As many of you will know, changing chords from C to G and back again can be really tough.
I’ve taught lessons on this 100s of times and had to really zone in on it with plenty of students.
The problem is most people are told this chord change will “get better, just stick with it”.
Well, yeah, it might, but why not learn a specific technique on how to make it better faster instead?
I’ve had countless students come to me over the years for lessons saying things like “Dan, I’ve been trying to get good at chord changes for years but I barely see any progress with them. Can you help?”
Well, with a twirl of my thin long pointy beard like an ancient samurai, I say, “why, of course I can help”…
…But instead of giving them a little tip that improves the change right away, I usually go deeper on the fundamentals for a moment.
We talk and improve basic technique – things like the positioning of the guitar so the fingers can move freely, making sure they use a light touch so the fingers can move with lightning speed, how to keep the fretting hand shoulder relaxed (tension is the enemy of progress after all), and more fundamentals.
It’s a bit like in the karate kid movie, where Daniel wants to learn how to fight and do crazy moves, but dear old Mr Miyagi makes him wash the car and say “wax on wax off” for ages.
It builds the fundamentals in Daniel and ensures he is ready
While I love the film, I always found Mr Miyagi was a bit of a tease.
I mean, he could have taught Daniel a useful move right away as well.
So, what I do with students is spend 10 minutes or so giving them some fundamentals, but I also know improving these habits will take time, so I give them a quick instant lesson that will help too.
That way the short and the long-term is covered (which is ideal).
One lesson I often teach is what I call the “C to G special move”.
It’s specifically used when fingerpicking.
The move is one that does something very clever with the ring finger, which allows the other fingers to move fluidly to where they need to go.
This special move can unlock one of the most brutal changes that many people struggle with.
I cover this special move in my Tom Dooley Mini Masterclass course as it is key to playing the song (and many more) to a really good standard.
The course is on sale until tomorrow night (after which time the price will go up).
If you are a fingerpicker, or you want to learn, you can…
…Find out more about the Tom Dooley Mini Masterclass here
The technique will take practice of course, so like Mr Miyagi’s students, be patient.
Do that and this little nifty move can make your fingers swoosh through the air like a lighting punch.
Dan Thorpe
Guitar Domination
P.S. This post was originally taken from Dan Thorpe’s private email list. To get blog posts like this sent to you which are full of great tips to make fingerpicking, strumming, and learning guitar more enjoyable (especially if you are over 40) join Dan’s list. It’s 100% free, HERE.
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