Important Chord Transitions to nail down

I guess I am teaching myself to play guitar the "inductive" way, by learning a lot of songs and then figuring out and extracting the strumming and patterns, chord progressions, etc. that just keep happening over and over and over.

It'll be a year at the end of March since I started. I'm confident with the open chords. I'm focusing more now on clean bar chords. I need to work to these so I'm taking every opportunity to play a bar chord instead of an open chord if I can.

A couple of transitions come up over and over, so I just practice switching back and forth between them to reinforce the shapes so they become automatic. (with eyes closed at times)

open D-Bm
open C-Bm
open C-F

Are there others you all can think of? These three come up constantly. My bar F is better than my bar Bm. I don't know why. Maybe because you can just slap your index finer over all 6 strings so it's faster to get into. I'm slow getting into the Bm bar chord and if you've only got half a measure to get in and then out again, you really have to be quick and confident.

I'm working on these three but if I can add to the list that would be great.

I cannot manage the double bar B major chord, or any of those second position chords that share the same shape. I have not come up with a decent work around. Using three fingers like you would play and open A takes too long to get into if time is of the essence.

I continue to strive.

[A Scot in Otley]

Originally Posted by janinep7

I cannot manage the double bar B major chord, or any of those second position chords that share the same shape. I have not come up with a decent work around. Using three fingers like you would play and open A takes too long to get into if time is of the essence.

I continue to strive.

To make a B maj, or basically, anything from Bb maj onwards up t'fretboard on the 5th string roots, I just use my third finger to barre the 4th, 3rd, and 2nd strings, my index to hold down the 5th string tonic, and don't play the first string. Bob's your uncle, there's your chord. Alternatively, just use your index finger to barre the 4th, 3rd and 2nd strings (that's your triad) and only play those strings - forget about the 5th string. Again, easy peasy and quick. You don't need, or want sometimes, to play all 4, 5 or 6 strings. Do what works best for you.

Here endeth my tuppenceworth.

Thank ye!

Those lucky people with the finger joints that bend backwards make the double-bar B look so easy. I'm a mere mortal with short fingers of a certain age that say, No way, Jose!

I appreciate the workarounds.

[zuzu]

For B major barre I often bar with my index finger to catch the 5th string, my pinky supported by my ring finger to play strings 4,3, and 2. No 6th, no 1st. When I first really went after barre chords I found that if I angled the guitar up so the headstock was about shoulder height, like a classical player, I could land on most shapes more accurately and comfortably. My fingers are just plain too short to play any shape of "thumb-over" chords, which (I think) aren't easy with the guitar at that angle.

Playing triads and 4 tone chords, I have found concentration on accurately landing the index finger on whichever note of the chord it will occupy helps the rest of them smoothly find their way to the other positions. I call it "landing" because I am working hard to get out of the habit of letting my fingers squeak the strings as I change positions. You may as well build that in as you go. Release the chord by lifting your fingers all the way off the chord you just played, move, then settle your fingers into the proper positions to lightly press and play the next chord. It takes some concentration, but string squeak deserves no mercy!

[Mandobart]

Here are some very common transitions:

- I to vi

- I-IV-V

- I-vi-IV-V (doo-wop)

- I-IV-I-V-I-II-V-I

Also learn the I7-IV7-I-V-I

And many more. I recommend learning these in the most common keys: A, C, D, E.

What makes a song really flow are smooth transitions between these chords while keeping a steady rhythm and singing.

[Coler]

I mean, I'm not joking when I say all of them.

You will surely find the common transitions which come depending on the key easier and harder in terms of the open/cowboy chords at the start.

Over time you want to develop using these shapes in barre chords and as the basis of triads so you can be agile in your voicings

My tip would be, regularly assess what your weakest transitions are and practice those more than the others. Find songs/tunes that incorporate them.

[Silly Moustache]

Originally Posted by janinep7

I guess I am teaching myself to play guitar the "inductive" way, by learning a lot of songs and then figuring out and extracting the strumming and patterns, chord progressions, etc. that just keep happening over and over and over.

It'll be a year at the end of March since I started. I'm confident with the open chords. I'm focusing more now on clean bar chords. I need to work to these so I'm taking every opportunity to play a bar chord instead of an open chord if I can.

A couple of transitions come up over and over, so I just practice switching back and forth between them to reinforce the shapes so they become automatic. (with eyes closed at times)

open D-Bm
open C-Bm
open C-F

Are there others you all can think of? These three come up constantly. My bar F is better than my bar Bm. I don't know why. Maybe because you can just slap your index finer over all 6 strings so it's faster to get into. I'm slow getting into the Bm bar chord and if you've only got half a measure to get in and then out again, you really have to be quick and confident.

I'm working on these three but if I can add to the list that would be great.

I cannot manage the double bar B major chord, or any of those second position chords that share the same shape. I have not come up with a decent work around. Using three fingers like you would play and open A takes too long to get into if time is of the essence.

I continue to strive.

Ironically, a client of mine is asking me to teach him the song theme from the detectorists which has D to Bm all over it !

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Originally Posted by Coler

I mean, I'm not joking when I say all of them.

Really. Just play songs. Things will all fit into place.