How to use stepping-stone chords to learn faster

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With stepping-stone chords, you make music more quickly, build finger accuracy and dexterity more easily, and have more fun along the way.

 

 

Are you struggling with basic guitar chords? Let me show you how to fix this problem using a technique that’s a cornerstone of our teaching philosophy and that is stepping stone chords.

Stepping stone chords are easy chord shapes that allow you to learn guitar in a much simpler and a much faster way with a lot less frustration.

Most novice guitarists don’t realize that you don’t have to play difficult chord shapes, you can simply play an easier chord shape from the same chord family.

Here’s what it looks like for a few common chords that are difficult for beginners to learn.

Stepping-stone C chord

The stepping stone version of the C chord -- using two fingers instead of three.

Stepping-stone G chord

The stepping stone version of the G chord -- using two fingers instead of four

Stepping-stone D chord

The stepping stone version of the D chord -- using two fingers instead of three.

Stepping-stone F chord

The stepping stone version of the F chord. Use three fingers instead of a barre chord.

Stepping-stone B minor chord

The stepping stone version of the B minor chord. Use two fingers instead of a barre chord shape.

There are dozens of stepping stone chords and we teach them to our students all the time.

They’re an absolute lifesaver, a time saver, a frustration saver, you name it, they’re brilliant.

The principle I want you to take from this lesson is, all right, okay, I don’t have to learn that super hard chord shape, you know, there’s an easier version I can use as a stepping stone to get where I want to be. As you’re learning stepping stone chords, you’ll be improving your finger accuracy and your dexterity and before long you will be able to play those more difficult chord shapes.

With stepping stone chords, you make music more quickly, you have more fun along the way and this means that you learn faster and with less frustration.