hi, i have been playing guitar for 2 months now, i seem to be having alot of trouble with the f chord. I can not cover the two strings with the same finger. the formation is...
1
1
2
3
1
it would be a great help if someone could suggest some tips and the exact finger placement. thanks
Andrew
What you've got there is a barre chord, my friend. I play that one with my index finger covering all the strings on the first fret, middle finger at the 3rd string, 2nd fret, and ring finger at the 4th string, 3rd fret.
That chord kicked my butt for a long time. If you have trouble forming the full barre at the first fret right now, don't despair - it comes with practice and finger strength.
You can also play that chord on just the first four strings, with the index finger covering the first two at the first fret. If you sort of roll your finger back toward the nut a little bit, it's easier...you end up covering the strings with more of the side of your finger than just the fingertip. I'm terrible at explaining things, maybe someone else will come along and do a better job of describing that technique. :)
If your notation is right, that's F/Bb, or F add 11. I'm guessing it should be:
1
1
2
3
3
1
which is the full barre, or
1
1
2
3
x
x
which is the open F.
Work your way up into it. Start with the double stop - just the 1st and second strings. Then add the third string (played with the open fourth string, that's a Dm7 chord). Once you have that clean, add the third finger on the fourth string.
It'll help if you rotate your hand slightly, so you fret slightly to the headstock side of your index finger - but over time, you won't need that 'cheat'.
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