Switching Chords Quickly

BboyEmperor · Nov 30, 2008

Okay so I have a bit trouble switching chords in a quick manner. I tried playing along to Aldrine's video Ukulele Christmas - Let it Snow! and it was too fast for me. Some of you are thinking "But it's not even that fast!" It may be to you, but it is to me. Do you have any tips for me so I can improve on switching chords faster?

- Levis

EDIT: Oh and can someone help me with the strum pattern on this? Thanks in advance.

hotnuts · Nov 30, 2008

I'm sorry to tell you, but there is not going to be an easy fix for your problem. You'll just have to play more.

As a drill, you could play the song slowly by lifting your whole hand quite far away from the fret board (say 1in) and then back down to do the next chord. When you get the chords down, you'll feel that your fingers "remember" their position and form a "block".

Eventually, you'll want to only move the necessary fingers to form the chords, but getting to the point where you have finger memory will get you enough speed to do just about any of the videos posted on this site.

BboyEmperor · Nov 30, 2008

Ah, okay. Thanks for the tips. I guess I'll try to play it at a slower beat and what not.

Hey does anyone have a good image or program or something for ukulele chords? I've seen many different images and some have the same chords but at different places. I don't know if that made sense...
If it didn't, well, lets say one site has an image of a chord is played like so and so, and another site has an image of that same exact chord but where you place your fingers on the frets and what not is different.

Do you have any website or image that has accurate chords?

There should be a Ultimate-ukulele site; like they have for guitar! Haha. When you rollover a chord it shows the chord and everything =P

Kanaka916 · Nov 30, 2008

Uke Chord Finder . . . shows 2nd and 3rd positions by clicking on the chord name ex: Cmaj = 0003, 5433, 5437, 5787, etc.

BboyEmperor · Nov 30, 2008

Thanks Kanaka916. This is very useful.

Waterguy · Dec 1, 2008

There are a couple of things you need to keep in mind as you practice. Speed in chording is one part muscle memory and one part economy of motion. As a for instance, a G major chord typically puts the index finger on the C string second fret, middle finger on the E string third fret, and the ring finger on the A string second fret. The E minor tends to use the index finger on the A string second fret, the middle finger on the E string third fret, and the ring finger on the C string fourth fret. There seem to be many songs where E minor follows G major. Heres the thing, if you are holding a G major the way I described, the dropping your pinky on the C string fourth fret will give you an E minor. There are lots of times when that kind of thing will help you move between chords faster and learning to recognize when the oportunity exists is a key part of learning to play fast.

Lanark · Dec 6, 2008

Waterguy said:
There are a couple of things you need to keep in mind as you practice. Speed in chording is one part muscle memory and one part economy of motion...

Pretty much this.

It's all about practice, practice and more practice until you reach the point where you cease having to actively think about where your fingers go. The chord and the motion are the same.

Just keep at it and working.

psychopathicjack · Dec 6, 2008

One of the things I do, I play 2 chords that are in consecutive order over and over again until I feel like my body got the hang of it. Back and forth, back and forth. Then I shift to the next chord in line and play the 2nd chord and 3rd chord over and over again. It works for me, maybe it might help you out.

BboyEmperor · Dec 9, 2008

Waterguy said:
There are a couple of things you need to keep in mind as you practice. Speed in chording is one part muscle memory and one part economy of motion. As a for instance, a G major chord typically puts the index finger on the C string second fret, middle finger on the E string third fret, and the ring finger on the A string second fret. The E minor tends to use the index finger on the A string second fret, the middle finger on the E string third fret, and the ring finger on the C string fourth fret. There seem to be many songs where E minor follows G major. Heres the thing, if you are holding a G major the way I described, the dropping your pinky on the C string fourth fret will give you an E minor. There are lots of times when that kind of thing will help you move between chords faster and learning to recognize when the oportunity exists is a key part of learning to play fast.

Wow, I never thought of switching like that.... Thanks!
Lanark and psychopathicjack, Thanks for the help too.
I guess all I can do is keep practicing...

Thanks again, all of you.

Oil Rig Pilot · Dec 10, 2008

yup - those hints helped me too... thanks guys.

Robert

Guting · Dec 10, 2008

gotta learn to walk before you can run.

ONYX · Dec 11, 2008

I've been practising hard on my E to B#m change, so i can play Whistle For The Choir, by The Fratellis

cashew · Dec 11, 2008

ONYX said:
I've been practising hard on my E to B#m change, so i can play Whistle For The Choir, by The Fratellis

I finally just learned how to go into an E chord..but going in and out of it... esp to one of the B family is still hard...

Practice practice practice is key here.

Shas · Dec 27, 2008

One of the best ways to speed up
is to slow down.
Play your song at maybe one-third normal speed,
concentrating on accurate finger placement
and moving directly to that placement
with a minimum of "shifting" or "adjustment."

Once your fingers know exactly where to go
and can go there confidently every time,
THEN start picking up the tempo.
It really works!

After that it's just "miles and miles of miles and miles"
as an ancient mandolin player once told me.

Good luck, and Happy New Year!

MisoHappy · Dec 27, 2008

cashew said:
I finally just learned how to go into an E chord..but going in and out of it... esp to one of the B family is still hard...

Practice practice practice is key here.

To play E I use my thumb to bar the top three strings (fourth fret) and my pointer to hold the bottom string (second fret) There are many, many variations to this chord though

BboyEmperor · Dec 27, 2008

Thanks Shas, when I get a new ukulele or my old ones returns to me I'll practice

SeanKy671 · Dec 27, 2008

I think it's one of those things that just come to you..
from my understanding transitioning between chords will come easy in time, and the more familiar you are with the chords are and where they fit the easier it will come

as you learn more chords it's less to worry about them because you can just play them without thinking
-Sean

BboyEmperor · Dec 27, 2008

I guess I can practice with the last four strings on my cheap guitar

Howlin Hobbit · Dec 28, 2008

Shas said:
One of the best ways to speed up
is to slow down.

Shas has got it exactly right. As I said in another recent post on the subject, make haste slowly.

(And rep points to Shas... what a great first post!)

PattyD · Jul 7, 2009

Whiiiiiiiiine

A song I REALLY want to learn, once transposed into my vocal key now requires me to play a quick Bb - D7 - Gm - Eb chord progression and it's DRIVING ME CRAZY!!

Will I ever be able to learn to do this???

Switching Chords Quickly

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