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Tuesday, February 6, 2018

Back to an acoustic guitar technique..one minute chord switch.

from guitaralliance.com
I spent a few months mucking around on a steel string guitar before going over to the dark side (classical) a few years ago, and when learning to switch between chords I found that the technique taught at JustinGuitar called "one minute chord switch" was surprisingly successful.  It involves switching back and forth between 2 chords for (guess what?) one minute. Somewhere around the 40 second mark the fingers seem to get in the groove and the switch becomes much easier (and faster).  I hadn't had reason to think about this for quite a while - however in our latest orchestra part I've been struggling to switch between a chord on 4th, followed immediately by an awkward chord at 1st and then a barre chord on the 10th fret with only an eighth note in between,  Either one chord or the other was muffled or I just didn't get there in time.  Then I remembered the one minute technique, and after only a couple of "minutes" of practice I'm much sooo... much closer.  Can't say I'm quite there yet, but it doesn't seem so impossible as it did a week ago. Try it and see if it works for you!
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3 comments:

  1. RogerFebruary 6, 2018 at 8:18 AM

    I started acoustic guitar with Justin Guitar so I know the one-minute chord switch. Good stuff. My teacher has a variation on it that I really like too you might want to see how it works for you. You set your metronome to a comfortable speed, probably 60-80bpm. Then you take the first chord play it for 4 beats, then rest for 4 beats, then play second chord for 4 beats. Do this few a few cycles until you are getting that change within 4 beats. Then reduce the rest to 3 beats of rest, then 2, then 1 then no rest in between. Then take it a step further and only do 3 beats of the first chord, 3 beats of the second chord. Then 2 beats, then 1 beat. I would suggest just start with the first two chords. Then the second and third. Then when you have that start doing all three of them in succession. This came up this weekend at my lesson and we did this routine to get me to switch between two chords. The reason I like it is because it gets you to focus on just those two chords and then gives you some time to make the switch. Then it motivates you by reducing your time between the chords. I found that when I did it it allowed me to think and strategize what fingers had to land first so I can make the switch from one chord to the other.

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    1. creamburmeseFebruary 6, 2018 at 11:00 AM

      Great idea and a good variation Roger! Thanks for the idea and I will defnitely try it...I'm finding it still a struggle even to fret 2 of the chords without a few seconds to 'get into position'. And we have rehearsal on it tonight lol.... Thank goodness the other piece we will be working on is all single line melody, with no pesky chords. Only problem is yours truly has the melody. Oh well.

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  2. Nia NelsonFebruary 8, 2018 at 4:21 AM

    What an idea Roger! I loved it & would like to experiment it as well. Do you know some good online stores to buy Kenny Hill guitars from?

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