Chord change break thru

freedive135

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This is big for me...

I have been having struggling with some of the harder chord changes like B to Ab7

B Ab7
2 3
2 2
3 3
4 1

or even worse the singe strum changes like F to Bdim to F to Bb to F

I figured out tonight that if I have a "pivot finger" (which finger I place first,instead of tryin to place all fingers) it makes it this much easier.

I move from the bar 2nd fret B, to the ring on the 3rd fret E string then place the rest of my fingers.

Now I am doing that for other hard changes (finding a pivot finger) and its been like a light bulb went off!!!

I just had to share....
 
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This is big for me...

I have been having struggling with some of the harder chord changes like B to Ab7

B Ab7
2 4
2 3
3 4
4 1

or even worse the singe strum changes like F to Bdim to F to Bb to F

I figured out tonight that if I have a "pivot finger" (which finger I place first,instead of tryin to place all fingers) it makes it this much easier.

I move from the bar 2nd fret B, to the ring on the 3rd fret E string then place the rest of my fingers.

Now I am doing that for other hard changes (finding a pivot finger) and its been like a light bulb went off!!!

I just had to share....



How lang have you been playing???


this is great to hear man! i have found that out as well! except about 4 months ago:(
 
I brought this up in my post here:

http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?p=98032#post98032

In some cases it also helps to think about how you finger the chord. In your example of changing from a B to an Ab7 (which is 1323, not 1434), if you can play the B with a full barre on the second fret then you can slide the barre down a fret then drop the middle finger down one string and position the ring and pinky. Having at least one finger that stays on the same string (an "anchor" finger) makes it a lot easier to make the change.

Another example of rethinking your fingering is moving from a C (0003) to an Em (0432). If you finger the C using your middle finger instead of your ring finger then all you have to do is move it to the 2nd string on the same fret and then add the index finger on the 1st string, 2nd fret and the ring finger on the 3rd string, 4th fret. Even better, get a head start and have the index finger on the 1st string when you're playing the C...because it's behind the middle finger it doesn't matter and then all you have to do is move the middle finger up one string and add the ring finger...the whole chord anchors off the index finger.

One last example would be moving from a D (2220) to a G (0232). However you're fingering the D, whether it be a partial barre or cramming three fingers together, just drop it down one string and then add the 2nd string, 3rd fret. This is another time where having two fingers on the same string doesn't matter as long as the finger in front (higher up on the neck) is fretting the note you want to play.

The bottom line is, when it comes to changing chords try to keep the movement of your fingers as minimal as possible. In other words, K.I.S.S.!
 
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This is big for me...

I figured out tonight that if I have a "pivot finger" (which finger I place first,instead of tryin to place all fingers) it makes it this much easier. ...

That is good stuff, man - thanks for sharing it! What song were you playing where you had to change from B to Ab7?? I like that change ... it sounds like a good song, already.

B to Adim7 is money, too.
 
I'd like to expand here a bit on cpatch's mention of an "anchor finger."

Anytime you can finger a chord so that at least one finger doesn't have to lift up from the fret board in order to grab the next chord, you're golden.

Even if you have to slide that finger up or down a fret or two it still works.

Add that to your quiver (right next to the pivot finger trick).

It's a good thing.
 
Thanks for catching the typo Cpatch.

I started playin June 15 08, my first time for anything with strings.

Till last night I never really thought about that finger thing, I would be tryin to place ALL my fingers at the same time, last night it just kinda happened/clicked and I realized I was doing it and the changes were happening smoother.
If it was talked about during my lessons I must have missed/forgot about it.

Sad thing is I don't remember what song I was playing, I'll have to look for it. I must have played 30ish songs last night.
That might be part of why I can't remember any single songs..... I sit down and play to many...

EDIT
The song was Bali Ha'i.
 
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cpatch....

As a beginner I'm stuggling a bit to understand all the new terminology and the unfamiliar notations. As helpful as I'm sure this thread is, I just can't picture some of it. (I wish I had someone to show me)

Not to nit-pick your reply above, but isn't a C chord 0003, as opposed to 0030? Again, not trying to be picky....just trying hard to understand.
 
cpatch....

As a beginner I'm stuggling a bit to understand all the new terminology and the unfamiliar notations. As helpful as I'm sure this thread is, I just can't picture some of it. (I wish I had someone to show me)

Not to nit-pick your reply above, but isn't a C chord 0003, as opposed to 0030? Again, not trying to be picky....just trying hard to understand.
Yes it is...that's a typo on my part, thanks for catching it! Sorry about the confusion...I've fixed it in my original post. If there's anything in particular you're having trouble picturing just say so. I'm sure somebody would be happy to put it on video and post it to YouTube. (Unfortunately I'm not set up for easy video at the moment or I'd volunteer.)
 
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Yes it is...that's a typo on my part, thanks for catching it! Sorry about the confusion...I've fixed it in my original post. If there's anything in particular you're having trouble picturing just say so. I'm sure somebody would be happy to put it on video and post it to YouTube. (Unfortunately I'm not set up for easy video at the moment or I'd volunteer.)

cpatch...

Thanks for the kind offer. I guess I'm a visually-based learner. I can eventually learn from posts such as this one, but it is very time-consuming, and probably more difficult than it needs to be (at least for me). My knowledge of music theory is minimal at best. What I need is a uke club, with folks I can sit down and watch, and learn from, and ask questions of. Unfortunately....no such club around here.
 
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