[Fonz]

I have been playing the guitar for exactly one week now and have been able to learn about 5 of the "major" chords. I am at a point where I can get them to ring relatively well and have started moving into basic chord progression. I am trying to use Kurt's "Knocking on Heavens Door" exercise and am getting frustrated.

Any suggestions for a newbie on moving from one chord to the next? I cannot get my fingers set up fast enough and the first chord played stops ringing as I begin to move. Thanks all!

[randomaire]

I know its frustrating, but only playing one week and if you already know the fingerings for 5 chords and can make them ring well, then trust me you have nothing to be angry about.

The best way to think of that lesson is this way:

If you can't keep up with the beat, don't worry about it, it will come in time, it takes the majority of people months before they can even get most of those chords to ring out well at all, much less shift proficiently, and especially to get the beat down.
I'm pretty sure the beat is the standard 4/4 time. That means you count 1 2 3 4 each number is a strum down(in the basics). I like to think of that as 1 sec 2 sec 3 sec 4 secs, basically 4 seconds of strum, that means you have about one second to get to the next chord and strum.
It takes time ok, don't rush it, don't get frustrated, just keep at it, trust me it will come, and you will look back on it and be like just think I had trouble with that?!

The other way of thinking of this is also, that which finger goes down first for the chord, what is the note of each chord.. I think the note that makes the chord that particular chord, that finger should be down first.

The main thing I would say is keep the strum consistent and if you miss the chord on the first couple of strums don't worry just get the fingers there during the strums and in time the mind will relate the two and things will happen faster.

Another way, don't think of the song, just play a few of one chord, then switch, play some of that chord, then switch, play some of that and so on... the key thing is don't worry bout the song yet, just get the chords down and the switching better.

[Fonz]

Thanks randomaire! I appreciate the encouragement. At this point I am simply trying to play the chord on the first beat and the move to play the next chord on the first beat of the next measure. I need all 3 seconds at this point! Thanks again for the tips and I will just keep plugging away.

[randomaire]

Yeah wait till you get to where you have to move chords up and down the fret board instead of just the open position. Yeah thats when you'll really start throwing stuff.

This is the progression I look at:

Chord Theory: What makes up the chord.
Chords: Proper fingering.
Chords: Making em ring out clear consistantly.
Switching: Changing chords.
Switching: Changing chords, and still getting the chords to ring out.
Switching: Changing chords with a beat.
Barre: Barre chording (Trully hate this part)
Sliding: Moving one chord up the fretboard, not changing fingerings.
Sliding: Moving chord up the fretboard and changing fingerings.
Sliding: Moving from one chord to another chord in different area of fretboard.
Barre Sliding: Same as the 3 above only with barre chords.
Chord to Barre: Changing chords to a barre chord and back again.
Chord to Barre to Sliding: Changing chords to a barre chord and sliding the barre up or down the fretboard. and then changing back to regular non barred chords again.
Solo: Scales, notes on chords, etc etc.
After that its improv, styles, personal style, scales and etc.

This is for chords though, fingerstyle is pretty much alongside that just a bit harder cause strumming is easy, hitting the right strings for a certain note is the harder part.

[Stratrat]

I'd add this (take it what it's worth, from somebody who's learning also) - if you're playing with a metronome (or foot tapping or whatever) to keep time and you can't keep up with the beat, slow the beat down. You'll get better results learning it at a slower speed than you will from trying to play too fast and just ending up with a sloppy mess. I've heard instructors say that "speed is a by-product of accuracy", and that's the way I'm approaching it.....if I can't play something at a certain speed, I'll slow it down to a speed I can play at, and gradually bump the speed up as I get more comfortable with it.

[randomaire]

Very good idea also, but as Kirk alludes to so much in here and I would have to agree, don't get too dependant on the metronome. Could cause you problems like he said say you have been playing with a metronome the whole time and then you get on stage and you have to warm up your metronome cause you're so used to it,, can't remember which thread he said that in, but it makes a lot of sense.

I would use the metronome to get how a certain beat should sound in your head, condition your brain to the timing of different beats, but beyond that, I'm not to fond of the metronome myself.

But definatly if you can't keep the speed of the beat slow it down, slow count the 1,2,3,4 if it takes you 3 seconds to shift then count 1...2...3...4shift

[bluesbaby]

Originally Posted by Fonz

I have been playing the guitar for exactly one week now and have been able to learn about 5 of the "major" chords. I am at a point where I can get them to ring relatively well and have started moving into basic chord progression. I am trying to use Kurt's "Knocking on Heavens Door" exercise and am getting frustrated.

Any suggestions for a newbie on moving from one chord to the next? I cannot get my fingers set up fast enough and the first chord played stops ringing as I begin to move. Thanks all!

Just to let u know--u are not alone! I'm a newb too, and I know EXACTLY what you are talking about!! I think it's something that will resolve itself with time and practice, practice, practice....ya know? Let's hope so.

[allthumbs]

One week is nothing. Give yourself time.

[GeoNjules]

Iv'e been playing for 3 months now,and the chord changes are MUCH easier. I took the main advice from everyone here which is, practice, practice, practice. Soon, this thing called muscle memory will take over (one member called it "guitar vodoo" ).Remember though,if you practice sloppy,you will play sloppy.