The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #46  
Old 02-20-2011, 11:50 AM
outhawkn outhawkn is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: stuck in the flatlands.
Posts: 124
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by dlknight View Post
I started learning last year, I tried G, C, D fhords and could never change chords from one to another without placing one finger at a time. After 3 months I had to take a break because of certification I had to get at work. I have been back at it for one month now. I found Justin Guitars Beginner Course, and he starts out with A, D, E. I know G, D, C, E, A, Amin, Dmin, Emin. He has this thing he calls 1 min changes. You use 2 chords and see how many changes you can make in a minute. They don't have to be perfect. I started at like 14 changes per min. A=1, then D=2, and so forth. After one month I can only do 18 at most. This is so frustrating. So playing any song is out of the question. I am so slow at changing chords that nothing even comes close to sounding like anything. That's if my fingers happen to land on the correct strings and more often than not they don't. By the way, the 3 to 4 months I did last year I actually tok lessons from someone. I practice at least 30 min each day on nothing but chord changes. I practice 10 min on each set, (A-D, D-E, A-E) On weekends I practice more. Does it usually take this long for someone to just make chord changes for only two chords? I kep practicing because I want to play, but don't realy seem to get any better. By the way I am 48 yrs old. So not like I am some kid. Not trying to whine, I just didn't think it takes this long and still not really see any improvment. Any help would be appreciated.
I'd go for accuracy...speed will come later. If you teach your muscles to remember it wrong, you'll just have to correct it later.JMO
__________________
Bill
Isaiah 6:8
Reply With Quote
  #47  
Old 02-22-2011, 08:59 AM
M400 M400 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 19
Default yes, it can take that long

Quote:
Originally Posted by dlknight View Post
...Does it usually take this long for someone to just make chord changes for only two chords? ...I just didn't think it takes this long and still not really see any improvment. Any help would be appreciated.
IMHO, the answer is yes-- it can take this long. I think if you consider learning to read music, notes, etc. and play an instrument is similar to learning a language (as an adult), then a year or more to build a basic skills is not unusual. What helped my progress was taking affordable weekly group lessons. It continues to be beneficial for me because I can see and hear others at my level receive expert advice and corrections on finger placement, strum patterns, etc. Perhaps you've improved more than you realize. You might want to record (nothing fancy) some of your playing and set it aside. In a few months, assess your progress.
Reply With Quote
  #48  
Old 02-22-2011, 09:09 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Chicago, IL
Posts: 10,188
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by dlknight View Post
I do have a scales book. I went this weekend and looked at some more. I don't get it. The Freetboard pics show maybe one fret with all 1's then 2's and so forth. I don't get it. I have no idea where to put my fingers. Which 1 do I use, which 2, and then it says you can move them up and down the fretboard. So I don't know how to do that either. I know I need to start learning the fretboard. Do I need to know the fretboard before I start learning scales?
It sure helps--otherwise you're just learning "shapes."

Most of the time, in those diagrams, the numbers are finger #'s-- 1 is index, 2 is middle and so on.
__________________
Jeff Matz, Jazz Guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/user/jeffreymatz
Reply With Quote
  #49  
Old 05-13-2011, 11:57 AM
fiftylucky fiftylucky is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 18
Default 3 Week playing Newbie

i have also used Justins methods and am now just getting to the 1 minute change part in his beginner course. I used it for the first time last night and had 8 total changes or 16 if you counted everytime I moved my hand from cord to cord. it is a very slow go right now but I am enjoying this ride so much, I am a young 61 year old looking for a hobby for my soon to be retired life and I am hooked line and sinker. I just dropped my Seagull S6 off at the guitar doctor for its first set up, cant wait to get it back tomorrow!

Looking forward to getting my first three cord changes down pat before moving on.
Reply With Quote
  #50  
Old 05-13-2011, 12:48 PM
daza152 daza152 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Gisborne, New Zealand.
Posts: 908
Default

For me when I started out I wouyd think of the next chord shape before I needed to change. Actually visulise my fingers in that position.You will get it as it is generally called muscle memory which means your fingers will remember to move that way into the chord shape you want, Also only learn what you need to play a song which might only be 3 or 4 chords and play it real slow til you make the change clean. I think speed can come later concentrate on making clean changes first just my thoughts good luck and keep at it.
__________________
Yamaha FG700s & Taylor 114e (Walnut)
Reply With Quote
  #51  
Old 05-13-2011, 01:07 PM
MAS MAS is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 65
Default

There is a book called "Guitar from Scratch" that gave me great insight into how to visualize chord changes and make them easier.
Reply With Quote
  #52  
Old 05-13-2011, 10:20 PM
billie11 billie11 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: HK right now
Posts: 7
Default

Here is one exercise I use to do.

Don't pick strings with your right hand. Only fret the chords with your left hand. Slowly try to fret all the notes of the chord. For example: you start with C - Am - Dm - G. You start with C, you count the beat" 1 - 2 - 3 - 4" on the beat 1 and 3 you press the strings to form a chord. On the beat 2 and 4 you release all the tension so it's like: "press - release - press - release" . Start with C chord only. after you are comfortable then change to next chord. Every chord you count 4 beats. when you can do all of them, you can start to change every 2 beats. after that you can try change a chord on each beat. So the finally exercise will be like "1 (C) - 2 (Am) - 3 (Dm) - 4 (G).
Reply With Quote
  #53  
Old 05-14-2011, 03:30 AM
stanron stanron is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 2,428
Default

I used to teach a beginners guitar class. I developed a routine that got students changing chords in time together. The first chords I showed them were E,A and D. Once they could get a reasonable sound out of these chords I would get them to practice changing backwards and forwards between pairs of chords. E-A, A-D and E-D.
The routine was this, and I remember being surprised every time I did it, at how successful it was;

I would count 1 to 4 over and over again. Quite slowly, maybe 40 beats per minute. The students would strum the first chord on 1 and then use the counts 2, 3, and 4 to position their fingers ready for the next chord. On the next 1 they would strum that chord and use counts 2 to 4 to get their fingers back in position for the first chord. When a student felt completely comfortable with this they were told to strum on counts 1 and 2 and use 3 and 4 to get to the next position. When comfortable with this they would strum on 1,2 and 3 and change on 4. The final stage of this was strumming on all 4 beats with their eyes closed. As the exercise progressed I would step up the speed of the count if it looked like they were doing well.

For a class this routine worked surprisingly well. Maybe a solo student could try the same thing with a metronome. It would be better with a buddy counting and playing together. The important bits are;

Practice your chords in pairs. (The finger movements for E to A are different from the finger movements for A to E)

Don't strum before 1

Don't strum on more beats until you are totally comfortable with the change.

Hope this helps, good luck.
Reply With Quote
  #54  
Old 08-04-2014, 12:56 AM
kordgitaris kordgitaris is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Indonesia
Posts: 1
Default Tips, How to Play Guitar Chords

Once you know the basic chords, it might be easier to think of them the way the function inside a key. For example, when in the key of E, the E (I) is called the Tonic. It's what all the other chords want to get to—which is what helps give western music its sense of motion. The A (IV) in the key of E functions as the Subdominant—it's sort of a passive in-between, just as happy to continue forward, as to relax back to the Tonic. The Dominant is just what it sounds like: it leads you where it wants to go. In the key of E, that role is filled by the B (V), and will definitely make your brain want to get back to the Tonic! When you get more familiar with the chords, and want to sketch out a tune, try writing it as I-IV-V (or variations of that) instead of E-A-B. It will make it much easier to transpose when you find out your singer cannot sing in the original key!


______________________________________
Chord Dangdut
Chord dan Lirik Lagu

Last edited by kordgitaris; 02-17-2016 at 12:36 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #55  
Old 08-04-2014, 02:13 AM
FluffyDog6 FluffyDog6 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 149
Default

This thread is 3 years old.

The OP has either given up, or has his own YouTube channel by now.
Reply With Quote
  #56  
Old 08-09-2014, 12:59 PM
Pixguit Pixguit is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 563
Talking

LOL! It still has great info for us newbies on our way to our own YouTube Channels!
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:30 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=