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Old 03-03-2019, 06:16 PM
Whitey#1 Whitey#1 is offline
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Default C & G Chord - How Long To Learn?

My instructor, after covering some of the basics (which I pretty much already had down), has started me out learning the C & G Chords. My question is basically this:

How long would one normally expect it to take to get these two chords down to the point where one is good at it? I typically practice about 30-45 minutes a day. So, one week? one month? three months?

I am just trying to get an idea of where I am at here, and if indeed I am making progress.

r/Mike
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Old 03-03-2019, 06:27 PM
srbell srbell is offline
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The answer is, it depends. Some pick up really quick and others take longer. What type of challenges are you seeing? Some typical things are problems getting the fingerings correct, getting each string to sound cleanly, and changing chords quickly.
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Old 03-03-2019, 06:33 PM
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rick-slo rick-slo is offline
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Really hard to say for someone else and "where one is good at" is too vague.
However I would say very likely it would be less than a week.

Personally I almost always place all the fingers simultaneously when shifting
chords and if concentrating on any individual finger as a guide for the chord
change it will usually be the one landing on the lowest note fretted.
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Old 03-03-2019, 07:30 PM
Whitey#1 Whitey#1 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by srbell View Post
The answer is, it depends. Some pick up really quick and others take longer. What type of challenges are you seeing? Some typical things are problems getting the fingerings correct, getting each string to sound cleanly, and changing chords quickly.
You got it. All three. Fingering, sounding clean, changing quickly.

Having said this, I am a lot better than I was when I started 10 days ago. The other poster said about a week. I am thinking it will be at least a month before I get even halfway good at playing the C & G Chords correctly.

Yes everybody, you read that right - a month. Is that bad? Am I doomed?
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Old 03-03-2019, 07:58 PM
srbell srbell is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Whitey#1 View Post
You got it. All three. Fingering, sounding clean, changing quickly.



Having said this, I am a lot better than I was when I started 10 days ago. The other poster said about a week. I am thinking it will be at least a month before I get even halfway good at playing the C & G Chords correctly.



Yes everybody, you read that right - a month. Is that bad? Am I doomed?
Not doomed at all! 10 days is just barely getting started :-) First, as you're getting the fingerings down, play the chords slowly, listening closely to each string. If any don't sound clean then figure out why. Could be not pressing the string enough or too close the the far fret instead of being at least halfway to the front fret, or you may be muting the string by touching it a little with one of your other fingers. In any case, work through each string to get it clean.
Once you've got it clean, then work on being able to consistently get back to it cleanly. You can hold the chord for a few seconds, then slightly lift all fingers up just slightly, then bring them back down and see if you get it clean. If so, continue by rasing your fingers higher off the fretboard and bringing them all down at the same time to form the chord. This will get the "muscle memory" thing going and make switching chords easier. What you're aiming for here is to get the fingers down all at the same time, not individually. Try to remember how your fingers are shaped for a chord, and get them in that shape before they come down on the fretboard.
In a nutshell:
1) Learn the fingerings/shapes
2) Work through them by slowly strumming and fixing any muted strings
3) Work on the muscle memory aspect the enable getting to the chords quickly

I hope this helps! You're not experiencing anything most of us haven't faced, even if it's been so long ago that we don't remember it well (or just don't want to admit it). Most of all, don't stress - Have Fun with it!
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  #6  
Old 03-03-2019, 08:55 PM
1neeto 1neeto is offline
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Default C & G Chord - How Long To Learn?

Been playing for about 7 years, and I fumble basic chords every now and then. Am I doomed? Maybe, but I don’t play nearly as much as I used to.

Learn to finger the G with the 2-3-4 fingers and it will make the transition between the two very seamless.
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Old 03-03-2019, 09:08 PM
Gmountain Gmountain is offline
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I don't think you can put a time on it. When you get it, you get it.

I think it important to have realistic expectations. You probably won't be a great player in six months.

I gave myself five years to see if I could learn it.
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Old 03-03-2019, 09:59 PM
slooky slooky is offline
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Not doomed at all! You will get it, no matter if it takes a week or a month. Do not give up .
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Old 03-04-2019, 03:50 AM
JonPR JonPR is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Whitey#1 View Post
You got it. All three. Fingering, sounding clean, changing quickly.

Having said this, I am a lot better than I was when I started 10 days ago. The other poster said about a week. I am thinking it will be at least a month before I get even halfway good at playing the C & G Chords correctly.

Yes everybody, you read that right - a month. Is that bad?
Nope. Some people take a lot longer. The older you are, the longer it takes. Kids can do it quite quickly, but still might take weeks to get confident with them. Even longer to be able to change from one to the other. Just make sure you keep your fret hand fingernails as short as possible (if you can touch the wood of the fretboard with a nail, they're too long).

It might be worth bearing in mind the different ways of fingering each chord - especially the G. This is useful not just for (maybe) making each one easier, but for when you need to change from chord to chord when playing a sequence. You want your fingers to be moving the shortest distance possible.

For C, there are really only two options (in open position):

-0-
-1- index
-0-
-2- middle
-3- ring
-x- mute with thumb (or avoid hitting it)

-0-
-1- index
-0-
-2- middle
-3- pinky
-3- ring

This is technically C/G ("C over G") but can be strummed freely for any C chord, if you have trouble muting or avoiding the 6th in the standard shape. (Technically the bass E string is part of the chord - "C/E" - but it sounds weird to include it when strumming, except in certain circumstances which shouldn't bother you right now!)

A potential 3rd option is:

-3- pinky
-1- index
-0-
-2- middle
-3- ring
-x- mute with thumb

Not any easier than the above, but can be useful for going to G and back (see below).

There are more options for a G:

-3- ring
-0-
-0-
-0-
-2- index
-3- middle

- the common beginner choice. Not my favourite. Too awkward when changing back and forth with a C chord (which is common).

-3- pinky
-3- ring
-0-
-0-
-2- index
-3- middle

- sometimes known as "rock G", and a common choice in (er) rock music. Similar issue with changing to C and back, but good for changing to D and back.

-3- pinky
-0-
-0-
-0-
-2- middle
-3- ring

My own choice. Easy for switching to C (compare with the C options above). Lastly...

-3- any finger
-0-
-0-
-0-
-x- mute with whatever finger plays 6th string
-3- any finger

This is the great "lazy G" shape. In principle you can use any two fingers to fret those outer strings, and you can be guided by what chord you're playing before or after (how far do those fingers need to move?).
E.g., any time you're strumming a G and need to go to a quick C and back. use ring and pinky for the lazy G, and play the C like this:

-3- pinky
-1- index
-0-
-2- middle
-x- mute with ring
-3- ring

That's a perfectly good C/G option, and ring and pinky can stay right where they are.

It's really worth playing around with all these options, not getting too fixed on any one of them - although it's perfectly OK to find a favourite. Flexibility is just as important as speed.
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Last edited by JonPR; 03-04-2019 at 03:57 AM.
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  #10  
Old 03-04-2019, 08:16 AM
leew3 leew3 is offline
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put me in the 'not at all doomed' category. You're making progress, you are motivated enough to seek the collective wisdom of the AGF and most importantly, you're playing guitar. Win!
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Old 03-04-2019, 09:53 AM
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rick-slo rick-slo is offline
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IMO the problem with the idea that it takes weeks and weeks to adequately learn to do a simple chord change (or months or years to adequately
do a barre chord for that matter) is that it puts you into the wrong mind set that what it takes is mainly repetition, repetition, repetition. Rather
carefully learn and think about the movements and placements required of wrist, thumb and fingers (whether on your own, or through one of the
many online videos.

Helpful are short (virtually absent) fretting hand fingernails, a good guitar setup, and a neck profile and size that is comfortable for you.
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Old 03-04-2019, 10:05 AM
mr. beaumont mr. beaumont is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Whitey#1 View Post
My instructor, after covering some of the basics (which I pretty much already had down), has started me out learning the C & G Chords. My question is basically this:

How long would one normally expect it to take to get these two chords down to the point where one is good at it? I typically practice about 30-45 minutes a day. So, one week? one month? three months?

I am just trying to get an idea of where I am at here, and if indeed I am making progress.

r/Mike
I would definitely say if you don't have that down in a week or so (considering practice of 30-45 minutes daily) you might have something working against you on that guitar...

Video is a great help in guiding people...if you can see it, it's easier to say what's going on...

For example, I'd be able to tell if it's YOU--maybe the hands are just still moving too slow (which is fine, things take time) or maybe there's a technique problem, wrist angle, whatever...or maybe the guitar is working against you...high action, or poorly cut nut or whatever...

There's a lot of variables...but the only universal truth in guitar playing is that it takes time. Enjoy the ride. Learning is FUN.
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Old 03-04-2019, 10:18 AM
Riverwolf Riverwolf is offline
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Took a long time for me, months...
I used to sit in front of the TV every single day.
Sets of 2-300 reps.
G-C
G-D
C-D
Lather, rinse and repeat.
Crimson and Clover, over and over
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Old 03-04-2019, 12:30 PM
Johnny K Johnny K is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JonPR View Post

There are more options for a G:

-3- ring
-0-
-0-
-0-
-2- index
-3- middle

- the common beginner choice. Not my favourite. Too awkward when changing back and forth with a C chord (which is common).

-3- pinky
-0-
-0-
-0-
-2- middle
-3- ring

My own choice. Easy for switching to C (compare with the C options above). Lastly...


It's really worth playing around with all these options, not getting too fixed on any one of them - although it's perfectly OK to find a favourite. Flexibility is just as important as speed.
That 2nd one is my choice way to play it too and has been for 30+ years. I like that free index finger to do F and B barre chords as well as faster transitions to A, B7, C, D & E

But i do get the value of the beginner way as well. It seems to me to work better as a movable shape when playing jazz chords where you need to transition fast playing chord melodies and you dont barre much.
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Old 03-04-2019, 04:18 PM
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ljguitar ljguitar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Whitey#1 View Post
My instructor, after covering some of the basics (which I pretty much already had down), has started me out learning the C & G Chords. My question is basically this:

How long would one normally expect it to take to get these two chords down to the point where one is good at it? I typically practice about 30-45 minutes a day. So, one week? one month? three months?

I am just trying to get an idea of where I am at here, and if indeed I am making progress.

r/Mike
Hi r/Mike

If you learn three new chords a week, in a couple months you are going to have a solid arsenal to work with.

Some chords use the same fingering (played on a different set of strings).

And when it comes to G & C chords, there are a lot of ways to play a G and a C chord. I start students & friends with a four finger G and four finger C which only requires you to make a simple move of one pair of fingers to the next pair of strings.

The first picture is a 4 finger G - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - and Second picture is a 4 finger C (you don't need to play the fattest bass string on the C)
All you do after you play the G is pick up fingers 1-2 and move them one pair of strings higher.

I'm guessing your teacher wants you to learn a switch from a 3 finger G to a 3 finger C. So you could learn these 4 finger versions as Bonus material.

Here's a video I use with students & friends to help them leave space to switch chords without getting in a hurry or losing the beat.

It has two chord progressions which you can learn later, and it shows you a simple 'strumming-pattern' that leaves room to switch chords and not lose the beat. The first progression (G to C to D to G) uses the 4 finger G from the picture above. Have fun learning the guitar!!!



Hope this helps…



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