--- In jazz_guitar@..., Ron Becker <ron45@...> wrote:
I am sucking big time at this. It seems to be taking for ever to
learn to accurately change from one chord which is a little new to
another which is new to me. How slow is slow? I am analyzing the
process in terms of common tones, which fingers can remain as
anchors, how the other fingers move and what their target note is.
These are fairly easy four note chords without long stretches mostly.
What else should I be doing. I am not yet trying to maintain a tempo
i.e. play to a brushes track with appropriate feel. It is the
accuracy of placement not remembering what the chord looks or sounds
like. I notice right away when a note is missing. There are only
four! I know it's helping my ear but it's bruising my ego.
This is way harder that single note lines - physically and mentally. When I started with a teacher he wrote out tunes with chords on most every note and had me work on playing them in rhythm for the next week. I did this for a LONG time before ever getting into scales and arps and integrating them into chord/melody solos. Try the tennis ball in your coat pocket trick now that coat season is back. Squeeze frequently with your left hand. Also practice at times on an acoustic metal string guitar - preferably with extra crappy action. I think it is really more of a physical hurdle than mental.
