Changing chords is a skill that all guitarists need to have and until you get it down your songs probably aren’t going to sound much like songs. It can be quite frustrating at first but if you put in some time, practice, and a bit of determination it definitely can be done. There really is no better way than to just dive right in and start working on switching between two chords until you get it right.
There are several pairs of chords that are good for practicing when you are just getting started. One of these is to practice changing between the C and A minor chords. These chords are good because they are very close to each other on the fretboard and are fairly easy to get started with.
One thing I like to keep in mind when trying to get a new chord change down is to keep it simple. I use what I call the theory of minimal movement when attacking a new chord change. I look at the quickest way with the least movement to get between one chord and another. I’ll often choose which version of a chord that I want to play based on this theory as well. One example is the previously mentioned chord change between A minor and C. What makes this chord change a bit easier is that you can keep your first finger rooted on the second fret of the second string and just move your other two fingers. When you can keep one or more of your fingers still as a base it is much easier to change chords.
I know this sounds obvious but so many people think they have to keep up with their favorite song they just listened to when they haven’t even learned the chords or the chord changes yet. So start simple and start slow. Once you get the chord changes down at a slower pace you can then work your way up to bigger and better things.
So how do you know when you’ve got it down and are ready to move on? Well, listen to yourself play. If you have a hard time doing this and picking out whats going on try videoing yourself or recording yourself on tape. What you are listening for is any muted strings that aren’t supposed to be or any dead sounds. Also, if you are looking at a video make a note of how you are holding your wrist and if your fingers are on the right strings.
Once you get a couple of chord changes down make sure you have some fun with it! Go look up a song with those chords in it or find a song on this site and start jamming! It doesn’t have to sound perfect the first time but it is great to actually be playing a song rather than just exercises.
