The best chord switching exercises are the one-minute change drill, switching between two chords for a minute and counting the changes, the common-finger pivot, keeping a finger down that both chords share, and the air change, forming the next chord in the air before you land on the strings.
What are the best chord switching exercises?
The best chord switching exercises are the one-minute change drill, switching between two chords for a minute and counting the changes, the common-finger pivot, keeping a finger down that both chords share, and the air change, forming the next chord in the air before you land on the strings. Each exercise trains a different part of the change: the one-minute drill trains the speed, the common-finger pivot trains the efficiency, and the air change trains the preparation, and together they make the change smooth and fast. The chord change is the hardest part of playing guitar, because the fingers must move from one shape to another, quickly and cleanly, and the change must be on the beat, or the rhythm will break. The exercises isolate the change, so the hand can learn it without the distraction of the song, and the change becomes a habit, and the habit becomes smooth. The C major guitar chord and the G major guitar chord are the chords most players first switch between, and the metronome keeps the beat steady.
How chord switching exercises work
The one-minute drill works by training the hand to change quickly, with feedback, because the counting tells the brain whether it is improving, and the improvement is the motivation. Choose two chords, such as C and G, and switch between them, slowly and cleanly, for a minute at a time, counting the changes, and trying to beat your count each day. The drill should be done slowly at first, until the change is clean, and then faster, one step at a time, so the speed builds without the cleanliness being lost. The common-finger pivot works by keeping a finger down that both chords share, so the hand has an anchor, and the other fingers move around it, and the change is faster, because one finger does not move. The change from G major to C major shares no finger, but the change from C major to Am shares the index and middle fingers, which stay on the 2nd and 4th strings, and the change from G major to Em shares the index and middle fingers, which stay on the 5th and 6th strings. The air change works by forming the next chord in the air, before the fingers land on the strings, so the fingers are already in the shape when they touch the strings, and the change is instant. The D major guitar chord and the A major guitar chord are the chords the exercises are built on.
Worked example — the one-minute drill, C to G. Set a timer for one minute, and play C major, strum it four times, then change to G major, strum it four times, then change back to C major, and repeat, counting the changes. A beginner will manage about ten changes in a minute, and a player who has practised for a few weeks will manage twenty or more, and the goal is not speed, but cleanliness: every string must ring cleanly on every chord, and the speed will increase as the cleanliness improves. Now try the common-finger pivot, changing from C major to Am, keeping the index and middle fingers down, on the 2nd and 4th strings, and moving only the ring finger, from the 3rd fret of the 5th string to the 2nd fret of the 3rd string, and the change is faster, because two fingers do not move. The I–V–vi–IV progression in C major is a good progression to practise the change with.
How to practise chord switching exercises
Practise chord switching exercises slowly, with a metronome, until the change is clean, and then increase the speed, one step at a time, so the speed builds without the cleanliness being lost.
- Do the one-minute drill with C major and G major, switching for a minute at a time, counting the changes, and trying to beat your count each day.
- Practise the common-finger pivot, changing from C major to Am, keeping the index and middle fingers down, and moving only the ring finger.
- Practise the air change, forming the next chord in the air, before your fingers land on the strings, so the fingers are already in the shape when they touch the strings.
- Play the I–V–vi–IV progression in C major with the one-minute drill, changing chords on beat one of each bar.
- Practise with the metronome at 60 beats per minute, and increase the tempo by 5 beats per minute when the change is clean at the current tempo.
Common mistakes
- Changing too fast, before the change is clean — A change practised too fast will be sloppy, and the sloppy change will become a habit, because the brain remembers what it repeats, right or wrong. Practise slowly, until the change is clean, and then increase the speed, one step at a time.
- Lifting all the fingers off the strings — A change where all the fingers lift off the strings is slow, because the fingers must find their places again, and the change will be late. Keep the common finger down, as a pivot, and form the next chord in the air, so the change is fast.
- Stopping the strumming hand to change chords — The rhythm is in the strumming hand, and stopping it to change chords will break the rhythm and lose the time. Keep the strumming hand moving, and start the fretting hand moving early, so the change is ready when the beat comes.
Quick reference
This table lists the three chord switching exercises, with what each one trains and how to do it, so you can build a practice routine from the table. The one-minute drill trains the speed, the common-finger pivot trains the efficiency, and the air change trains the preparation, and together they make the change smooth and fast.
| Exercise | What it trains | How to do it |
|---|---|---|
| One-minute drill | Speed, with feedback | Switch for a minute, count the changes |
| Common-finger pivot | Efficiency, one finger stays | Keep the shared finger down, move the others |
| Air change | Preparation, shape in the air | Form the chord in the air, then land |
Use the table to build a practice routine: start with the one-minute drill, then the common-finger pivot, then the air change, for a total of about ten minutes a day. When you can do every exercise cleanly, and the changes are smooth, you can switch chords in any song, without pausing.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best chord switching exercises?
The one-minute change drill, switching between two chords for a minute and counting the changes, the common-finger pivot, keeping a finger down that both chords share, and the air change, forming the next chord in the air before you land on the strings.
How do I change chords faster?
Practise the one-minute drill, slowly at first, until the change is clean, and then faster, one step at a time, so the speed builds without the cleanliness being lost. The speed comes from the cleanliness, not from rushing.
What is a common-finger pivot?
A common-finger pivot is keeping a finger down that both chords share, so the hand has an anchor, and the other fingers move around it, and the change is faster, because one finger does not move. The change from C major to Am shares the index and middle fingers.
What is an air change?
An air change is forming the next chord in the air, before your fingers land on the strings, so the fingers are already in the shape when they touch the strings, and the change is instant, instead of slow.
How long does it take to change chords smoothly?
A few weeks, with daily practice, because the hand must learn the shapes, and the brain must learn the changes, and the changes must become habits. A few minutes a day, every day, will make the changes smooth faster than a long session once a week.