Guitar Lesson: Transitioning Between Chords

As we progress with the guitar, we're going to learn many different chords and use them to play songs. We need to move between these chords as smoothly as possible.

Chord Transition: E Minor to G Major

In example two, that's what we're working on here‚ transitioning from an E minor chord, the chord we just learned, to a G major chord, which we've learned in the previous section.

Finger Placement

• E minor:

  • Middle finger: Second fret of the D string
  • Second finger: Also on the D string

• G major:

  • Ring finger (third finger): Third fret on the high E string

Practice Suggestions

We know both these shapes, but I suggest taking some time to move between them on your own before we start to play with the track.

Rhythm Practice

For practice, try this:

• Four beats of each chord (a whole note for each).
• Example:
  • E minor: 2, 3, 4
  • Transition to G: 3, 4
  • Repeat: 2, 3, 4
  • Continue the cycle: 2, 3, 4

Tip: Be careful when you're strumming the G chord, as we need to strum from the G string down, whereas with the E minor, we're strumming down from the D.

Strumming Technique

We can also practice this without using our left hand. Focus on:

• Strumming from D down and then from G down.
• Repeating: D down, G down.

Strumming Tips

• Remember to show just the tip of the pick while using a circular motion to strum these chords. This technique helps avoid unwanted strings and increases our strumming accuracy.

• Timing: Notice that I keep time by rocking my hand on the beat. An example of this would be:

  • 2, 3, 4
  • 2, 3, 4

I like this method because it keeps you engaged and moving, preventing stiffness when transitioning to the next beat, which might be three or four beats later in the song.

Summary

• Transition between E minor and G major
• Focus on finger placement and chord shapes
• Practice strumming techniques
• Keep time with your hand movements

Happy strumming!