chords 1 finger at a time


bigdragon.ana
Registered User
Joined: 10/12/20
Posts: 10
bigdragon.ana
Registered User
Joined: 10/12/20
Posts: 10
11/16/2020 7:28 pm

Will I learn to use all my fingers at once when training chord transition one finger at a time or should I effectively learn the "form" of the hand before touching the fretboard?

I'm a bit confused as I get mixed responses.

I've been at C to G transition and back for 3 weeks for 1 hour a day but I keep using one finger at a time or maybe 2 fingers of three at once.


# 1
bigdragon.ana
Registered User
Joined: 10/12/20
Posts: 10
bigdragon.ana
Registered User
Joined: 10/12/20
Posts: 10
11/17/2020 2:44 pm

No reply yet so I'll reply myself. I 'm happy I found this video on guitartricks

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=28910

Here the instructor shows how to hover.

btw: I didn't know that "channel" gives specific lessons. I'm happy I'm getting to know the site.


# 2
ddiddler
Full Access
Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
ddiddler
Full Access
Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
11/17/2020 9:06 pm

sometimes happens.

Depends who is around.

The usual answer is to keep practicing. Practice, practice and then practice some more.

Similar position to yourself. [br]Some changes go smoother, others are still w.i.p

If you click on instructors tab you also get a list of their tutorials

Anytime your on a lesson you like if you click on the instructors name it also brings up a list. [br]Can't remember every lesson but Lisa covers finger placements in chord changes.

Anchors, leading finger, using fingers common to both chords.

My electric changes are much smoother than my acoustic and some changes are just easier than others.


# 3
jimk8882
Registered User
Joined: 08/31/20
Posts: 98
jimk8882
Registered User
Joined: 08/31/20
Posts: 98
11/17/2020 10:19 pm

Just a thought for those of us in Fundamentals, if we could do all of the chord changes smoothly, would we still be in Fundamentals?

As mentioned by ddidler, some chord changes go smoothly and some don't. I do know that if I keep practising that I will get there.

Jim


# 4
bigdragon.ana
Registered User
Joined: 10/12/20
Posts: 10
bigdragon.ana
Registered User
Joined: 10/12/20
Posts: 10
11/18/2020 7:15 am

thx, for the replies. I didn't mean anything negative by saying there were no responses. I was just happy I found a reply. And who knows, other people may be helped by my response.

Jimk an obvious answer can be given here. But my problem is always with useful or useless training. I know it takes time to get out of the fundamentals zone so I don't want to lose time on useless stuff. And I was just wondering why some people tell to hover over the frets and others say: " Just continue using one finger at a time" which in my case doesn't help speed go up.


# 5
ddiddler
Full Access
Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
ddiddler
Full Access
Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
11/18/2020 9:41 am

I can shape the chords happily enough.

The speed of the changes is what is holding me where I am in the progression.

I can do one change per bar if I set the metronome to about 70.

the other 3 beats allow me to make the change.

This is a measure and allows me to see some improvement.

Another is to choose 2 chords or maybe 2 chord changes. An easier one and maybe one you consider a bit more difficult.

Set a timer and count how many chord changes you make in one minute

count each chord as one.

To play songs you really need to be at around 60 changes/minute

On the easier ones I can do about 30-40

Others around 20-25

Again it allows you to see you are making progress

Then do some 3 chord progressions in the same vein.

Either to a metronome or timed.

We are making progress but it all feels so slow until as the songs we want to play are so far out of reach. Maybe stick to a couple of riffs so at least we are playing something recogniseable . It is possible to find some common riffs which can be played along one string. It's fun to hear a tune come from our guitars

Dave


# 6
ddiddler
Full Access
Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
ddiddler
Full Access
Joined: 05/13/20
Posts: 364
11/18/2020 9:46 am

Also look in the toolbox section and play on the fretboard game

It helps learn the fretboard and again gives a measure for us to work from

I get them right most of the time

My best time is 1 min 17 . I'm usually stuck around the 1min 30 secs time

In context the leader board is around 23 secs

Dave


# 7
JeffS65
Registered User
Joined: 10/07/08
Posts: 1,602
JeffS65
Registered User
Joined: 10/07/08
Posts: 1,602
11/18/2020 7:38 pm
Originally Posted by: bigdragon.ana

Will I learn to use all my fingers at once when training chord transition one finger at a time or should I effectively learn the "form" of the hand before touching the fretboard?

I'm a bit confused as I get mixed responses.

I've been at C to G transition and back for 3 weeks for 1 hour a day but I keep using one finger at a time or maybe 2 fingers of three at once.

To break this down, the first answer is; it's not really worth caring if they're all at the same time or not.

Though I do think in the siutation you explained, that's a little different. As your skill improves, this becomes a non-question. The reality is that your fingers never land on all the strings at one time. But when you develop the ability to do chord changes 'at speed', it doesn't matter.

Something to keep in mind, when you listen to a song that has a consistent strumming pattern, you'll notice that there are small pauses or interuptions or changes in pattern in the chord change. This is because it's the natural flow of a strummed progression.

However, you did say that you are placing them 'one finger/string at a time' and your goal for clean changes is to be faster than one string at a time.

Something to be mindful of; when you are strumming chord changes. Don't just change a chord every stroke of a strum. Strum one chord for something like four or eight beats (or strums), then change to the next chord and do the same (four or eight beats). I'd say for this drill, do it eight beats.

The two things at play here while you're learning changes are not only the chord change but also becoming comfortable with holding the chord. Getting your hand to become used to that chord configuration. Holding it long enough to let it set in for a few seconds, then changes to the next chord and doing the same. Don't rush it either.

The greater comfort you have just holding the chord, the more readily you will be able to change to that chord. This also helps you get a sense of how to hold a clean chord too. If you rush through chord changes, you might end up with flatting out some strings and getting buzziness when a chord that is not held clean.

The real trick in a clean chord change is not the chord change but the comfort with actually holding the chord.

For the record, you may read here at the GT forum with me saying I've been playing for a long time and so on and so forth but when I do mention that it is to let folks know that even when you can play with some skill, these kinds of tools and tricks are always useful. If I run across a chord I've never really played or a configuration I'm not used to, I do the same thing I just told you above. I get used to that chord.

Just some thoughts.


# 8
paulcavaliere
Full Access
Joined: 11/05/20
Posts: 132
paulcavaliere
Full Access
Joined: 11/05/20
Posts: 132
11/19/2020 11:19 pm
Originally Posted by: bigdragon.ana

No reply yet so I'll reply myself. I 'm happy I found this video on guitartricks

https://www.guitartricks.com/lesson.php?input=28910

Here the instructor shows how to hover.

btw: I didn't know that "channel" gives specific lessons. I'm happy I'm getting to know the site.

Thanks. This helped me a lot.


# 9

Please register with a free account to post on the forum.