# 295 - Why Your Chord Changes Are Slow (And How to Fix Them)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beginner-guitar-academy-442144/295-why-your-chord-changes-are-slow-and-how-to-fix-them
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/beginner-guitar-academy-442144/295-why-your-chord-changes-are-slow-and-how-to-fix-them.md
Podcast: [Beginner Guitar Academy](https://stenobird.com/podcast/beginner-guitar-academy-442144)
Published: 2026-07-18T19:14:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.bgapodcast.com/
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/ecc17584-28d9-4cdd-9591-fa9b54b0da37.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/beginner-guitar-academy-442144/episodes/295-why-your-chord-changes-are-slow-and-how-to-fix-them
Duration seconds: 1047

## Resource

This week's podcast focused on one of the most common frustrations for beginner guitarists: slow chord changes. We explored why chord transitions often plateau your progress and, most importantly, offered practical strategies to fix the problem. Key Topics & Takeaways Why Chord Changes Can Plateau Your Progress Slow chord changes can halt your learning momentum. This episode explores why this happens and reassures listeners that it rarely comes down to lack of talent—often, it’s about how you practice. Upcoming Live Workshop Announcement A live “Faster Chord Changes” workshop is scheduled for June 26th at 9 PM GMT, offering live demonstrations, Q&A, and actionable exercises for improving chord transitions. Practice Studio Update Introduction to Practice Studio, a new tool to track practice habits, song progress, and playing milestones, streamlining learning and identifying weak spots. The Central Concept: Efficient Movement Over Speed One concept discussed was that chord change speed is primarily about minimizing unnecessary finger movement. Practice efficiency and accuracy lead to increased speed as a natural byproduct. Five Most Common Mistakes Slowing Down Chord Changes Practicing Too Fast Trying to play at the speed of the original song leads to repeated mistakes. Prioritize accuracy; slow, deliberate practice will reach your goals faster. Lifting Fingers Too Far from the Fretboard Excessive finger height wastes movement and makes changes less efficient. Reduce the distance your fingers travel for smoother, faster chord transitions. Ignoring Anchor Fingers or Common Tones Many chord changes share “anchor” fingers that don’t need to move, or can simply slide to their new spot. Identify and utilize these pivots. Examples include moving between E minor, A mino…

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