The 2-Finger Trick That Makes Chord Switching Twice as Easy
A simple two-finger anchor trick that cuts chord switching in half – so you can play G, C, D and E minor and real songs far sooner than you thought.
Playing real songs is what keeps you motivated on guitar – but a lot of them ask you to learn a pile of chords up front. In this lesson I share a simple trick that lets you unlock those songs sooner by cutting the difficulty of chord switching roughly in half.
Play 15 Iconic Songs - The Free Printable Songbook
- Chord diagrams, strumming & practice notes for all 15 songs
- Play your first full song today - even as a total beginner
- Learned in the right order, so you always know what’s next
The Two Anchor Fingers
Put your pinky on the third fret of the thinnest string and your ring finger just above it on the third fret of the B string – and leave them there. Your index and middle become your only moving fingers, so every chord change involves half as many fingers. You do not even have to press hard with the anchors at first; resting them there is enough to get started.
Your Home Base: G to C to D
From that anchor, add your middle and index to form a G. Move those two fingers down a step for a C, then again (lifting the middle) for a D – and you have everything you need to play Free Fallin’ by Tom Petty. Practice G to C and G to D a few times each before stringing it together.
Anchoring Builds Good Habits
Because your ring and pinky stay touching the guitar in one spot, your hand has a constant reference point. You can switch between G and C without even looking down, and it gently steers you away from hunching over and bending your wrist at a funny angle.
Adding Color: E minor and a Descending Bassline
Shift your middle finger and you get E minor, which opens up the G – Em – C – D progression behind thousands of songs. Add a descending bassline and you can play the signature move in Wonderful Tonight, Have You Ever Seen the Rain, Redemption Song and even Rocketman. What makes it all ring is that your anchored notes turn ordinary chords into richer, jangly added-tone versions of themselves.
Final Thoughts
Do not get hung up on playing perfect chord shapes – that is what ends a lot of guitar journeys. One of my students once said that learning a bunch of chords would let them play guitar, and I gently disagree: chords are just one small part. Use this trick to develop rhythm, form and feel sooner, and the chords get better on their own over time. If you want to go further, I cover everything step by step inside GoodGuitarist Academy.
Have a fun time practicing and I’ll see you soon!
-James
