GUITAR
HOW TO MAKE SOLID CHORD TRANSITIONS ON GUITAR | David Harsh
Want to get better at transitioning between chords? I think you’ re going to find some real value here with these five essential tips. Heads up: the video that accompanies this article will show you a lot more than what I can articulate with just these words.
We all want clean chord transitions, but sometimes, we struggle to make them sound good. If we don’ t have solid chord transitions locked in, one of two things will happen. First, we’ ll have to abandon rhythm entirely as our strumming hand waits for our fretting hand. Second, we’ ll stay in rhythm, but our chords will sound muddy and sloppy.
Although it’ s not possible for me to teach you every possible chord transition here, it is possible for me to teach you some overarching strategies that will help make any chord transition smoother. Here are the five tips – and even if only one works for you right now, that’ s still a win!
1. KNOW YOUR CHORDS WELL. Go here with me. If I don’ t know how to play two chords really well on their own, is my transition between those two chords going to be smooth? Of course not. So really work individual chords. Get comfortable with voicing them from low to high, and high to low, without accidentally getting in your own way( more in the video.)
2.“ PRONOUNCE” YOUR CHORDS LIKE WORDS. What do I mean? Well, chords exist in context, right? Let’ s think of a chord progression like a sentence.
Here’ s a simple sentence for you:“ When I play GUITAR, I have fun.” Now I’ m able to pronounce all of those words just fine. But was there a time, perhaps when I was much younger, like age 3, when I couldn’ t pronounce some of those words? Let’ s say I couldn’ t pronounce“ guitar.” Well, I’ d need to focus on that word especially, until I could just summon the word without thinking about it. So, if you can“ pronounce” words, you can“ pronounce” chords.
3. ANTICIPATE THE CHORD YOU’ RE GOING TO PLAY. In his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, author Stephen Covey says,“ Begin with the End in Mind.” Rather than only thinking of the chord you’ re playing, think about what’ s coming up. That way, you’ ll be looking ahead and your mind will already be ready. If I’ m reading a chart – any chart – whether it’ s got notation, tablature, or just chords, is it helpful
48 April 2025 Subscribe for Free...