Getting to grips with basic guitar chords is the first hurdle for any aspiring guitarist. Many beginners find changing between chords particularly challenging, often getting stuck in a rut of frustration. But it doesn’t have to be that way! This guide will show you a super effective method to master fundamental chord changes quickly, focusing on the essential E chord and its friends – A and D. Once you can smoothly transition between these chords, you unlock the door to playing countless songs. We’ll use a simple “Strum, Lift, Slide, Drop” technique that makes learning intuitive and fast, getting you playing music you love in no time.
Mastering Changes Between A and E Chords
Let’s start with two foundational chords: A and E. These are cornerstones of countless songs, and mastering the change between them is a fantastic first step. If you’re used to the “123” fingering for the A chord, we’ll introduce a slightly different “213” version. This minor adjustment is key to making chord changes much smoother using the method we’ll explore. Don’t worry, it’s easy to adapt to and will significantly improve your chord transitions.
The secret to rapid chord change learning lies in recognizing patterns. Notice that for both the A and E chords, your index finger plays a crucial role on the G string. For the A chord, it’s at the 2nd fret, and for the E chord, it’s at the 1st fret. We’ll leverage this shared finger position as our anchor, making the transition between these two chords efficient and memorable.
To ingrain this A to E chord change into your muscle memory, we’ll use a method called “Taplature.” This technique synchronizes your hand movements with a foot tap and verbal cues. This ensures consistency and programs the chord change into your subconscious effectively. Follow the “Strum, Lift, Slide, Drop” sequence below, tapping your foot and saying the cue word for each action. Go slowly at first to ensure accuracy.
Here are the steps broken down:
- Strum the A chord while you tap your foot and say “Strum.”
- Lift off fingers 2 and 3 while you tap your foot and say “Lift.”
- Slide finger 1 to fret 1 of the G string while you tap your foot and say “Slide.”
- Drop fingers 2 and 3 to form the E chord while you tap your foot and say “Drop.”
- Strum the E chord while you tap your foot and say “Strum.”
- Lift fingers 2 and 3 while you tap your foot and say “Lift.”
- Slide finger 1 to fret 2 of the G string while you tap your foot and say “Slide.”
- Drop fingers 2 and 3 to form the A chord while you tap your foot and say “Drop.”
( Click here for demonstration )
Repeat this sequence ten times as instructed. You’ll be amazed at how quickly this chord change becomes natural!
Putting it to the Test: Playing with a Beat
Once you can perform the A-E change smoothly with just your foot tap and verbal cues, it’s time to introduce rhythm. Everything on guitar truly comes alive when played in time. Use a metronome or backing track to practice. A free online metronome like drummers-pulse.com is a great resource. For Windows users, Chordpulse Lite offers a fantastic free virtual backing band.
( Click here for demonstration )
To track your progress effectively, monitor the fastest tempo at which you can execute the chord changes cleanly and accurately. Consistent practice and progress tracking are key to seeing real improvement and staying motivated.
Strumming Songs with A and E Chords
With the A and E chord change under your fingers, you’re ready to play actual songs! Let’s start with a fun example: “Dance the Night Away” by The Mavericks. In the video below, you can play along, alternating between the A and E chords. As your chord changes become smoother, you’ll be able to let each chord ring out longer. Try to keep up as the tempo increases! Once you’re comfortable, try playing along with the original recording. (You’ll need a capo on the 7th fret to match the key).
( The Mavericks – Dance the Night Away – click to play )
Transitioning Between A and D Chords
We can apply the same “Strum, Lift, Slide, Drop” method to learn the change between A and D chords. This time, finger 3 will be our sliding anchor. A common mistake when moving from A to D is focusing on placing fingers 1 and 2 first, leading to inefficient movement of finger 3. We’ll train the most efficient way to make this transition right from the start.
Here’s the Taplature breakdown for the A to D chord change:
( click here for demonstration )
Follow these steps:
- Strum the A chord. Say “Strum.”
- Lift off finger 2. Say “Lift.”
- Slide finger 3 to fret 3 of the B string. Say “Slide.”
- Drop finger 2 to complete the D chord. Say “Drop.”
- Strum the D chord. Say “Strum.”
- Lift finger 2. Say “Lift.”
- Slide finger 3 to fret 2 of the B string. Say “Slide.”
- Drop finger 2 to complete the A chord. Say “Drop.”
Combining A, E, and D: Playing “Hey Jude”
Now, let’s combine the A/E and A/D changes to play a simplified guitar version of the Beatles classic, “Hey Jude.” Strum on the first beat of each bar as shown below.
( click here for demonstration )
While the full song has more complex timing, for now, strum along with the melody in the video. Start slowly and gradually increase speed as you get comfortable.
Conquering the D to E Chord Change
Our final essential building block is the change between D and E chords. Here, the index finger again takes on the sliding anchor role, similar to the A-E change. While the steps are similar to the A-E transition, many beginners find this change slightly more challenging due to the finger rearrangement required for fingers 2 and 3.
Here’s the Taplature guide for the D to E chord change:
( click here for demonstration )
Follow these steps:
- Strum the D chord. Say “Strum.”
- Lift off fingers 2 and 3. Say “Lift.”
- Slide finger 1 to fret 1 of the G string. Say “Slide.”
- Drop fingers 2 and 3 to form the E chord. Say “Drop.”
- Strum the E chord. Say “Strum.”
- Lift fingers 2 and 3. Say “Lift.”
- Slide finger 1 to fret 2 of the G string. Say “Slide.”
- Drop fingers 2 and 3 to form the D chord. Say “Drop.”
Aim for a target speed of at least 200 bpm for each of these three chord changes. Identify your weakest transition and dedicate extra practice to it. You’ll likely find that as your weakest change improves, the others will too!
Ready to Play Countless Songs!
With these three chords and their transitions mastered, you now have a foundation to play a vast number of songs. Click here to search Google for “songs with a d e chords guitar”. You’ll discover a wealth of popular songs that utilize these simple chord combinations. We’ve covered all the possible transitions between A, D, and E, equipping you to play them at a basic level.
In the video below, you can explore some famous song examples that demonstrate the power of these chords. Even experienced guitarists sometimes rely on these efficient fingerings for smooth and quick chord changes.
( click here to view song examples )
Taking Your Guitar Skills Further
Apply this “Strum, Lift, Slide, Drop” approach to learning changes between any new chords you encounter. While you might see the fastest progress with A, D, and E, this method is universally applicable and will keep you moving forward on your guitar journey.
Once you’re comfortable with these basic chord changes, the next step is to tackle chord changes while strumming. The most effective way to approach this is to practice simple strumming patterns separately from chord changes initially. Master a basic strum without worrying about chords, and then refine your chord changes without focusing on strumming at the same time.
For further guidance on strumming techniques, check out this blog article on strumming. And for a comprehensive guide on practicing chord changes effectively, explore this article on practicing guitar chords.
Keep practicing, have fun, and enjoy the rewarding journey of learning guitar!
If you need extra support or have questions, join the Taplature Forum for discussions, advice, and even free one-on-one guidance!
