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  #16  
Old 03-17-2023, 12:47 AM
tbirdman tbirdman is offline
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Go to Justin Guitar website. He has beginning lessons will help you get over the hump changing most chords. He has practice routines will have you playing better in no time, if you follow them. 5 weeks is nothing.
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  #17  
Old 03-17-2023, 06:44 AM
Jamolay Jamolay is offline
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Second motion for Justin Guitar. Great lessons to get you going in an organized way. You can do most for free, purchase what you want when you want and donate at will. The Justin Guitar app is also great as a play along to get you playing songs as you learn cords.
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  #18  
Old 03-17-2023, 05:15 PM
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You're already amazing just for being here, for picking up that guitar and learning how to play it. Stick with it and you will be surprised how fast it comes to you. Practice is key, but the key to practice is learning what you love. There's a simplified version of almost any song you might want to learn how to play. Start right away learning how to play songs. There are so many you can play with just two or three open chords. Learning how to strum is more intuitive than analytical. It's a "intuitive feeling" thing, like dancing vs. a "thinking" thing like math. Don't stress; you will find the beat or it will find you. One way or the other.

What everyone has already said is spot on. There are other teachers on the internet you may also want to explore. My favorite is Steve Stine. I have learned so much from him. Also Lauren Bateman, and James the Good Guitarist are excellent. They all have free beginner's courses, but Steve Stine is the best of those three.

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...-WAnue0NHBleSD

Specific chord changing tutorials:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XtI3bhd-NiA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AjgqKwwHAQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b35NobWTvCY

He has put up tons of videos on You Tube. He's really excellent!

Good luck with your guitar journey! Please stick around these forums and share your progress and experience. We are all always learning from one another.
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  #19  
Old 03-18-2023, 08:13 AM
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I sat down and looked at making a chord and gave it some focused thought. Think of a G cowboy chord as an example. A question I had was, do I put all my fingers on the strings and press down on the fret board all at once? Because that was not working for me. It dawned on me that I was strumming downward. That meant I was hitting the lower or bass string first before the higher strings. That made me think that I should try placing the finger that fingers the bass string first. Before placing the other fingers. I found out that by doing things that way I got an extra nano second to place the other fingers where they belong. It also gave me a plan where I could mentally figure out where, what and how to go about changing chords. From there it is doing allot of repetitive practice. Good luck.
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  #20  
Old 03-18-2023, 09:24 AM
The Watchman The Watchman is offline
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It's like driving without having to think about making each move - muscle memory. After a while, your fingers will automatically form the chords without you thinking about it. Hands & eyes coordinate.

Just recognize that music is also about the space between the notes. So you learn that you dont have to keep making sounds (strumming) continuously to fill the space. Just keep moving forward.
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  #21  
Old 05-14-2023, 05:19 PM
jschmitz54 jschmitz54 is offline
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One minute chord changes. Set a timer for one minute and pick two chords. Count how many changes you can do in one minute and write it down. Keep doing this every day, perhaps several times a day and you will see the progress.
Been playing about five years and like others have said perseverance will get you there. Five weeks is just a beginning. Have patience and it will come as long as you keep practicing.
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  #22  
Old 05-14-2023, 06:21 PM
Riverwolf Riverwolf is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goat Mick View Post
What I did when I was learning was to keep a guitar on my lap while I was watching TV and just kinda mindlessly go through chords while I was relaxing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont View Post
This is one of those things that just needs LOTS and LOTS of repetition.
I would sit alone at night and watch TV.
Alone so as not to drive anyone else crazy.
I would pick 2 chords like G and C.
Do like at least 300 reps back and forth.
JustinGuitar has an exercise called "One Minute Changes".
I didn't like the focus on speed.
So I would do mine slow and accurate.
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  #23  
Old 05-15-2023, 07:04 AM
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As many have said, it will come. There are many great approaches and suggestions here and I've done them all. If you are looking for some (nearly) instant gratification, focus for now on just learning the Em chord. All you need is two fingers. I also like the suggestion of just sitting on the couch and mindlessly and quietly strumming over and over and over. I used to do it while watching TV late at night which is a great way to get that much needed repetition going.

The great thing about learning the Em chord (besides being very easy to learn) is there are places to go from there that are easy to get. Shift those two fingers down one string and you have an Asus2 chord. It's very easy because you never leave the second fret. Then practice going back and forth between those two and you well on your way to playing America's 'Horse With No Name', probably one of the easiest songs we all learned early on in our journey!

As others have said, and everyone that has been there knows, it's all muscle memory and time. Great thing is that it eventually has a snowball rolling down the mountain effect - it gets bigger (easier) and faster (more fun) the farther it goes!
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  #24  
Old 05-15-2023, 10:09 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Riverwolf View Post
I didn't like the focus on speed.
So I would do mine slow and accurate.
Slow and accurate is always the way to start.

At some point you got to push speed...but get it accurate first...

The biggest thing is economy of movement.
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  #25  
Old 05-15-2023, 11:02 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mr. beaumont View Post
The biggest thing is economy of movement.
Yes!

Fingers need to move the shortest distance possible. That means:

1. Don't wave them around off the fretboard between changes! Keep them curled and poised just above the strings. Think about your basic position being "fingers on the strings", not "fingers off".

2. Investigate different fingerings for chords where possible. Don't get fixated on one favourite fingering, because often one finger (sometimes two) can stay in place; and even if none can, even if they all have to move, some fingerings allow shorter distances between changes for certain chords.

It's also worth bearing in mind that the most important thing is to keep time.. The ear can forgive a missing chord on the last 8th note (strumming open strings while your hand moves) as long as the next chord comes right on the beat where it should be. IOW, there is never any need for changing chords in a nanosecond.
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  #26  
Old 05-17-2023, 11:51 AM
Brent Hahn Brent Hahn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonPR View Post
It's also worth bearing in mind that the most important thing is to keep time.. The ear can forgive a missing chord on the last 8th note (strumming open strings while your hand moves) as long as the next chord comes right on the beat where it should be.[/I]
Sometimes open strings are okay during the move, sometimes not. Partial muting is another, often better option. Partial as in muting enough that you don't really hear notes, but not muting so much that you don't hear anything. You're aiming for a "skritch-a" that keeps the groove going.
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  #27  
Old 05-18-2023, 07:51 PM
zuzu zuzu is offline
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Lots of good advice here so I have but one little tidbit that has served me well.

I saw an interview with Vladimir Horowitz, generally considered one of the greatest pianists ever, back in the 80's maybe, right at the end of his life. The interviewer asked him what advice he had to give to new musicians just getting started and I have never forgotten what he said: "You must play every day." To which the interviewer replied something like, "Ah, a practice routine." To which the maestro replied, "No, no. You don't understand. Not rehearsal or practice. You must take time every day to play with your instrument, for the enjoyment, with nothing in mind. The time doesn't matter, five minutes, ten minutes, it doesn't matter. To touch your instrument, to feel it, hear it, every day. You must play every day."

That was good advice to me that I still faithfully follow and still makes it fun. Yes! Practice, set goals, and enjoy the progress you make. But never forget an instrument is essentially a playground. Mr. Horowitz, probably one the all-time greatest musicians to ever walk among us, never forgot.
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  #28  
Old 05-19-2023, 06:37 AM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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Hi, you've had a load of recommendations and good advice,

however, if you would like one-to one mentoring via zoom, see my signature below.

All the best to you on your guitar journey.
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