BC-007 • The Dreaded F Chord

[justinguitar]

Questions...

[Scaleyback]

Hi, Justin. Great site you've got going here.

Well, I've hit the ripe age of 40 and life is beginning for me, I've discovered the guitar. lol.

I've been learning for about 4 months and I've a few chords under my belt but I'm really struggling with the F chord to the extent that I'm getting pain in the outside of my left elbow. I personally think I'm too tense and I tend to grip the neck in a 'deathgrip'.

A mate had a look at my hands and immediately said "play the bass" as he thinks my fingers are too big and will infringe on other strings. C'mon, there are bound to be players out there with real sausages, so I'm not having it that I should swap to a Bass.

Any advice on loosening up my grip on the neck? I find the fleshy bit of my hand  just at the base of my left index finger is in almost constant contact with the edge of the neck and its cramping my fingers up but I can't stop it happening.

[justinguitar]

try watching the barre chords basics vids - they might help - if not - get back to me!

J

[daley123]

Questions...

it seems every time i try to do this it sounds rubbish and the note doesnt sound like it should do what should i do?

[Jekyll]

Scaley - I thought my hands were too big, I am 40 too. Then I watched Andy McKee on YouTube. Now I can't blame the size of my hands.

I was also struggling with the (small) F chord and barre chords in general. Recently I begun learning all the chords again but with my thumb much lower on the back of the neck - this has helped a bit and the small F rings out nicely and I can even switch between chords. Still no good at the barres though.

Anyway don't think the sausage fingers are holding me back I just think it's taking longer to build the dexterity into my old flesh and bones.

Jekyll

[DavidS]

Thanks for all the help with the F chord Justin.
Great site!

I have a question though. I find that to make the chord sound right, I need to hold the guitar more along the side. I.e. with my thumb more parallel to the neck of the guitar vs the normal straight behind it. Is that bad form?

It took me forever to be able to properly play the F chord (still takes me a try or two to get the fretting right) but I'm worried I've developed it badly.

Your lessons are awesome!

[Scaleyback]

Patience is a virtue I suppose.

I've watched the video over and over and I'm slowly getting there. I can get the F chord maybe 3 out of 10 attempts now where all the strings ring out nicely when picked individually.

I'm not even going to try it in a progression yet but maybe one day.....

My fingers are sore!

[KEnShin_rocker]

hey justin great site 
       about the F chord, my cousin told me that ur first finger is supposed to press all of the string, not only the last 2. so im pretty confused right now 

[taz93]

i know this is off topic.
but is there not a B chord.
because i couldnt find it anywhere in the beginners lessons.
and how do you do the real f chord?
not the little cheaty one.
 

[Bearg]

There are many different ways to play the same chord.  For the F chord you can either play it as Justin showed in the video, or as a barre chord.

[tintin]

I just play the F as a barre all the time- I certainly need the practice. I have a couple of guitars including a Fender Standard Stratocaster and a Les Paul type Epiphone. I find the shorter neck of the Strat much easier to fret for the F barre. The Les Paul's longer neck is still a bit of a struggle for me. And again, as I go up the neck (10 and above), I find the barres become an effort. I'd ask about exercises, but I've been told the only worth while ones are just practicing chords on the guitar neck.

[Jaden_ph]

when you play the F barre chord, does your first finger need to press  all of the strings hard enough to make them sound clear ? I tried a lot of times and it hurts alot

[flyhead]

You do need to fully fret the notes. Barre chords come late in Jason's lessons, presumably because it takes time to develop enough finger strength. If you have only been playing a short time you might need to wait and excercise fingers before being able to play this chord cleanly.
Correct technique is a must, however. If you are having problems it might be because you missed some small detail in Justins lesson. You could go back and revisit the lesson, taking in even the tiniest things.

[hmtaylor]

I'm having a hell of a time being able to use my first finger to keep the 1st and 2nd string against the fret...My problem is, I have very small hands and to get my first finger in the position to make the 1st/2nd strings ring clean I have to arch my hand in such a way that my third finger will not reach the fourth string.........i'm not sure i will ever be able to play it cleanly b/c of the size of my fingers

that being said, i need some help on how to barre the 1st/2nd string with my first finger.......I try doing what the lesson says but it doesnt seem to work?!

[flyhead]

All I can say is be patient. I had a frightful time with this. It felt like my finger-tip was going to snap-off, trying to press it flat. I thought I was going mad.
  Then it happened. I don't know what, but suddenly I couldn't understand what all the fuss had been and it came.