Problems with chord recognition? We got you covered! Here's some helpful tips you can try to improve the acceptance rate of chords.
Make sure you play the right strings
- Check that your fingers are on the right frets and on the right strings. It's easy to make mistakes there even when you're an advanced player.
- If the chord diagram shows nothing on some string, don't play it. Chances are the note on that open string doesn't fit the chord. You can use your free fingers in the fretting hand or even the thumb to mute the unwanted string.
Make sure you strum the strings
- Check your fretting technique, so each note is clear. Pick each note in the chord one at a time to ensure they all make a clear sound. It's difficult to hear the difference between playing a chord correctly vs incorrectly if you're strumming the whole chord.
- Check that your strumming is even across all the strings. Many people play the thicker strings hard and the thinner strings quietly or not at all. When you get the thinner strings to ring out, your chords sound more balanced. It's good to practice strumming with even pressure all the way through. You can even exaggerate the thinner strings to get the idea.
- The high E string is often not heard if the strum is not clear enough. You can avoid this by making sure you strum the thinnest strings with extra attention and using a pick.
- If a note is buzzing, adjust the position of the finger. Playing too far away from the fret requires more power, so always aim to play as close as you can.
Make sure the strings make sound
- Yousician tells you if a string is not heard when strumming chords. If you see a string marked red, pause the song to double check that the chord shape is correct and that all of the strings of the chord ring clearly when you play. You can check this by going through the chord string by string to ensure you don't accidentally mute any string that should be ringing. If you are muting a string with another finger, try to adjust your wrist or thumb position. You should try to have your hand arched, not lying flat on the fretboard.
Check your set up
- Check your set up and that you have tuned your guitar with the in-app tuner. Ensure you are at a suitable distance from your microphone (not too close so it overloads).
- Check that the background music is not too loud. If you're having trouble hearing the backing track, try connecting wired headphones to your device.
Lower the background music
- If you have the volume level of the device set high this can affect recognition. Try lowering the volume. You can also connect wired headphones to your device.
Check this video for chord playing tips and troubleshooting.