Hey Friend,

Last week when we looked at the D minor chord, I said it would be rare for you to see the C major to D minor chord change, especially in Rock music. Not so for C to E minor.

This is a very useful chord change in Rock. The E minor chord lands right in between the I chord (C) and the V chord (G), so it's got a spacing that provides enough tension to draw you towards the next chord.

Play the two chords in succession and you can feel the movement as it pulls you along, practically begging you to choose your next chord in the progression. E minor is a very good transition chord to place in a progression.

If you look at the exercise tabs, we'll start with an open first position C chord and change to E minor. Contrary to what the chord chart shows for fingering, I suggest having your middle and ring fingers swap strings when you change chords. 

With C, your ring finger is on the fifth string, third fret, and the middle is fourth string second fret. When you switch to E minor, swap fingers so your middle finger is on the second fret of the fifth string and your ring finger is at the second fret on the fourth string.

You might think I'm splitting hairs about this whole fingering thing, but consider what happens when you follow the chord chart fingering the way the software lays it out. Notice your index finger would have to move from the second string to the fifth string. Even though you could anchor your middle finger on the fourth string, you've still got three strings to bounce across to get your index finger in place.

Now tell me, if you're trying to change chords quickly, which seems more efficient? Moving a finger across three strings, or switching places between two adjacent strings?

Move through the four systems on the tabs as separate exercises to practice changing chords and getting the finger switch in your muscles. On the last system, I have you keep your index finger anchored on the second string so you get a taste of how the chord sound can change with a little improvisation. You're also getting finger independence training with that little trick, and it sounds cool, so that's a bonus!

As far as the tempo, if 80 BPM (beats per minute) is too fast for you to make the chord changes easily, lower the BPM on your trusty metronome (you do have one, don't you?) to a comfortable speed... even if it's down to 20 BPM! Practice changing the chord fingering back and forth until it becomes second nature. It might take a week or two of practice, but long term it will make a big difference to your skill.

If you don't have a metronome, you can get one on your smart phone, iPad, or computer. There are plenty that are free to download and use (as long as you don't mind advertisements). If you're more of an old school, analog Rocker, you can always pick one up at a local music store.

I'll have MP3s for each exercise available tomorrow in the review. I'll also try next week to have the MP3s along with the tabs. 

Alright, we're rounding third base and making the run for home plate for the weekend. Rock it out!

Peace~

Dave