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F chord

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(@andy-cap)
Active Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 3
Topic starter  

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


   
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(@furious_b)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 36
 

hey,

First of all, your actully playing an Fmaj7 chord (the same as an F, but with the major 7) But the idea is to bar the entire first fret with your pointer finger and fret the other two with your remaining fingers, alot of chords are built like that. If you want just an F it would have the same shape, but with your finger on the 3rd fret on your D string.


   
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(@alangreen)
Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

First up - welcome to Guitarnoise, Andy-cap

Secondly - it's far too early for you to be trying the F-chord fully barred. Drop it down to using three strings, and work on getting them all sounding clearly for a month. then bring in the fourth string for another month. then the 5th, and the six-string shape will follow on. At the moment, you just don't have the hand strength to get there and you are risking painful long-lasting injuries.

Best

A :-)

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
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(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

First of all, your actully playing an Fmaj7 chord (the same as an F, but with the major 7)

The major 7 in F is E - the chord shown is Bb-F-A-C-F, or Fadd11, often shown F/11 in charts, or F/Bb for guitar.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
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(@hbriem)
Honorable Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 646
 

Yes, the Fmaj7 is:

e|------0------
B|------1------
G|------2------
D|------3------
A|------x------
E|------x------

The usual F major is:

e|------1------
B|------1------
G|------2------
D|------3------
A|------x------
E|------x------

while I mostly use this, far easier version:

e|------x------
B|------1------
G|------2------
D|------3------
A|------x------
E|------x------

or the barre chord version, also much easier:

e|------1------
B|------1------
G|------2------
D|------3------
A|------3------
E|------1------

--
Helgi Briem
hbriem AT gmail DOT com


   
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(@furious_b)
Eminent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 36
 

Well it's either an Fmaj7 or an F11, depending on what string he is writing as his low E.


   
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 xg5a
(@xg5a)
Honorable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 482
 

Since he only typed 5 strings, he probably was trying to type an F bare chord, and forgot either the A or the D string on the 3rd fret.


   
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(@pops22br)
Active Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 8
 

The F chord is one of the hardest chords to get from the first position. I have read that Joni Mitchell got into alternate tunings just to get away from playing that F chord. If you really want to get the F chord, I suggest working on your barre chords. After a cetain amount of time you will have the strength in your forefinger to get the barre at the first fret. When you have the strength to form the full barre chord you should be able to get the small barre chord as well although it might take a little longer as the strength needs to be developed in the tip of the forefinger.

The first column of numbers is the Full Barre F Chord. The second column of numbers is the Small Barre F Chord.

1 1
1 1
2 2
3 3
3 x
1 x

By the way, for the Fmaj7 chord, just leave the high E string open. I love that chord.


   
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(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

Contrary to the above ... playing a barre chord is not hard. It really isn't. It just takes a little practice.

Start by placing your hand around the guitar neck wherever is most comfortable for you between 7th and 12th position.

totally relax your arm, shoulders, and hand.

Place the first finger across 2 strings at your choosen fret and play the notes. They should sound crisp and clean.

if they don't, then let go of your guitar neck, relax again, and then put your finger in place, slowly and easily, slightly on it's side, just over the E and B strings, slide it right up to the fret, make sure both strings are fully depressed and play the two notes.

pretty soon they will ring out crystal clear every time.

When you can play 2 strings with no problem, go to 3. Then 4, then 5, then 6.

You'll have to develop your finger muscles a bit, but that's what the practice is for.

Once you can play the bar correctly every time, move up to the first fret, and add the 'E" chord shape under neath the bar. Viola! F-Major!

Now that you can play the F chord, you can play any 'E' or "Em" shaped anywhere on the neck. You can also put any other 3-note chord shapes under the bar as well.

It really isn't hard to do, but it does take some practice. Once you learn it, you'll marvel at how easy some songs become as you just move from bar chord to bar chord.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
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 sirN
(@sirn)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 358
 

F is similar to B in that they really don't have an open chord form. Their shapes come from a barre chord. Even the 'little' F is just an 'E' shaped barre chord minus the 5 & 6 strings.

Notice I said 'Really' because soomeone might come along and show me an open form of an F or B and start my day off with a bang!

check out my website for good recording/playing info


   
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(@alexduller)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 58
 

you could always play the first inversion(root note is on the top) at the 5th position....then its possible to move this shape up an down the fretboard to get different chords i.e at 2nd position, it would be a D chord.
--x---
--6---
--5---
--7---
--x---
--x---

Just use that until you are comfortable with bar chords..

Alex

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/5328/guitarsig6bw.gif


   
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(@hbriem)
Honorable Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 646
 

It's worth mentioning (once again) that I never use the 4 string open F chord.

I usually use a barre chord, but when working with open Cs and A minors, a nice and extremely easy F shape is this one.

e|--x----
B|--1----
G|--2----
D|--3----
A|--x----
E|--x----

Just mute the high E string with your index finger. No one in the world will ever notice and I won't tell.

--
Helgi Briem
hbriem AT gmail DOT com


   
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(@geetar66)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 103
 

I believe that that first version he is playing is an F7, not an Fmaj7.

Meet me tonight in Atlantic City


   
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