Many beginner piano players focus on easier things in order to get their hands straight over this instrument. This is the right practice if you want your learning path to lead smoothly with small successive challenges achieved. One of the biggest mistakes that piano learners make is that they want to make progress in days but the fact is that learning an instrument such as piano is an art that you can learn with practice and gradually over time. As a beginner you should focus on simple things first and get your concepts and terminologies straight along with co-ordination skills. One of the trickiest things for piano learners is changing the chords smoothly while maintaining a pattern of rhythm. There is always risk of losing focus especially when you are not an expert.
Tips for Smooth Changing of Chords
Here we have outlined some tips that will aid you in transitions of chords in a melody. Not only these tips would make you job easier but would prevent breaking up of tone. However remember that smooth changing of chords would need time and practice but following these tips would make this job simpler and quicker for you.
Learn the Concept of Chords and How it Works:
Before you learn to change chords smoothly, you must have detailed knowledge of what chords are and how their movement is governed. Learn all the basic chords and their working. You should visualize and work on each of the chords. Work on your finger movements with coordination. Try different chords exercises and practice them regularly.
Visualize your Next Chord:
When you are playing a chord, you should not lift your finger unless you know where it will land for movement to another chord. This would really help. You need to train your mind to visualize next chord before you actually shift your fingers from existing chord on your piano. This is one of the key elements for improvising on piano skills.
Train your memory with a Relaxed Mind:
Your body including your fingers must be in a relaxed state of mind. Keep your arms, wrists, hands and fingers relaxed as you plan to move from one chord to another. With a relaxed body you will be able to better concentrate on movement of chords. Try some exercises for building your muscle memory and practice them for some minutes. You can opt for various chords exercises available for taming your memory.
Make the shift swift and slow:
When moving chords, keep pressure and stress on your fingers at its minimum. Do not excessively move fingers when you have to change chords. Make the movement of your fingers softer and you will be able to make the movement quicker. When you are practicing chords, witness movement of your fingers as you make a change to next chord and work for improvement of this movement.
Correct Chord Fingering:
It may appear to be something very simple but correct fingering plays the most important role in playing and changing of chords. With correct fingering you will be able to make the switch quicker and with ease. Number each of the fingers of your left hand starting from thumb, number them 1 to 5. Follow similar numbering pattern for your right hand too.
For instance consider a three note fingering say for the section of G major. You begin as G, B, D pressed with your fingers 5, 3 and 1 respectively. Try different chord exercises using both hands left and right and practice to get your hands over chords.
Try not to break the rhythm:
This is one of the most common problems that some beginners may be facing while they switch between chords. Try to avoid it. The time when you think to switch chord, you may notice that one of your hands may stop in order to take time to think for the switch. Try to train your memory and this would only come with more and more practice. It is more of a body and mind co-ordination where your mind needs to think where to place your body part/fingers next for changing of chords.
Practice regularly:
Repetitive practice would make things much easier for you. Practice regularly with complete concentration and a relaxed mind. Practice will enable you to improve your movements and you yourself will be able to witness the differences.
Conclusion
In order to make chord movements simpler for you, you need to work for improvements. Practice different exercises related to working of chords and movements. Keep your fingers at a good pace neither too slow nor too fast. Keep them relaxed and avoid breaking of rhythm as you switch to another chord within a melody. Do not move too fast as your mind needs to think of actions before doing. Don’t worry about speed at this stage as speed will automatically come as you progress and practice with time.
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