Help to improve speed and acuuracy of chord changes

[Tom S.]

I play mostly fingerstyle, but I have been playing in a praise band once a month for the last year. I find that strumming on fast songs with frequent chord changes I don't do very well. I'm sure I would improve if I played out more often, but that won't be possible. Can you suggest any proven approaches or techniques to improving speed and accuracy of chord changes.

[Jon]

All I can say is practice, practice, practice. I don't see any other way. You'll get it eventually.

[Tom S.]

Originally posted by Jon
All I can say is practice, practice, practice. I don't see any other way. You'll get it eventually.

Any suggestion on techniques for practice. I could just practice the songs, but possibly there is a drill or practice technique that would yield better results.

[wizardworkz]

Get a metronome, figure out the speed you currently play at, then increase it by 2 bpm's per day (Beats per minute) until you reach your desired speed.

And oh yeah, the last person had the other part of the answer... practice practice practice.

Good luck.

Virgil

[jazzinthebox]

Take a look at Mel Bay Presents: Building Guitar Speed by David Coe. Most of all, though, you just need to practice.

[Ninjato]

As crazy as it sounds, the slower you practice the faster you will play. I find 80bpm to be the optimal speed for me. When the chord changes are not smooth and on the beat, it will have a tendency to speed up, just from our subconcious thought of having to "catch up" and then have the effect of slowing down if you catch yourself now going too fast.

Let's say something is set up at 4/4 count (Satin Doll):
4/4 Dmi7 Gmi7 | Dmi7 Gmi7 | Emi7 Ami7 | Emi7 Ami7

Just getting those chord changes smooth on the beat can be a challenge.
What I found was a lot of songs are setup w/ chords changing every measure or two. For example Lynyrd Skynyrd's (Sweet Home Alabama):

4/4 D | C | G |

4 "beats" gives one a lot more time to think of the next chord change...over time, playing a lot of songs setup like this will get you "used" to that feel. Now if you think thru a song, usually there is a place where there are a few quicker chord changes and you still manage ok...why is that? Is it an easy chord to grab? Did you have the "feel" of the song? How familiar are you w/ the piece?

So when you practice a song w/ a lot of changes, the slower you go, the more "space" you create. Feel the space (between the clicks of the metronome). There is a lot of time. Examine how you are changing chords withing that space to hit the next one on the beat.

Also keep the strumming practice w/ the chord changes as minimalist as possible w/ metronome. Strum just tdownstrokes to the beat. In 4/4 time that's 4 strums per measure. Remember that you are training chord changes, not strumming. Keep one thing simple so you can concentrate on the other.

Last note on practicing. If you practice slow and hit the chord right all the time, you are ingraining a good "habit" in respect to learning a song. Doing it too fast and stumbling and making mistakes reinforces the mistakes.

[taylorfreak]

Originally posted by Jon
All I can say is practice, practice, practice. I don't see any other way. You'll get it eventually.

rely on no one but discipline yourself to PRACTICE!!!

haha...

[Tom S.]

Thanks for all the suggestions. In the month between praise sessions, I have only practiced fingerstyle and I do use the metronome approach suggested above. It works amazingly well especially the sart slow, practice perfect part. But based on suggestions, I think I will have to add the chord/strumming to my practice. I don't have trouble with half note changes, it's when I get to 1/4 not or 1/8 note changes or dotted 1/8 changes, especially when the bpm gets to 100+. For example:
|F(dotted1/4)Am7(1/8)Dm7(1/2)|. In fingerstyle you can don't have to have the chord change complete, just catch the right notes. At times, I just have to omit a passing chord if it is just an 1/8 note and get to the next one. Also, I started experimenting with band-in-a-box last night, varying the speed as an alternative to the metronome. That way I can hear the chords played.

[For Him]

You can also practice by placing your fingers where the chords are but not pressing them down all the way and switching the chords with just barely touching the strings. If you get fast at that then slowly start pressing down the strings harder every time until there is a crisp sound. And make sure that you change chords on the correct strum for the song.(that can make or break a song)

[815C]

I posted this a while back in another similar thread.....

===========================================

Give this a try - its a technique classical guitarists use to master an awkward change from one chord to another.

First, lay your fingers lightly on the strings as if you were making a G chord, but don't press down on the strings. Then, lay your fingers lightly on the strings as if you were making a C chord. Go back and forth, continuing to lay your fingers lightly on the strings.

When get to the point where you can switch back and forth fairly quickly, then start to apply just a little pressure to the strings - but not enough to press them all the way down on the frets.

When you can switch back and forth between the two chords while using just a little pressure, then again increase the pressure just a bit.

Continue this process until you are exerting enough pressure to cleanly fret the chords. (You'll be surprised at how little pressure it actually takes to fret the chords.)

I use this techique all the time when learning new stuff that is awkward to finger.

Keep at it and you'll get those changes down - we were all once where you are now.

Blessings.

[Dove]

Could be the key!

At our Worship band, many are in Eb and I stumble. Put on the Capo on the first fret and play in D.

Works well for me.

Larry

[Tom S.]

I also do the capo for Eb. Sometimes though they will modulate on a last chorus and then you need to take it off or move it which is really awkward during the song. I think also I need to learn some new moveable forms to give me more options of where to play a chord. For example Sunday I had a Bb which I normally play barred at the 6th fret, but it was too much movement, so I used an A form on the 3rd fret, but I don't do it well. I may have to pull out my Fret Logic book and work on a few more of the moveable forms.

[Tom S.]

Originally posted by jazzinthebox
Take a look at Mel Bay Presents: Building Guitar Speed by David Coe.

Do you own the book and if so can you describe. It is out of print, so I can't look at it locally. I don't play lead electric guitar for example, so I was curious if it would be helpful or relevant for left hand chord changes etc. before I order from a out of print dealer.

[lefthandman]

This might seem simplistic, but take the parts that are giving you a hard time in the current songs you are playing and practice them over and over. Start off very slooooooow until you are playing them cleanly. Then just increase your speed. As mentioned in other posts using a metronome will help immensley

[taygull]

I've been know to sit in front of the TV for an hour and do nothing but switch from a G to a bm (not anymore, becasue I did this).

That is what I usually do when I get focused. I'll find the tough parts and do it over and over again while I am paying attention to something else.

I want to make it a "conditioned reflex".