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Thread: How to transition chop chords cleanly

  1. #1

    Default How to transition chop chords cleanly

    Hello All,

    As a beginner, this forum has been a tremendous help as I attempt to learn so thanks to everyone who takes the time to provide advice to us rookies.

    One problem I’ve been running into lately is the ability to play and transition between chop chords without errant noise when attempting to play at normal bluegrass tempos. I can make all the chord shapes cleanly now - it seems to be more with my right hand and rhythm as well as switching fast enough (ie. not getting all fingers down for the next chord in time before my right hand is ringing out an open string that takes away from the steady/consistent chop sound that all great players have.)

    Any tips on how to improve in this department? I tried doing rhythm exercises like pick G string on 1 then chop on 2 to get the “boom-chuck” type sound and can do that in isolation but when I try to play a tune it almost feels like all rhythm goes out the window haha. I can get the steady chop sound at Bluegrass speeds but I pick up those open strings occasionally. Did anyone here encounter a similar problem in their journey? I saw playing slower is the general advice to play cleaner so maybe its just staying the course in that department and practicing switching chords over and over?

    Thanks!

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  3. #2
    Registered User meow-n-dolin's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to transition chop chords cleanly

    [QUOTE=bmfsfan615;1903130]Hello All,

    As a beginner, this forum has been a tremendous help as I attempt to learn so thanks to everyone who takes the time to provide advice to us rookies.



    Don't fret it (no pun intended). It will come in time. Practice, practice, practice
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  5. #3
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to transition chop chords cleanly

    I think you have your answer. Slow it down and keep plugging at it.
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  7. #4
    Registered User Cheryl Watson's Avatar
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    Default Re: How to transition chop chords cleanly

    I teach mandolin and your frustration is a common one with beginners. It sure is easier to show this than to explain it, but I'll give it a try.

    So start by trying this: Choose three chop chords (a I – IV – V). I usually start with G-C-D or A-D-E (same shapes just moved up by one whole step (two frets). Choose one chord at a time and take your time to make the chord correctly, keeping your hand relaxed in the chord shape so that it is as comfortable as possible. You do not want any pain. Press gently and chop one fast decisive brush across the strings at the precise moment that you press down, and as soon as it sounds out, lighten your pressure by relaxing your fingers while keeping the chord shape. It is press--relax, press--relax. Your goal is to get the chop to sound out and then the flesh of your fingers blocks the vibration of the strings so that there is sound. Good chop tone develops over time. Don't even try to play to a tempo at first.

    Next, I teach the "Air–Chop" in 4/4 time. "Air" is on 1 and 3, "Chop" on 2 & 4. Practice with one chop chord at a time. Make a very short stroke in the air (not touching the strings) with your picking hand over the G strings and count "1". Chop on the "2", Air on 3, Chop on 4. Do this slowly. You hear nothing during the air strokes but this is to keep the four-beat rhythm (groove) going. In reality players do not move the hand for only beats 2 and 4 unless the tempo is VERY fast. When you achieve this, then you play a I IV V for example G C D, or for less of a stretch, A, D, E. Play each chord for two bars (8 beats). Switch chords for proper technique (not speed) at first and do not try to play perfectly in rhythm and keep it slow. Don't worry about volume or speed as yet. You are trying for good tone and hand control. This might take a few days or a few weeks to get it right, but always practice other things like single notes and strumming open chords in between sessions of learning to chop. Too much chop practice is too hard on the hands.

    For transitions, say from a G to a C chop chord, chop each chord one time and slowly go back and forth between chords. Then try C to D and D back to G. No tempo. It is the same technique I use to teach open chords on mandolin or guitar, for that matter, except there is a strum instead of a chop. Of course, chop chords can also be strummed.

    Next, I have my students try a slow but steady rhythm, two bars each chord, then one bar each chord, then a few common I IV V patterns. Warm up focusing on one chord at a time and then try the I IV V. Another early I IV V pattern I teach is D-G-A and then I have my student move to E-A-B, same shapes just two frets up. Next, I add in the relative minor chord (the vi chord). For G, it is Em; for C it is Am and so forth, but that is weeks down the road.

    I hope this helps.

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