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 
), 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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@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 
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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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Hi Rick,
Well, I find that surprising/shocking, … I am of course completely drowsy thinking what I see wrong, what I can think of is that I learned things in the wrong order and otherwise it would have worked out well, … …but after learning that mini I was suddenly able to play a lot of lick that I couldn’t before,…also with the triads maj lower 3 strings helped me a lot here,…I think it’s a super handy grip ,…now I don’t doubt your knowledge for a moment,…and the simple explanation must be that when that grip succeeded, the biggest problems (ex gout and much more) were over and the fingers were flexible enough… …
I’m going to think this over tomorrow,
Thanks (i think 
) ,And @Helen0609 Sorry in advance for the stress of having to do something difficult 
Greetings,…
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Not sure, if you meant me…but thanks, I will reflect on that, but anyway, I’ll mainly focus on the full F but I’ll put that Mini F on my list again too, can’t hurt.
Never mind, just another challenge 
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Hello Andrea, I’m also struggeling with the Mini F a lot
, and am unsure whether to keep it in my practice routine or not. It’s definitely no cheat for me - the full F barre seems to be easier for my fingers.
Just wanted to say, you’re not alone 
.
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Rick could have been a bit more specific (sorry if i don`t understand what you mean) ,…because later in your guitar playing you can certainly could need it ,…but maybe he means that it is not necessary yet and will become clear later in a different context … (no idea, but I just fill it in like this)…I use it further on the neck with my thumb on the low E muting the A and then I have my pinkie free to play notes on the bottom one,… and with several licks I also use it to a greater or lesser extent,…but I immediately admit that I started (way to) very early (within 3 months with Justin) with the …Mayfield & Hendrix style classes…(definitely don’t start it yet 
),… Anyway, @Helen0609 nice that you see it as a challenge
Greetings,
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I’m with @roger_holland here that the mini F grip is super useful. Building those calluses for the mini barre helps with triads later like Roger mentions, and there are lots of songs that use that grip, I’ve already encountered a few fingerstyle songs that need it.
Of course everyone’s journey is up to them… I’m glad i persevered with it, I use it almost every day.
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Hi JK,
It’s always nice that something like this is not just me , … although I don’t get any visible or palpable calluses on that index finger at all, … I’ve heard it before that it has to be built up there, but it just doesn’t happen, but it don`t hurt either after weeks of practice(I have super soft hands except for my fingertips on the left , that’s another legacy of previous problems),
The shape of the mini is indeed one that I just used without first being aware of it at first,
Greetings,…
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@jkahn @roger_holland
Thanks a lot for your comments on this. As so often in this journey one skill builds up on another. It seems to be true with the Mini F as well.
If I treat it as a basis skill for more complicated things I’ll come across in the future, practicing it makes definitely more sense to me (and enriches my motivation ) than treating it as a ‘useless cheat’ to the F Barre.
Thanks guys 
.
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You’re talking about a technique that needs long fingers and most pleople will never master or need.
Which ones? Fingerstyle use partial chord all the time and if you’re playing a F chord the bass note is on the E string so unless you can play the bass note with your thumb you’ll need a full barre.
You are also talking about advanced techniques that people won’t be learning until their skills are higher.
There is no reason for anyone to pause their guitar journey trying to learn the mini barre F chord if they can play the full barre F at this stage. It is a very usfull chord for people who struggle with barre chords or have small hands.
If you guitar journey takes you to a place where you absolutely need it you will have gained enough skills where it will come naturally.
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I certainly don’t have long fingers,…just as “big” hands as my wife ,smaller than all the man came over here the last 3 years when the talk about or try to play my guitar and my pinkie is as small as Justin’s,… but good to read that there may be a reason to learn it from an experienced player,…
because this sounds different than ’ really no need’
Greetings,…
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I’d echo @stitch comments here…I’ve been playing for well over 10 years and I don’t think I’ve ever needed mini f barre…I’ve always just used the normal E shaped barre chord…I could of course use it but just never felt the need…once you have E and A shaped barre chords under your fingers it’s just a heck of a lot easier to shift between those. I wouldn’t pause your learning if you haven’t got this one.
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Hi Jason,
There was no question whether the rest would have to wait, but whether it would be useful in the end
Greetings,Rogier
Edit: 1 hour later,…when I play the C chord and I have to press the high E string with my index finger,(For embalising notes) … well that’s where (in my eyes) that skill comes in handy, i do this on daily basis…which took me a long time before I got that on the eye could do a simple trick, … in my experience that is very close to each other… @Helen0609
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For me it isn’t a cheat too, but I’ll put it into my practice routine again. I needed a little pause 
. Good luck, Nicole, as always: be patient…
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@roger_holland @stitch @Rossco01 @jkahn it wasn’t my intention to stir up a storm in a tea cup. Just a little question 
Thank you all for commenting, very apreciated, I’m very thankful that you all took your time to answer. I never was a friend of the easiest way, so I’ll try to get it, sooner or later. It’s just another one to learn. I moved on weeks ago, didn’t stress about the Mini F, come back to it every now and then, so everything is ok. Sorry @roger_holland, hope you didn’t loose to much time 
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Oh no, I don’t see it like that, … I had to think hard and I am grateful to you and Rick for that
Greetings,
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Just Breathe by Pearl Jam mini F, with a decoration on the high E string, so you need that 4th finger. House of the Rising Sun uses mini F with bass on D string if you want to play it with the voicing the animals did. You could use an F barre, and be careful not to touch the E and A strings… The other one is Soldier on by Temper Trap, which I assume you haven’t heard of, that uses an F shape with parts where the bass moves around on the D string.
They’re not super-beginner songs, but I learnt them in my first year of guitar so I wouldn’t call them advanced either.
I agree that nobody should pause their guitar journey to learn mini F. But incorporating it into their chord practice, one minute changes, and learning songs with it? I reckon they should. That mini barre is so useful and quite tricky to get down.
I have small hands btw (although thick fingers)… so this is achievable without long fingers.
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Just like many others I’m having some serious issues with the mini F chord.
Whenever I try to play the chord, I can’t seem to keep my second and third finger arched enough to avoid muting the B string. If I force my hand in a position where there is enough of an arch to avoid muting anything, it sometimes causes a sharp pain in my index finger knuckle so this obviously isn’t the way to go.
Is it just a matter of stretching my fingers some more so I can keep them arched without forcing my index knuckle in an uncomfortable position?
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