That electric looks very small!!
That effin’ F-chord is still giving me grief!
Been practicing every day, without fail. Can even switch to and from F now which I’m really chuffed about BUT the B string never rings out true for me. Maybe 1 in 20 times it does. This is on both acoustic and electric.
I’ve tried altering positions in every possible way but just cannot get it right. It feels like I’m banging my head against a wall 
Is it possible my left pointer is just the wrong shape and will never adapt?
Hi Zed,
Yes of course it is possible that you have a weird claw , but I don’t think it is plausible 
, a wild guess on my part. I think you should keep practicing calmly and at the same time keep doing finger stretching and other exercises, and the better that goes. the faster you get to grips with the F-chord, strength in your hand is also important here, and that also develops faster and faster, … how does it go when you use the E-shape on the 5th or 7th fret ? or do you mean that with ‘altering position’?
Greetings,Rogier
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Hi Zed,
Well getting all the strings to ring out true 1 in 20 times suggests to me that it is not the shape of your finger per say… Maybe lay down the E Shape with fingers 2, 3 and 4… experiment laying down the barre with the first finger… find that position of the first finger that gets strings 6, 2 and 1 to ring out true… memorise that position… lift the barre up and lay it down again in the same position… repeat until finger 1 knows its position… then move onto an E chord… slide it along and lay down the barre with the first finger… wash rinse and repeat… then practice changes with other chords now your first finger know exactly the position you want it to go.
Hey Zed!
Glad you’re still chugging along. I would keep that thought out of your head, It’s possible but very unlikely. Take solace in the fact that we’ve all been there. The b string a a constant frustration for me not just on the F chord, when I’m playing anything that requires me to bar multiple strings the issues come up again. One day I’ll get that pesky string to ring true every single time and so will you. Good luck!
@ZedExDM one thing to keep in mind, that even without the b-string sounding, you have a full F chord there, i.e. the notes F (1st, 4th, 6th strings), A (3rd string) and C (5th string) are all sounding.
By all means, keep working on perfecting the chord, but don’t let that missing b-string keep you from using that F chord as you move forward.
Hi Zed
I’m learning the F chord too. Good tips already. Another one is to pull your arm backwards. This will pull the base of your first finger into the first two strings. Brace the guitar body with your strumming arm to keep the neck stable. Justin talks about it in the lesson vid.
It’s working for me. If I miss the B string, it’s usually because I’m not pulling my arm back.
Good luck with your practice.
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Hey Zed, great you’re still going at it!
Being unable to play barre chords was what made me quit guitar after a few months when I was 15… yet at 40 after restarting, and a lot of perseverance, I can. I thought it was hand shape and impossible then.
You can do it.
Barre chords are complex and can take a long time: as well as knowing the chord you need to build hand and finger strength, finger dexterity, and calluses.
As well as what’s been suggested here I’d recommend trying to barre at 3rd fret and see how that goes, applying the F super slowly and just holding it when ringing out (chord perfect) and experimenting with your index position. I have mine slightly poking over the top of the neck, because that works for my hands.
Thanks all for the words of encouragement and advice. 
I’m not giving up - that’s for sure! It’s just really baffling me how I can actually do it. Currently, it seems like trying to hammer a square peg in to a round hole!
I like @BurnsRhythm 's suggestion of using my arm - I’ll give that a go this evening.
@jkahn 3rd fret, its not too bad. Its just the 1st fret that I’m struggling with. Its like the part of my finger that needs to press down firm is just too soft, and no matter how much I’ve punished it over the last couple of months, its nowhere near developing any sort of callus like my finger tips have got.
What doesn’t help is that its not an appealing sounding chord to me! I found C and G tricky to start with, but they actually sound nice when they ring out true. When I can get F to ring true, its like - is that my reward? I know sound is subjective of course, but F (and D for that matter) just don’t do it for me.
Like @jkahn intimated, I believe people in their 40’s (myself included) are more patient than teenagers. More practice needed - I won’t give up.
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Sounds like calluses and hand strength then, keep working at it.
You will get there Zed, key things for me where thumb placement behind the neck and angle of my first finger where it was touching the strings. Some people find useful pushing your guitar’s body into your chest so fretboard goes forward and pressure your thumb is putting on back of the fretboard is less exhausting for your muscle. Keep at it!
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This has worked! Definite improvement - maybe 1 in 3 now ok. Awesome!
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Great stuff, Zed. That’s massive improvement for just a few days. You’ve found the chord! Keep finding it. Rock on!!
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The fact you’re mastering it Zed encourages me to keep trying, 1in 3 that’s real progress 
. I enjoyed reading through your journey so far 
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