I got 9 on my first attempt, 12 on my second, then 11.5? on my third… lol. This is fun! Then I got 15, I think (I lost count). It definitely is getting easier with practice. My fifth attempt got 21, and 22 on my sixth. Then I went back to 21. Then back up to 22. My fingers were hurting pretty bad after that, so I called it quits for the day.
Hello, everyone. I wanted to ask if I should look at my left hand doing the chord shapes on the neck or at my right hand strumming. Because I feel like I can’t strum the right strings without looking, but looking back and forth slows me down.
Hi @sofiamg, welcome to the forum! There’s no rule as to where you have to look at this stage. Your ultimate goal would be to be able to play without looking at either one of your hands, but of course, that takes practice. So for now, look at your hand(s) if you need it, and don’t worry about it too much. You’ll be surprised how quickly you’ll become less dependent on looking at your hands.
Should the 30 changes in a minute be clean sounding chords before moving on? I got around 12-15 and they were pretty rough. I’ll definitely be practicing this over the next couple of weeks.
Hi @ReactionTime , and welcome to the forum! At this stage, you should aim for clean-ish changes: the cleaner the better, but it’s ok if it’s still a bit rough around the edges. Later on, Justin will introduce something he calls ‘perfect fast changes’ - that’s when you will start aiming at really clean.
We’ve all been where you are now, and we all managed to get past it - you will too. Just keep practicing and you will be amazed how fast you will get to over 30 more or less clean changes!
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I appreciate the encouragement! I wasn’t able to practice for several days, but was able to get 22 changes in a minute just now, so I’m not as far off as I originally thought.
Edit - I hit 26 changes just 10 minutes later. The dopamine hit is real!
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I hit 12 on my first 1min exercise. Feels like a good starting point!
Hit 24 on my first go, although I can see how this exercise helps long term. Really good stuff tysm!
It is amazing I got 40 on my 1st tery
I got 25 on my first try and exactly 30 at all other. Let’s get it!
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1 Minute chord changes: 45 First try, but likely not real clear AND I was watching. Not sure the counts.
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Hi @RogerS67, welcome to the forum! 45 is real good. Your chords don’t have to be totally clean (in grade 2, you will encounter another exercise, ‘perfect fast changes’), but should be more or less clean. Looking at your hands is absolutely allowed, but do make sure is doesn’t lead to bad posture or tilting your guitar backwards to be able to watch. Have fun!
First time: 40 changes! but far from perfect 
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Good evening,
First try: 19 changes! Not perfect but a good start, let’s keep it going!
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Great job keep it up. 
I always found the last 15 to 20 seconds i would fall off but If I concentrated I could bump my count up, just by breathing and keeping control of a nice steady rhythm. Shake the blood into
your hand for good circulation amd drink water for hydration.
You guys and gals are doing great. Before you know it you won’t have to look or think about it.
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The quantifiable exercise is fantastic for me, thank you. I noticed that I struggled with needing to look to the right, towards the strumming hand, to see where I have to start strumming - 6th or 5th string. That meant that my head kept going from left - to see where to place my fingers - to the right, to see where to start strumming. Felt like I am about to get a neck strain and a dizzy head 
that made we wonder are there perhaps any good tips for the strumming hand, to practice coordination without looking?
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Oh yeah, and 25 changes on my first try. (:
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Never mind the last sentence in my post, strumming lesson coming up, saw it!
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Patience Grasshopper !
Welcome to the Community Sandra. 
Never be afraid to ask anything, even if you think you may have discovered the answer, as you have done here. There are rarely any new questions asked on the forum as folks have been treading the same path for a long long time.
Enjoy the ride !
:
really motivational - well done providing the practice tool - started with 6 , 12, and 17 on first series of attempts - not brilliant but will see how it goes over the next week
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