F Chord Cheats

Beginner Grade 2 Module 9: Time to learn The F Chord
21

Thanks a lot for the advice. Sorry for the late reply. Didn’t notice your answer at first. :slight_smile:

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22

Looks like I’m not the only one that can’t do the “mini” F. I’d have an easier time doing the full barre and playing it that way. Correction: I do have an easier time…a much easier time. I can’t make my fingers bend that way, even further up the neck.

I wonder how important it is? I’m not giving up and maybe after playing a while my fingers will become malleable enough. I’m mean I thought the F barre would be the hard one. The “mini” F is a cheat in name only.

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23

I have been playing all of 15 months, if that, and if I had a dollar for every time I said “ no way will I be able to do that” about something I am currently doing, I would be, well, I would at least be able to buy me and a mate a few beers at the pub.

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24

I can’t get either the B or the high E string ringing at all for this mini F…

Seems I am not alone, so keep calm and carry on…

:smiley:

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25

Three weeks for me on the F Chord and F Chord cheats. After trying out different positions, the F Chord rang out pretty good after a few days.
But who came up with this Mini F Chord “Cheat”? I can get the Chord with a lot of physical effort, but the position of my index finger is really unhealthy. My fingertip seems to be too small to press both strings, b and e, down. The tip is a little flat, not fleshy, so I have to place it in an certain uncomfortable angle and need a lot of pressure. No way to change chords with this.
But I’m telling you, that nasty little beast will not win the game…

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26

That’s it, exactly. Either the B or the E string, but not both… :slightly_smiling_face:

Same at 5th fret…

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27

Look back through this thread. I recall there are a few suggestions. It is an awkward cord, but it finally came together for me. Use it in “Sound of Silence”. It will drive you mad, but will teach you to nail the cord.

Try different thumb positions. That made a huge difference.

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28

Thank you, Joshua, I already saw your suggestions while following this thread. I first tried out to find my own solution. Placing finger 1 first, check out, if e and b are ringing out properly, then place the other fingers. This works, but using so much pressure can’t be healthy. So today, I’ll try out what you are suggesting in your previous posts :slightly_smiling_face:

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30

That’s the key for me! Thank you! Less pressure needed!

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31

Anyone has tried mini F on a nylon guitar? More distance between strings so it’s hard to make stings E and B ring together with finger 1

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32

I have not, but I will try tonight.

My thought is similar to above where I was putting my index finger a little higher to touch the third string lightly. I suspect it is a matter of making sure neither of the first two strings falls under a joint crease.

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33

Thank you

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34

That’s the ony F i can even make a sound with (Fmaj7)

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35

The mini F is making me crazy! I’d rather just do the F chord normally.

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36

I’ve just starting learning the F chord for a song I want to learn. It’s fair to say the side of my first finger isn’t enjoying it much! As well as practicing the full barre (I’ll need to learn it sooner or later) I’m also experimenting with using my first finger on the thin 2 strings and hooking my thumb over the top for the thick string. This second option seems to work quite well for me, the question will be whether I can do the changes to and from it fast enough to make it viable in a song. Watch this space I guess!

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37

Hi Adam,

You are in good company,… and it also took mé much longer before the mini F than the Barre F ran smoothly,…be patient and keep practicing,…there will come a day, :smiley: …
And welcome here I wish you a lot of fun :sunglasses:

Greetings,Rogier

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38

Hi Rogier, I have no problems to play the full barre, only my changes are not fast enough yet. So I neglected the mini F for now, because that little bastard annoyed me. Is it worth to force to learn it on the long run, is it needed later for embellishments or things like that? Maybe you know that as you are more experienced than me.

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39

Hi Helen,
Good question because it is all too often seen as only “a cheat”, … but this technique (for my fingers I never thought I could ever do it) is a grip that you will use more often very soon ( if you play a lot like me,very soon :blush:), so yes, learn that thing,…but with me it hurt very quickly in a nasty way, so every day or sometimes every other day I bent, broke and kneaded those fingers in the right position (some guitar learning pains I find really nice but not this one),…very very careful,…I’ll keep an eye out for it, but I think I’m using it daily now,…
mastering this has also helped me with many other chords / grips,…
Succes and greetings,Rogier

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40

@roger_holland Thanks Rogier, so I’ll set it on the list right now, and I tell you, this one will not break my neck, just another one to crack, doesn’t matter, as he’s in good compagny with the F and B7 (only changes to them). They are having a party at my expense :upside_down_face:

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41

There is really no need to learn both the mini barre and full barre F. If you have mastered the full barre chord and have no problem using it there is really no need to learn the mini barre F.
They are exactly the same chord minus a couple of lower notes on the mini so just play the full F and don’t strum the E and A strings. Problem solved.

If you have trouble with the full barre F then learning the mini barre will let you play song with the F chord. Neil Young (and pretty much every artist from the 60’s and 70’s never used the full barre F) in any of his acoustic songs and it didn’t hurt his career at all.

I would recommend learning the full barre F it is the first E shape Barre chord which also means you can start learning it up on the 5 fret (this is an A barre chord) where it is easier and work you way back to the F.

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