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Ailsa

Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England

smoother chord changes? 
Hi guys,

Anyone got any tips on how to practise getting chord changes smoother and faster? Generally my right hand is getting better, but finding a new chord shape with my left hand is still too stumbling. How have you guys practised to improve this?

Thanks y'all!

A

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 2 2009 14:08:46
 
val

 

Posts: 800
Joined: Apr. 4 2007
 

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Post has been moved to the Recycle Bin at Nov. 8 2010 12:51:42
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 2 2009 14:19:26
 
gj Michelob

Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to val) 
quote:

Go back to folk for a while, strum and sing along


Well this is not a bad advice, either, to learn chords-changing through less stressful pieces.

However, what helps me is (with the majority of chords) to pinpoint the pivotal finger in the formation, and slide it to the next, even when that finger may no longer participate in the new chord. Ultimately, however, it is a repetitive, yet always identical, stretch of your hand which takes you to the next chord, rather than the arachnomorphic [1] movement of your fingers, each climbing about the strings like a little spider on the spout.

[1] “arachnomorphic” yes… I made it up!

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 2 2009 15:47:58
 
pacodegarcia

Posts: 90
Joined: Apr. 22 2007
From: Australia

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
Do the changes real slow REAL SLOW ! Also focus on which finger goes down first in the new chord and put each finger down one at a time rather than trying to 'grab' a chord. By putting them down one at a time and slowly your practicing staying relaxed which ultimately will lead to a smooth and silky left hand :) good luck.

Nigel

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 2 2009 15:58:28
 
NormanKliman

Posts: 1143
Joined: Sep. 1 2007
 

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
quote:

pinpoint the pivotal finger in the formation, and slide it to the next, even when that finger may no longer participate in the new chord.



quote:

focus on which finger goes down first in the new chord and put each finger down one at a time rather than trying to 'grab' a chord.


Sound advice from GJ and Nigel. About GJ's idea, one or more fingers might not even have to move from one chord to the next. Sometimes we lift all our left-hand fingers for the next chord when it's not necessary.

When things aren't flowing smoothly, sometimes the problem is in the fingering of the first of the two chords, and choosing a more illogical fingering for the first one makes it easier to do the second one. In these situations, look for ways to keep the same fingers on the same strings.

Nigel's idea often comes into play when doing arpeggios. For example p-a-m-i might mean clamping down on the sixth and first strings before the others (probably easy if it's a barre chord), and if it's a-m-i (no thumb), you might only have to fret three treble strings.

It's also important to warm up your left hand before expecting good results, and by "warm up" I mean tiring it and resting it a few times to get the juices flowing, not just tiring it once and launching straight into performance.

I'll bet you can find ways to use these ideas in that taranta that you were practicing.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 2 2009 22:52:16
 
HemeolaMan

Posts: 1514
Joined: Jul. 13 2007
From: Chicago

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
play the first chord slowly feel the tension in your body from your left hand and forearm.

try to work on playing with as little pressure as possible. then release the chord, but don't drop your hand. feel the lack of tension and make sure you are as relaxed as possible.

next, move slowly and efficiently, planning in your head before you move where your fingers will end up and the path they will pass through as they get there. think of it like tai chi.

then when you land in your destination chord play it and release tension after it is played. repeat the process and move back and forth between the chords.


this will program good behaviors into your body that will allow you to play longer and have less wear and tear. it will also help in your accuracy and speed.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 3 2009 8:57:01
 
Ailsa

Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
Guys thanks for all your useful tips, I really appreciate it. I've put in some solid practise this evening, and already it's started to improve a little.

I found that in one change I was taking off one finger that could just slide along down down a fret, and unfortunately that's got into a habit. But now that I'm aware I can work on it.

And in another change I worked out that it's the 6th string that plays first so I can fret that first giving me a microsecond long to find the others!

Thanks for your support.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 3 2009 12:01:58
 
Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
Hey Ailsa,

You are not alone.

Paco Peña said that he didn't used to bother with his left hand and would just use any old fingers anywhere, until he shared a flat in Paris for a while (in his teens) with a Classical guitarist and started noticing how he was playing....and that was a turning point for him....

He then started really examining the best way to move from chord to chord and that really kicked off his (now very precise) LH technique.

cheers,

Ron
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 3 2009 12:10:00
 
gato

Posts: 322
Joined: Jun. 9 2007
 

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
Ailsa, there is a way to the root formations and secondary fingerings in chords that I wish I could show you. Oh well it's too complicated to just tell you in a post. But it's easy once you learn it and put it in to practice once you have learned it. Other than that, it's a process of memorization that takes a little time, and you have to give yourself that time and work on it.

Don't sell yourself short, alot of people just play power chords and I am always amazed that they don't really know a lot. Be fair with yourself and apply paitence and one day you will look back and then see that it was worth it. But that is just encouragement, and other than that, keep asking people and you will learn a lot. There are ways and you will find them with tenacity and practice.
Gary

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 3 2009 12:35:26
 
Isa

 

Posts: 13
Joined: Jan. 30 2009
 

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
great post, Ron. I notice there are easy ways to play chords (for more beginner plays like me) and then there is the harder way - that if you practice will help you make chord changes quicker. They seem to involve a lot of barring and stretching your hand. For me practicing 4 octave scales help with left hand finger flexibility and might make chord changes easier so your fingers dont trip.
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 12 2009 19:55:41
 
greeny

 

Posts: 50
Joined: Feb. 26 2008
 

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
Ailsa,

A way which works for me is to pay attention to closing the gap - the stretch of time between sounding the chords.

For that I use a metronome set to mega-slow.

Then, I play the chosen chords on the first beat of the measure, using no rhythm and I concentrate on keeping the little bit of silence, the gap in between the chords as short as possible, while keeping time-pulse, timbre and volume steady.

Depending on the chord shapes I attempt to grasp it can be quite an engaging exercice.

Try it!

Greeny
  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 12 2009 21:05:03
 
Ailsa

Posts: 2277
Joined: Apr. 17 2007
From: South East England

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to greeny) 
Thanks for all your tips guys. I've been trying them out and this problem really has started to improve. Really great of you all to share your suggestions.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 13 2009 0:59:08
 
Exitao

Posts: 907
Joined: Mar. 13 2006
From: Vancouver, Canada

RE: smoother chord changes? (in reply to Ailsa) 
I printed out a bunch of sheets of blank chord diagrams.

I write in the chord shapes for the song and just practise all the transitions for a while before even start in with my right hand.

When one gives trouble I practice the chord before it and the trouble chord until it feels smooth(er), then the trouble chord and the one after it until that feels smooth(er), then all three chords in order until that's smooth and then back to the top - until I find another stumbling block.

I was told that the right hand should drive the left (to keep up with the tempo), so I started doing this to give the left a head start. It helps a bit.

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  REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |  Date Aug. 13 2009 1:30:13
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