Last month in the second installment of Chord Basics Revisited I discussed the use of guide fingers - this month the topic of conversation is pivot fingers and how to utilize them when changing chords. Chances are you have used a pivot finger or even taught your students about them, but never actually gave them an official name. A pivot finger is one which can stay in the same place when changing chords. As seen in the example below when comparing the Am7 and C chords they both have the 1st and 2nd fingers in common on the same string and fret. There is no "finger lifting" required when making the switch; just the placement of the 3rd finger to complete the forming of the C chord.
There are many more examples of pivot fingers to be found, but the gist is to have your students become aware of them in order to make playing easier. Many times new players use pivot fingers almost instinctively and other times not at all. In the latter case how and when to use them must be pointed out to students. But always keep in mind the less you lift your fingers off the strings, the better off you’ll be.
