notes.

Agree with your point, Alan. My chording is also very sequential at most times. The sequential thing is great for layering intervals and for sound-on-sound stuff. To be devil's advocate though, if you're hoping for Holdsworth-ian almost-piano-like chord changes, then Fingerpicker's advice is spot on.

wirt

Attila wrote One to add is not to make playing a burden. MUST be fun

Amen to that! I found it hard to see exactly why I needed to learn these chord changes until I found the tabs for "Rumble" by Link Wray and The Wraymen. Those D-A-E changes seemed much more worth the effort and fun after that.
Now I just need an amp with kick-ass reverb... and a Les Paul... and maybe a couple of pedals and there goes that GAS that everyone's been warning me about ?

AlanRatcliffe

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with simultaneous placements, just that there is nothing wrong with sequential either. Both have their place and I use both a lot.

Arjun Menon wrote if you're hoping for Holdsworth-ian almost-piano-like chord changes

The "hoping for" part of that is duly noted. ? I once tried a few examples from "uncommon chord" and found that having fingers that are all 6" long and can operate at 180o from each other would improve my chances of getting some of those voicings right. ?

Fingerpicker

Re sequential vs simultaneous placing of fingers
I guess it also depends on whether you play in a band with a couple of guitars with bass and drums or whether you are under the lights on your own a meter and a bit from a very attentive audience. Chord speed is essential to keep a clean sound and to recover from a mistake. In the time the audience takes to say "wtf" you can hit 3 or 4 chords to get to where you have to go.
There are some chords that I will never be able to play instantaneously, such as a D shape with the little finger, the ring finger and the finger you use in the traffic, with the index finger looking after bass. There are others, but all the majors, minors and sevenths are pinned down. Don't tell me it's not necessary, it's taken me 51 years to get it right!

DaFiz

Fingerpicker wrote There are some chords that I will never be able to play instantaneously, such as a D shape with the little finger, the ring finger and the finger you use in the traffic, with the index finger looking after bass.

That's something I've never even dreamed of trying. :-[

Fingerpicker

I've been using the C-A-G-E-D system for chords across the fretboard and they seem to favour that shape.(eg D shape on 5th fret gives an F etc). I generally just use 3 strings or make a C shape out of it to make it easier to play.

DonRoos

Fingerpicker wrote There are some chords that I will never be able to play instantaneously, such as a D shape with the little finger, the ring finger and the finger you use in the traffic, with the index finger looking after bass.

Easier to play the D chord with normal fingering and hook the thumb over for the bass.

wirt

Don't mind me, I'll just be sitting here furiously scribbling notes ?

Fingerpicker

Sorry wirt, we're going off course here.
Don, it is easier your way, but they teach it their way.
Enough from me....

DaFiz

DonRoos wrote
Fingerpicker wrote There are some chords that I will never be able to play instantaneously, such as a D shape with the little finger, the ring finger and the finger you use in the traffic, with the index finger looking after bass.
Easier to play the D chord with normal fingering and hook the thumb over for the bass.

Pardon my ignorance but I just tried that and the thumb can hook over and play the F or F# must It sound funny and I would not know where to use it ??? :-\

DaFiz

On the subject of faster chord changes, it was suggested to me a week ago to take some steel wool to the back of the neck to make it smoother.
I was absolutely horrified ??? He assured me it will speed up chord changes. :-\
I would never attempt something like that on my new Takamine, but I'm tempted to try it on my old Ibanez Concord.

Norman86

it takes the "stickyness" of the finish away ?
then your hand / thumb can travel smoothly on the neck!

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