How to Get Good at Changing Chords

When you first set out to play the guitar, you will probably notice that changing chords – that is, going from one chord to another – cleanly and accurately, is somewhat of a challenge.  Don’t fret! (I love using that one!) This is common for all but the freakishly naturally gifted among us.  The good news is that it CAN be overcome with a bit of practice, and a few simple tricks.

The first step involves memorizing all of the chords in the given song you are trying to play (Yes, I do recommend trying to learn some songs, as opposed to just blindly playing some random chords – it’s much easier when you have a definite goal in sight). You might have to finger these slowly at first before your hands memorize their shapes.  In most cases, your index finger will act as your anchor – this is the finger all others will fall around.  Whether you are playing barre chords, open chords, or other moveable types of chords, the index finger will most likely be your guide – let it be.  If you are slow at getting your fingers down, make sure you plant your index finger first to establish your ground.

At first, just practice playing your chords, in order, but don’t worry about playing along to the actual song.  Just get comfortable fretting, and changing between the various chords.  Go slow at first, until you can do it cleanly, then try it a bit faster.  It might help to set a metronome at a slow setting, and try to change every x clicks.  Make it an easy and even number, such as 4 or 8.  Once again, don’t worry too much about the actual tempo or durations used in the actual song.

When doing this exercise, you’ll have to channel your inner Wayne Gretzky – Gretzky once said “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.”  This is great advice.  You should be anticipating your next move, and like Gretzky, you want to arrive at precisely the right moment – not a second too soon…or too late.  This is why you should go slow until you are playing those changes cleanly.  The metronome gives you a target.  Practicing freeform, you won’t feel that underlying urgency to get your fingers ready for the next move.  You’ll have nothing to shoot for.  If you are content to sit and play clumsily and out of time, that will unfortunately be your final product.

Once you are comfortable with the chord switches, you’re ready to start tackling your song.  Still, the tempo may be out of your league – that’s fine.  Play the same progressions, only slower (again, using your metronome).  Don’t try to rush and play along if the song is too fast for you, because you’ll only wind up making a ton of mistakes, but worse, you will develop bad habits that can stick with you for a long long time.

If you find that you’re still having some problems with certain changes, even at a slower tempo – slow it down considerably and practice just those changes until you can play them as well as you can play the other parts.  Sometimes, we have the tendency to just fumble through the tough spots to get back into our comfort zone.  Don’t do it – spend the extra time to get it right.  You be glad you did!

Finally, when you can match the original song’s tempo chord for chord, you may need to add some more elements, such as strumming or palm muting, or any variety of rythym techniques.  Just take it one step at a time, and you’ll have that song nailed before you know it!

Share on Facebook

Bookmark It

Hide Sites