Make two shapes sound clean, then practise the movement between them at a pace you can control. Keep a record of clean changes rather than chasing speed.
Choose a useful pair
Start with Am and C in standard tuning. Use the open shapes on their chord pages. Your right hand does the fretting on a conventionally strung left-handed guitar; your left hand keeps the strumming pulse.
Minutes 1–3: make each chord ring
Place your fingertips just behind the fret wires. Pick each sounding string individually. If a note buzzes, check finger position and use only the pressure needed to sound it. If a string is muted accidentally, look for a finger touching its neighbour. Do not strike strings marked X.
Minutes 4–6: practise the movement
Move slowly from Am to C and back. With the familiar open fingerings, the first finger on the B string at fret 1 and the middle finger on the D string at fret 2 can stay in place while the ring finger moves. Check your chosen fingering rather than assuming every shape uses the same fingers.
Release unnecessary pressure before moving. Watch the destination once, then repeat the movement with your eyes less dependent on the neck. If the shape falls apart, slow down and practise only the difficult part of the movement.
Minutes 7–9: keep time
Set a metronome to a comfortable slow pulse, such as 50 beats per minute. Strum once, count four beats, then change on the next beat 1. Try to arrive together with the beat. If you repeatedly miss it, leave eight beats per chord or practise the movement again without the metronome.
Minute 10: record one small result
- Count clean changes for one minute using the same two shapes and tempo.
- Write down the number and the string or movement that still needs work.
- Repeat the same pair next session. Increase speed only when the notes and timing remain clear.