More and more guitar players are turning away from expensive lessons and becoming their own teachers. While self-taught guitar players usually had to invest years in research, watching YouTube videos, memorizing tabs, and tons of trial & error, more and more people are discovering that Card Chords are simpler, easier to pick up, and far less time-consuming to use.
So, what are Card Chords and why do you need them? These card-shaped perforated guitar tablatures have empowered numerous musicians with the tools to quickly learn dozens of basic chords in record time.
Affordable, practical, portable, and most importantly, beginner-friendly, Card Chords have been hailed as the most comprehensive guitar-learning tools by newcomers and seasoned guitarists alike. In this article, we’ll tell you all about them – what they are, how they’re supposed to be used, how to get the most from your Card Chords, and where to get them, so let’s start from the top.
Card Chords – Guitar Chords Made Easy
Card Chords were created by a highly experienced guitar coach Mike Grande. With over three decades of experience, Mike had ample opportunities to test countless coaching methods with different groups and realized that nearly all of his students were connected by one thing – they all wanted to learn chords quickly so that they could play their songs, join bands, and perform live.
Chords are the foundation of music, true – all songs are comprised of chords, and knowing the right ones allows the player to learn nearly any tune, even if they never practiced it before.
Mike realized that the market was filled with countless guitar “helpers” – accessories, cheat sheets, tabs, and such. Although some of these gadgets are interesting and helpful, they all failed to deliver what most newbies wanted – a way to efficiently, effortlessly, and quickly master guitar chords.
That was the inspiration behind the creation of Card Chords. Mike Grande designed perforated tablatures that anyone can use anywhere, whether they’re playing by themselves or in a group setting, whether they’re practicing at home or at a rehearsal studio.
He wanted to give immediate newcomers an opportunity to jump into the world of guitar with both feet confidently and circumvent all the frustration that most players call “hitting the wall”.
Card Chords Design – Removable Perforated Tabs
Written and printed tabs are fairly portable, but all it takes is some light rain or a gush of wind for them to be rendered unusable. Digital tabs are great for people who prefer practicing at home in front of their PCs or laptops. Chord apps are also good, but they require an internet connection, and even then you’ll have to squint to see the tiny notations on the small screen.
Mike was well aware of the shortcomings of all chord tablature types. When designing Card Chords, he decided to make a simple tool that would yield consistent, predictable results.
Card Chords are perforated tabs that can be inserted on the first three frets of the guitar’s fingerboard within just a few seconds. That’s all it takes to remove the Card Chord too; after you’ve finished learning one chord, simply remove the tab and insert the next one.
Portable & Practical for Everyday Use
One of the main qualities that Mike coaches to this day is consistency. Practicing as often as you can is more effective and productive than devoting an entire weekend to learning.
Card Chords tab sets were created with portability in mind. Students can bring their Card Chords and read them on the school bus, during recess, and on their way back home. Let’s say you’re an adult who works from 9 to 5. You probably don’t have all the time in the world to practice your guitar, but you could use your Card Chords on your commutes or while taking a break.
Even though Card Chords were meant to be placed on the guitar, each Card Chords tab provides detailed information about each chord that you can memorize even without your instrument.
Simplified Notation System
The content of a tab is meant to be as easy to memorize as possible. While many tablatures use unnecessarily complex notation systems, Mike went with a straightforward concept – just follow the dots with your fingers, and you’ll learn how to play that chord.
Mike also wanted to enable beginners who don’t know anything about music theory to play basic chords quickly. Card Chords tabs feature enumerated finger position markers rather than alphabetical ones. Each number depicts the finger position, which is a much simpler concept than using notes to break down a tab.
This streamlined notation system is also helping students practice scales in a more efficient way. By describing the exact order of notes within elementary chords, Card Chords are also teaching basic scales.
Learn Basic Chords in Merely 5 Minutes
A single guitar lesson typically lasts about an hour; some guitar instructors prolong these lessons into 2-hour sessions while music schools sometimes hold 45-minute guitar classes. Needless to say, the majority of guitar schools and instructors won’t hold a class dedicated to teaching chords and chords only – there’s always at least a bit of music theory involved.
If you’re interested in learning how to play simple guitar chords, Card Chords are the way to go. Simply place the tab on your guitar, set your fingers in the prescribed positions, and pluck the strings. In (or even under) 5 minutes, you’ll be able to play any elementary-level chord on your own.
Once you’ve mastered one chord, you can either continue practicing or remove the tab before placing the next Card Chords tablature onto your guitar’s fretboard. Rinse & repeat, and you’ll learn all basic chords in no time.
Where to Buy Card Chords?
Now that you know the benefits of Card Chords and how to use them, all that’s left to do is buy your first set. Card Chords come in three editions, including Stratocaster, Les Paul, and Universal. You can order your set of Card Chords here, as well as find more information about this guitar-learning tool.
