The process of learning revolves around repetition. Whether it be figuring out a complex math problem, hitting the mark with a bow and arrow, or learning how to play a song, doing something over and over will eventually lead to mastery.
Even so, many beginner musicians are struggling to repeat chords. This shouldn’t be too surprising since a certain degree of eye-hand coordination and finger dexterity is required to play the guitar in the first place, but why is learning chords so difficult? The answer is quite simple; most beginners are thinking too hard instead of letting their fingers “remember” the right sequence.
That is what “muscle memory” is in a nutshell. That is the reason why professional musicians keep hundreds of intricate guitar solos in their memory banks, as well as the reason why drummers, bassists, and guitarists practice more often than they don’t.
Beginner guitarists and hobbyists who are struggling with memorizing the basic chords and playing the right notes are picking up on Card Chords – a simple yet highly effective tool designed to help guitar players effortlessly learn the essentials of chord play and improve their muscle memory.
What are Card Chords?
Card Chords were created and designed by Mike Grande, a prolific guitar coach with decades of experience in teaching guitar aspirants how to master their instruments.
As groups of new students came and went, Mike saw a pattern – most of these children, teens, and adults struggled to repeat the chords they were shown. Even though each person is unique and has a different learning method, the vast majority of Mike’s students needed more time to master the basic chords than any complex technique that came later.
That is why Mike felt the need to create a guitar-learning tool – a set of perforated tabs that would serve as a reminder of the chord being learned, placed on the guitar’s fretboard so that the student doesn’t have to look around the room or on a computer to remember how a certain chord is supposed to be played.
How are Guitarists Developing Muscle Memory with Card Chords?
Play Over Your Card Chords
One of the main advantages Card Chords have over contemporary alternatives is that you never have to stop playing. There’s no prep work – just place the Card Chord depicting the guitar chord you want to learn under your guitar’s strings, and you’re set to go.
Mike wanted his students to be able to jam to any song they want, play along to the current lesson, and basically do anything they want on a guitar without any distractions or interference. Card Chords tabs are there to simply remind the guitar player how a specific chord should be played.
This improves muscle memory by making learning fun again, ensuring that the correct finger positioning is deployed, and the right sequence of notes is played at all times.
Instant Chord Reminders
Card Chords can be described as instant reminders. You don’t have to keep them on a music stand, place them on a desk, or slap them on a board; they’re meant to be placed on the fretboard, and a simple glance at the tab reveals all the information the guitarist needs to play the right notes.
They are pocket-sized and lightweight, enabling the guitarist to practice and learn anywhere they want. Whether it be outdoors, at a friend’s house, at school, or in the bedroom, the guitarist is free to practice basic chords wherever and whenever they feel comfortable playing guitar.
Accurately Play the Right Notes
Just like a bodybuilder would build their arm or leg muscles by lifting weights, guitar players are “building” their muscle memory by playing. Again, just as bodybuilders could hurt themselves by lifting the “wrong” dumbbells, guitarists can make things worse for their progress by playing the wrong notes.
Muscle memory doesn’t differentiate between right and wrong – it makes your fingers move on the fretboard based on the movements you’ve been performing. With Card Chords, the guitar player always knows which notes should be played and in which order.
Card Chords tabs are enumerated and feature highly visible markers. Just connect the dots with your fingertips, and you’ll be strumming a chord in no time.
Never Waste Time on Tabs Again
The process of learning how to play a new chord can be incredibly dull. You’ll need to find the tab/music book with images of the desired chord, find a suitable spot to place it, or sit by your computer, and only then can you pick up the guitar and start playing.
After a couple of minutes, inexperienced guitarists are likely to feel insecure that they’re hitting the right notes, so they’ll probably have to return to the computer or sift through pages of the music book to find the tab again.
Guitar Chords are designed to help you skip these parts. Just slide the Card Chords tab under the first three frets on your guitar, and everything you need will be right on your fretboard.
Set Your Own Learning Pace
Music training should be fun. Most music schools will drill you into practicing things you don’t like in the time you’d rather spend on something else, and the same can be said for many online music lessons. With Card Chords, you can set your own pace and practice anything you want anytime you want.
You can practically become your own guitar teacher – no deadlines, no rights or wrongs to demoralize you, only fruitful practicing and the joy of playing music.
Take Out the Guesswork and Learn Guitar Chords Today
With Card Chords, you’ll never have to second-guess your memory or ability ever again. Card Chords come in three editions, including the Stratocaster Edition, Les Paul Edition, and the Universal Edition, all of which are available in our online store. Whenever you’re ready to start working on your muscle memory and learn the basic guitar chords, simply follow this link, and we’ll take care of the rest.
