Pivot Fingers (Guitar Lesson)
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Pivot Fingers
Brendan Burns explains how pivot fingers can be used to achieve smoother, quicker chord changes.
Taught by Brendan Burns in Tips & Tricks with Brendan Burns seriesLength: 9:04Difficulty: 1.0 of 5
Video Subtitles / Captions
Supplemental Learning Material
Tips & Tricks with Brendan Burns
Found in our Beginner Lesson SetsBrendan Burns covers tips for rapid chord changing and economy of motion.
Lesson 1
Pivot Fingers
Brendan Burns explains how pivot fingers can be used to achieve smoother, quicker chord changes.
Length: 9:04 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Battle Plan
Brendan Burns discusses a "battle plan" for performing chord changes. The battle plan prepares you for the next chord in the progression through visualization as well as physical preparation.
Length: 8:16 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
The Strum Switch
Brendan explains how rhythmic consistency with the right hand must be maintained in order to perform effective chord changes.
Length: 9:27 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Staggered Strumming
Brendan Burns explains how "staggering" your strums can assist in performing chord changes.
Length: 8:08 Difficulty: 0.5 Members OnlyLesson 5
Connected Chord Voicings
Brendan discusses and demonstrates how to connect chord voicings together.
Length: 14:00 Difficulty: 1.5 FREE
Connecting Chords: Dominant 7ths
Brendan Burns demonstrates and discusses ways to connect dominant 7th chord voicings.
Length: 10:35 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Connecting Chords: Minor 7ths
Brendan Burns demonstrates connecting chords for both the 6th string and 5th string minor 7th voicings.
Length: 13:15 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Connecting Chords: Major 7ths
Brendan Burns discusses the major 7th chord voicings and ways to connect them.
Length: 13:15 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Connecting Chords: Minor 7th Flat 5
The last chord voicing in the connecting chords series is the minor 7th flat 5. Brendan demonstrates uses and voicings for this chord.
Length: 7:52 Difficulty: 1.5 Members Only
Kline Electric Guitar
Brendan answers some frequently asked questions about his Kline guitar.
Length: 6:31 Difficulty: 0.5 Members Only
Practice Strategies
Brendan Burns discusses ways to get the most out of every practice minute you spend with the guitar.
Length: 22:28 Difficulty: 1.0 Members Only
Prepared Guitar Techniques #1
Get ready for the wild and weird! In this two part series, Brendan shows us how to achieve some very unique, organic sounds by physically attaching various items to your guitar.
Length: 25:27 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Prepared Guitar Techniques #2
Brendan wraps up this short series by showing us some practical applications for the prepared guitar.
Length: 17:24 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Harmonics Part 1
In part one of this mini-series, Brendan shows you everything you need to know about producing solid left hand harmonics.
Length: 23:39 Difficulty: 2.0 Members Only
Harmonics Part 2
Brendan shows us how to play the simple tune of "Amazing Grace" using only harmonics. In addition, we'll learn how to develop other melodic ideas that enhance the original melody.
Length: 9:43 Difficulty: 2.5 Members Only
Harmonics Part 3
Brendan continues in his harmonics series by showing us how to bend harmonic notes behind the nut, culminating in the harmonic exploration of two traditional folk tunes: "Danny Boy" and "Shenandoah".
Length: 35:39 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Harmonics Part 4
Brendan wraps up his harmonics series by showing two really awesome techniques: tap harmonics and pluck harmonics. These two techniques will make the entire chromatic scale available to you via harmonics!
Length: 14:24 Difficulty: 3.0 Members Only
Practice Strategies, Vol. 2
Brendan expands on a topic he shared with us a while back: practice strategies. Learn how to get the most out of your practice time with 8 very helpful and practical tips from a seasoned veteran!
Length: 26:57 Difficulty: 0.0 Members Only
About Brendan Burns
View Full Biography
Brendan has been passionate about music since childhood. He began his studies on trumpet, in elementary school, and then moved to guitar as a teenager. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Berklee College of Music, and has studied with Norm Zocher, Joe Stump, Bret Willmott, Bob Pilkington, Jay Weik, Tim Miller, & Charlie Banacos.
While at Berklee, Brendan was a member of the Music Mentoring Program, teaching private lessons to gifted high school students. He is currently teaches, and is chair of the guitar department at Brookline Music School. Brendan also teaches guitar for Tune Foolery & privately at his home in Cambridge, MA.
Along with educating, Brendan plays out often as a Solo Guitarist, performing standards, pop, and classical repertoire. He has recorded and played with the chamber-fusion band Ra Quintent, and as well as Vessela Stoyanova's Eastern Stories Under Western Skies Project. Brendan also performs as a leader, director and sideman for various Boston art-rock projects, and is former member of MIT's Gamelan Galak Tika.
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Member Comments about this Lesson
Discussions with our instructors are just one of the many benefits of becoming a member of JamPlay.Thanks Brendan! Great little lesson for those of us who never seem to get the chord changes moving as fast as we want.
Good lesson man keep it up
Im pretty late to the party. I must admit I found myself wondering about exceptions to the 'rule, for example Amaj to Gmaj. Doesn't take a genius to realize the c# note moves horizontally to help build the G. I can't wait to teach this to my students.
I was using this techniqe unconsciously, I am happy to learn this has a name and I will use it more consciouly in the future. I really like the comment of marclange because I have the same problem and thanks for the answer. Great lesson.
this lesson was good but i stared at your guitar the whle time. Did you notice its missing the headstock?
Yes, no headstock and no fret markers. What about the strategies? Have they helped your playing?
For all of you who run through this series with the C, Am and Fmaj7 chords, you now know the verse of "Don't Panic" by Coldplay :) There's probably lot more songs using these chords but I only recall this one.
The chorus of "One" by U2 also uses that chord progression.
Its mainly my last 2 fingers, they seem to have some sort of a delay. Its mostly bar chords. But the pivot idea seems to help. if you can make another video on more complex shapes or more ideas to improve coordination. It'd be awesome. love your lessons by the way.
Keep in mind those last two fingers don't work like the rest. I can't remember if it's tendons or muscles, but essentially the ring and pinky are connected together much more than the other fingers. Because of their dependence on each other, they are little sluggish moving around from grip to grip. Make sure to take a little extra time with them, and they'll catch on. Try the "Battleplan" technique for the some of the bigger chords. It can help for the last two to really see where they are going.
Hey I enjoyed this lesson, any chance can you cover some harder chord voicings for styles lke jazz and fusion? Great job.
I'm using basic chord voicings for these lessons, but the principles apply for any grips. Let me know if you run into any specific problems.