Thanks much…I have been rushing myself.
I wish I could cover the 6 strings as comfortably as you seem to do in your photos. I never took to barre chords, since my second guitar was a 12-stringer. I contented myself with forgetting the low E string, and never missed it.
Congrats on your success 
.
Hey @chiprs just want to say I know how you feel! I’ve been there. At 6 weeks I was still very much rubbish on F.
I’m at 6 months now and I have only just recently started to feel comfortable with F, but only because I drilled those changes mercilessly, every day, for a very, very long time. Much longer than 6 weeks, for sure.
Be kind to yourself. This really is a difficult skill to learn.
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Have you tried using lighter gauge strings. I went to 11’s and it made a big difference. You could go even lighter.
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A years long process it think.
I am working it learning Justin’s lesson on Ziggy Stardust. Fun to play. I am not smooth…
Since I mentioned it, I posted my attempt in my log.
Keep at it. It will come. Eventually my index finger just seemed to work out where it needed to sit on the strings.
Just to clarify, the E-shape barre chord on the 3rd fret is a G chord.
Took about the same time for me to get the C chord as well!!
Isn’t that a G chord at the 3rd fret? The C barre chord is down at the 8th fret.
A couple of early observations. I’ve got big chunky fingers and I can just about cover the fretting for ring and pinky with just ring… and this makes the rest of the hand shape a lot easier. Bringing pinky into it without just flattening/muting everything is not possible without really pushing my hand forward.
Secondly, I only have an acoustic guitar and I have found it helpful to practice the chord shape further up the fretboard where the strings are easier to push down, ie further from the nut. But I read that others have worked this out too… it’s nicer up there! lol.
Thirdly, in one of Justin’s older videos you notice that he rotates the barre finger by bringing his elbow into his side, not by turning his wrist. That keeps the finger straighter over the fret and really helps with the B and E strings.
Terrible wickedness or great ideas? I don’t know. They work for me at the moment so I’m hoping they’re not going to cause any issues in the longer term. I’ve learned a few chords where one finger does two strings and I find it easier.
Is it possible that my fingers are simply too short for this chord? I mean, physically? it just does not seem possible for me.
I wouldn’t have thought so. There is a guitarist on YT who notes that he has small hands (and I assume small fingers) who is excellent. Unfortunately this is just practice and following Justin’s lesson for body/hand position. Took me months to get this.
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sometimes i think i may be wishful thinking - oh, yes, THAT is why i can’t play it…lol. UGH, its awful.
@Karende what kind of music are you playing? If you just want to strum an acoustic hand have fun playing sing-a-long type songs you really don’t need to learn the full barre F chord.
All of the singer songwriters be fore the 80 all use the mini barre F and nobody ever said you playing that chord wrong. So try the mini barre F it worked just fine for Neil Young.
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OOOHHHH…now i cannot wait to try this tonight - a small relief - thank you so much!
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Karen @Karende
As Rick @stitch says it is very useful as alternative to the barre chord. I haven’t cracked the barre chord yet and using the mini barre on some songs I am learning.
Also F# is the same fingering one fret up, which I am also using.
Michael 
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Stitch - in response to your question, what kind of music am i playing? The answer is “pretty bad music” or “music attempted by a middle-aged woman that will never be heard by another set of ears EVER”. 
Karen @Karende
Don’t do yourself down, remember the “greats” all started out as beginners
Michael 
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I’m with Matt there Karen! Please don’t get despondent, we have all been through / are going through the same struggles, whether that with F or any of countless techniques!
You’re playing music, and that’s a hell of a lot more than the majority of people in this world can do, so take pride with every step, you’re awesome for doing this! 
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We both play the same genre.
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