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Ok so ive watched videos , probbably too many

trying to get the chord changes right

even practicing neils skweezing exercises

still stuck

Should i try holding a chord, playing a down strum and then change?

of holding a chord doing 3 or four down strums and then change ?

or should i get the pattern right first

ie g chord ( down down up up down up) swap to c chord ?


i think basically the question is shuld i get a rhythm with the right hand first
or swap chords first

MARK

Mark:

Once you have the strum pattern down, you usually would like to make your chord change on the last up of the chord you are playing. Your last up will be on open strings before you come back down on the new chord. Hope that makes sense....

MJ

Mark- if making the chord change at tempo is difficult, I would drop back and work on making the change VERY slowly; just a few beats per minute. As the changes get more natural very gradually increase the tempo until you can play at speed.

The reason for this, IMHO, is it makes no sense to worry about how fast you play if you can't get from chord to chord. Always strive for accuracy, and making clear sounds, first. Worry about playing the song at the speed in your head until later.

Even with songs I know pretty well I will often drop back and play them dead slow just to get the changes right. After a few slow passes I get my groove back and I can play the song the way I want to.

With your sense of humor, you'll have these chord changes down in no time! Just stay at it!

Good luck buddy!! :cheer:

tks both

but hmmm



a tricky bit that i dont think ive heard eaxplained anywhere else, and very doh once u know it....makes a lot of sense u use that "going up" time to swap
and can be ready for the next down.....the light she comes on........

Neil has mentioned it in a few of his song lessons in passing. My instructor told me as well. It gives you that extra split second to get your fingers where they need to be. I still have trouble with it though. I don't make the smoothest transitions at times. Depends on the chords. Some are certainly easier than others.....

Mark- I think what MJ is saying is that in a lot of acoustic and rock music your can buy some time to make your chord change by hitting an up or down stroke with all the strings open as you transition to the next chord. You've heard this technique in a million songs. Because it's so common you don't even realize the guitarist is doing it.

Try down, up, down, up open as you change chords, down, up, etc. You'll see that in most songs it sounds fine and creates a little space in the song. :cheer:

BigBear wrote:

Mark- I think what MJ is saying is that in a lot of acoustic and rock music your can buy some time to make your chord change by hitting an up or down stroke with all the strings open as you transition to the next chord. You've heard this technique in a million songs. Because it's so common you don't even realize the guitarist is doing it.

Try down, up, down, up open as you change chords, down, up, etc. You'll see that in most songs it sounds fine and creates a little space in the song. :cheer:

Bear:

Good point. I had to have someone show me for the first time, because it was there, but I did not know that i was hearing it....... Neat little guitarist trick. I have to remind myself of a little something Neil said a while ago. "guitarists are NOT looking for the hardest way to play something....."

Mark - Catfish here. Neil talks about this in Beginner Lesson #2, Part 3, about 6 mins into the lesson. Neil calls it a "major secret in the world of guitar playing". Anyway i only knew this because I just completed this lesson last week! Hope it helps. Take care.

catfishlinn wrote:

Mark - Catfish here. Neil talks about this in Beginner Lesson #2, Part 3, about 6 mins into the lesson. Neil calls it a "major secret in the world of guitar playing". Anyway i only knew this because I just completed this lesson last week! Hope it helps. Take care.

Geez, Catfish, for a new guy you are really paying attention!! Good catch (no pun intended!)! I need to watch those vids again! :cheer: