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Learning guitar, need a tip

PldgMyGrievancePldgMyGrievance Posts: 279
edited 2009 31 in The Porch
So I'm trying to learn how to play guitar. I've memorized the C G and E chords so far. I am having trouble switching smoothly from chord to chord. Any tips on how to practice that? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
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Comments

  • allstar340allstar340 NYC Posts: 812
    PldgMyGrievance wrote:
    So I'm trying to learn how to play guitar. I've memorized the C G and E chords so far. I am having trouble switching smoothly from chord to chord. Any tips on how to practice that? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
    Well playing a lot and stretching your hands out helps. Relax when you're playing and don't be too tense or changing chords will be more difficult. Hope this helps ;)

    Also, you already know "Not For You" because the whole song is just taking the E chord shape and moving it up the neck.
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  • mfc2006mfc2006 HTOWN Posts: 37,484
    PldgMyGrievance wrote:
    So I'm trying to learn how to play guitar. I've memorized the C G and E chords so far. I am having trouble switching smoothly from chord to chord. Any tips on how to practice that? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks


    Pick an easy, slow song to learn. "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" is a good one. Take your time with it b/c it won't happen overnight. "Knockin" is also a good song b/c it helps you learn the G-D transition. I think it only has 4 chords...G, D, Am & C. But really...the key is patience. Slow it down as much as you need & you'll be in good shape soon enough!
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  • ThrowUrArmsAroundMeThrowUrArmsAroundMe Posts: 113
    Honestly, it just takes time and repetition. I taught myself and it took me a good year or two before I was fairly proficient. Just stick with it, you'll be moving quick in no time. A few good PJ tunes to learn are Elderly Woman, Last Kiss, Drifting, Nothingman, and Wishlist. Just keep at it and you'll be playing YL in no time!
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  • GmoneyGmoney Posts: 1,618
    i'd say you're no where near being ready to play songs yet.
    Ok so you know the c,g, and e chords, that's a good start. Since the c and g chords have sort of a similar finger position start with those. Play the c for 4 beats ( tap your foot 8 times, on the 4th tap start playing the chord and play it for the next 4 toe taps) Do that until you're very comfortable playing the c chord as you tap your toe. After that, try going from the c to the g. To start just practice switching the finger patterns with your left hand (assuming you're a righty) Once you're comfortable with switching the left hand finger positions then add in the strumming with your other hand. Try playing the c for 8 toe taps and then switching to the g for 8. Start by tapping your toe as slowly as needed for you to execute the chord change. Play each chord for 8 beats and continue to switch back and forth until you are totally comfortable with this chord change. After that start trying new chords to work into this routine.

    It is a slow tedious process, believe me, I know. I had an amazing teacher when I was 14. He made me go through this process with each chord progression. I was frustrated and wanted to learn how to play the alive solo, but in time it paid off. The key is repetition, repetition, repetition, repetition. Hope that helps.
    Further back and forth a wave will break on me, today...
  • upina2001upina2001 Indiana Posts: 764
    muscle memory my friend, straight muscle memory.

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  • mnicole22mnicole22 Posts: 417
    edited 2009 30
    My advice: Practice switching chords while looking elsewhere. Don't look down! Watch TV. Or keep that creepy "I'm playin' guitar" stare with someone while practicing. Get used to the feel of where your fingers belong, and not how they look. And if the chord sounds muted, you'll know you're doing it wrong and fix what you need to do to perfect the hold. Keep at it. I'm so glad I learned as a kid because as an adult it's so much harder to focus on sharpening skills.

    Good luck!
    Post edited by mnicole22 on
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  • MC82108MC82108 Posts: 2
    Just keep at it man, i remeber one day i could just switch back and fourth like it was second nature, it will happen for you, MFC is sort of a good song to learn, works on you're picking, chords, and power chords, and can even learn Dropped D tuning, just read alots of tabs, any guitar riff you like try and learn it, even the hard ones. Good Luck
  • WildsWilds Posts: 4,329
    That knockin on heavens door suggestion is what worked for me. I taught me those three/four chords plus really put me on the path of switching.


    Rockin in the Free World really helped me as well.

    Em, D, C for the verses then G, C for the chorus.
  • Grateful JamGrateful Jam Posts: 81
    hey man
    i too am just learning. i know about 20 chords by heart and it is tough to link them together. if i get bored or frustrated i go to http://riff-o-matic.com/riff-a-day/index.htm and learn some cool easy riffs. check it out. and you are still learning something.
  • PJ Fan est. 1990PJ Fan est. 1990 Posts: 1,788
    basically what you need to learn is muscle memory...what my bro taught me to do is to make the shape of the chord and hold it...even play it a few strums...then release and shake your hand out to relax your muscles then hold the same chord again...repeat until you can grab the neck of the guitar already in chord position...do this to all the chords...then switching will come easier...
  • It_Wasnt_My_SurfaceIt_Wasnt_My_Surface Posts: 851
    Heart of Gold taught me how to play guitar.....First thing I ever learned
  • DeLukinDeLukin Posts: 2,757
    My advice would be to be patient and keep working. I think Ed had a quote somewhere were he said learning guitar was a struggle initially and then one day he picked it up and it felt like an old friend. I probably butchered that quote, but what he says is true. So keep learning, keep working at it and most of all enjoy it!
    I smile, but who am I kidding...
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