I just had my group class and had a strange time going from Bm to A, or Bm to G with an F#m thrown in for good measure.  It was an Irish tune called the "Musical Priest".    It was hard, but the experience was good, as was the fact that we did it several times over until it became second nature!

Going from Bm to F#m to G can be done more easily using all barre chords. 

Bm to F#m is a frequently used chord change.  Practice it until smooth.  You keep your barre finger in the same place, move your other three fingers over three strings (check a diagram to be sure on that) and lift your index finger in the process.  Then to go from F#m to G, just put down your fourth finger making the same shape as you had with Bm, but in the location of F#m and slide the whole kit-and-kaboodle up the neck one fret from the second fret to the third fret. 

Bm to A, you're on your own.

- Zurf

Good advice, Zurf. I'd just like to point out a small inadvertent error here.
In the 3rd example it should be DGDA. (not DADG) I'm sure it's just a typo, but might confuse the poster a bit when trying to work back to the I, IV, I, V on that one.

Thanks for catching that, and for the kind way in which you pointed out the error.

- Zurf

Im self taught (2 years now and a vocab of swear words from frustration that would make a sailor jealous). I can play mostly all open chordes as well as the basic barre chordes, but for the life of me, cannot remember chorde sequences.

We have started playing a few gigs, but becomes a hassel setting up as its the mics, music stands, books, monitors, etc

Im looking for someone that can give me the basic chord groups........

ie If a song is in A, then the chords available are A, D and E (in most cases)
I have gotten so used to a book with chords in, although Ive played the song 100 times, close the book and Im nowhere!!!!!!

Vandean, I have been playing for years off and on and I still have to have chords and words in front of me.  I've just accepted it and move on.  I am envious of people who just pick up the guitar and start playing from memory.

C - I
D - II
E - III
F - IV
G - V
A - VI
B - VII
C - VIII

Construct any major scale from your root note:
Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half
Or if you are from Europe and use semitones rather than whole step or half step:
Two, Two, One, Two, Two, Two, One

The basic rock and country chord pattern is I, IV, I, V.  Using the C major scale above, that's C, F, C, G.  If you do it in G, it's G, C, G, D.    If you do it in D then it's D, A, D, G.  If you can figure out WHY its GCGD or DADG to get I, IV, I, IV then you're doing great and well on your way.

Blues sometimes uses what's called a blues scale and flattens the third and sometimes also the seventh (which is a regular minor scale). 

Good luck.  Check into the theory forum on Chordie.  It's amazing.  Simply amazing reading in there from good teachers.

- Zurf

Good advice, Zurf. I'd just like to point out a small inadvertent error here.
In the 3rd example it should be DGDA. (not DADG) I'm sure it's just a typo, but might confuse the poster a bit when trying to work back to the I, IV, I, V on that one.

Construct any major scale from your root note:
Whole, Whole, Half, Whole, Whole, Whole, Half
Or if you are from Europe and use semitones rather than whole step or half step:
Two, Two, One, Two, Two, Two, One

The basic rock and country chord pattern is I, IV, I, V.  Using the C major scale above, that's C, F, C, G.  If you do it in G, it's G, C, G, D.    If you do it in D then it's D, A, D, G.  If you can figure out WHY its GCGD or DADG to get I, IV, I, IV then you're doing great and well on your way.

Blues sometimes uses what's called a blues scale and flattens the third and sometimes also the seventh (which is a regular minor scale). 

Good luck.  Check into the theory forum on Chordie.  It's amazing.  Simply amazing reading in there from good teachers.

- Zurf

ie If a song is in A, then the chords available are A, D and E (in most cases)
I have gotten so used to a book with chords in, although Ive played the song 100 times, close the book and Im nowhere!!!!!!

Nela

Once playing a chord and then another chord fairly quickly, I started to think about exactly how to 'leverage' existing position.  Which fingers need to move, which don't.  That sort of thing.  Then I went about much the same sort of exercise with this additional knowledge.

I don't know if that's the right way to do it, but it's what I did and it seemed to work out OK.  A buddy of mine who teaches guitar and has been playing pro for decades was impressed with my agility at getting between open chords after about six months of playing.  He said most his students are still learning the chord forms that I was shifting between with ease. 

- Zurf