Hi everyone, I’m on module 9 just about to move on but thought I would share my F chord progression In case anyone was struggling.
I started to learn the F chord about 6 weeks ago and at the start it was awful. I really struggled to get the finger shape and was trying to stretch the hand using Justin’s advice, all to no avail. I was playing F in some songs but using one of the cheats.
I kept going over the next few weeks and started to notice some small changes but all of a sudden over the last week as I shape the hand and fingers I’m doing it first time about 95% of the time and chord perfect. I was so happy and just amazed that it all came together almost instantly. I’ve dropped from about ten seconds to shaping to about five now but still not quite quick enough to use in a song but I’m getting there.
So, if you’re struggling and frustrated with F keep going as it will happen eventually.
Hi Paul same thing happened with me I can now play the F barre OK and any other 6 string root barre chord but can’t quite get it from another chord shape I do use it in songs though even though its a slow change just for the practice
Paul - please allow me to throw in my 2 cents with just one remark regarding not only F chord, but all other major and minor chords as well. Regular maj/min chords consist of three notes that may repeat themselves in different octaves and shapes as they’re played. To play an F chord, you need the notes F - A - C. In any order, anyplace along the neck (that’s why it’s so important to learn the notes on all frets). They may not even belong to the same octave. So, if you played the F chord in any other way than the dreaded 1st fret barred shape, it’s by no means a cheat. It’s still an F chord in one of its possible fingerings.
Great advice from Tomasz there.
I’ll add my two cents as well as a fellow learnwr who struggled with F chord for quite a while. Start with your electric guitar as it’s easier to play barre chords on it comparing to an acoustic. And don’t limit yourself to the first fret. It’s the toughest place for bare chords actually. Go and play A or B barre chords at the 5th or 7th fret respectively, the same shape as F, just higher up the neck and easier. And then gradually move down to the 1st fret.
And, most importantly, take your time, it can be a while. on my acoustic guitar I managed to confidently play an F cleanly every time and change to it quickly after I was playing for a bit over 2 years already and could play most other barre chords on the higher frets with little to no problems.
The dreaded F. What [metramaks] stated I found to very true. I can shape and move between G-A well and it has been good practice for me. Once I move to B then F I loose the b string. Very challenging. They are all easy on my electric, but gets tougher on acoustic guitars. I have a washburn where I am about 70% successful properly fretting all strings moving between F & G surprisingly when I move to a Taylor 614, I find it harder to fret the F properly, G and A are fine. Just more time, I’ll get there.
Hi Paul,
For me the key was to use my bicep rather than my thumb muscles. And an easy way to do that is to a) first ensure you’ve got your guitar held such that it doesn’t move (much) when you pull the neck you fret a
chord, then lift your fretting hand thumb off the back of the neck.
I’ve found I can play most of my repertoire without my thumb touching the back of the neck, though not quite as well. It’s purely bicep, and no thumb muscles used. I learned this, because once I pulled my thumb muscle from squeezing the neck too hard and couldn’t use it for awhile.
I remember those days well. Good on you for hanging in there. I always stuck with the full barre F and it took quite some time before I felt confident in it’s use.
