Guitar Tips for Beginners

One of the first challenges a guitarist faces is switching smoothly from one chord to another. Here are two techniques that you may find helpful as a beginning player:

4x4 Practice

Whenever I teach my beginning students a new song, I start by listing each of the required chord changes. Sometimes students get overwhelmed by trying to do everything at once (strumming, left-hand fingering, optionally singing) and trying to do it at the same tempo as the original artist. Isolating the chord changes and just doing down strums allows students to first focus on the basics and then tackle the other elements of the song.

If a song has 4 chord changes (e.g., G D Em C) I write these chord changes at the top of the page like this:

G G G G
D D D D
Em Em Em Em
C C C C

and then I tell my student to play this pattern, using a single down strum for each chord symbol, 4 times (thus the name 4x4, meaning that each chord gets played 4 times and then the whole pattern is repeated 4 times). This exercise should be played slowly enough to allow chord changes to occur smoothly (without any pauses). You should be able to tap your foot to the rhythm (or, even better, play along with a metronome).


Hand-position Technique

I learned this technique from a talented lead guitarist in a local band. For this exercise, choose a single chord to work on (e.g., D). Play the chord once, then move your left hand away from the guitar strings about a half inch, keeping your hand in the same shape it was in when you were playing the chord. Return your hand to the strings and play the chord again. Repeat several times.

Variation 1: Perform the same exercise described above with your eyes closed. Repeat several times.

Variation 2: Move your hand several inches away from the guitar (while keeping it in the appropriate shape for the chord you are playing), then "land" it back on the strings and play the chord. Repeat several times.

Variation 3: Relax your left hand after removing it from the strings. Then, prior to putting your hand back on the strings, form it into the shape it needs to be in to play the chosen chord. Then play the chord. Repeat several times.