Learning The F Chord

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When learning how to play the guitar, most beginners find the F chord to be the most difficult to learn. It can be one of the toughest chords to master as you must barre your index finger across all six strings in order to play the chord. The resulting sound when strumming an F chord is both full and beautiful. What most guitar players don't know is that there is more than one way to play an F chord.

There are three ways you can play this chord which can depend on the players skill level and what type of song is played. Here I will show you the three common ways to play the F chord starting with one of the easiest.

A Mini F Chord

As you can see in the chord chart above, the mini F chord does not require you to barre all six strings. Here you are only barring the first and second strings and not playing the fifth and sixth. If you find the full barre chord too challenging, you can use the mini F until you get the hang of the others.

The only downside of the mini F chord is that it doesn't sound as full because you are leaving out the fifth and sixth strings.

Old School F Chord

The so called 'old-school' F chord got it's name because it was popular among guitar players in the 60s and 70s. It is slightly harder to play than the F shown earlier in this lesson, and is a step closer to mastering the full barred F chord.

With the old-school F chord, you are going to bar the fifth and sixth strings with your index finger which is not that difficult with practice. The hard part will be forming the rest of the chord. Use your middle finger on the second fret of the G string, ring finger on the third fret of the A string and finally your pinky finger on the D string at the third fret..

The Full Barre F Chord

Now on to the toughest of the F chords, the full barred F. As you can see from the above chord chart, you must lay your index finger across all six strings of the first fret. Now you use your middle finger on the second fret of the G string, ring finger on the third fret of the A string, and pinky finger on the third fret of the D string. Certainly a workout of the fingers!

This isn't an easy chord for beginners and is one that I have had trouble with when I first started playing.

Tips

1. Use the side of your index finger closest to your thumb to barre down on the strings rather than the softer part

2. Try slightly curving your index finger when forming the F chord.

This particular chord shape like all barre chords can be moved up and down the neck, making it a very versatile chord. If you are having trouble playing it at the first fret, practice the chord further up the neck at the fifth fret. This is known as an A barre chord and att this position the strings will be easier to push down as there is not as much tension.

Practice practice practice! The only way you are going to master these chords is to practice them. Make sure to take regular breaks and don't over do it, especially if you are feeling pain. You don't want to hurt yourself!

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