BC-007 • The Dreaded F Chord

[snowjay]

I simply can't do this chord.

Okay, I've only been working at this for 4 weeks, but I can't do it at all. I can't manage this chord, or any of the chords requiring even a 3-fret stretch. The frustration is beyond intolerable.

I know, "patience and practice," but this just sucks pondwater.

Thank you kindly for allowing me to vent.

Try to do it higher up on the neck like around the 5th fret to get the fingering down. It's a different chord but you want to train your fingers for that shape. Then try it at the 4th, 3rd... etc.. until you are at the 1st.

Also you might want to learn power chords first as it's the same basic shape but without having to barre all the stings or use the middle finger. Once you can play those, it's a much easier step to the full barre shapes, IMO.

Another thing I did when I started was chromatic exercises on the first 4 frets. Using one finger on each fret just go 1-2-3-4 all the way up and down the strings. Do it slow over and over and over again. and over time those stretches will become easy. I can do 1-4 stretch with no though now. I still like to warm up with that type of exercise before I practice anything else.

[kinky fairy]

is my wrist suposed 2 be hurting ths much wen i play f???
cus i dont fink it is suposed 2

[kinky fairy]

is my wrist suposed 2 be hurting ths much wen i play f???
cus i dont fink it is suposed 2

also iv only been playin 4 2 months and im already makin my own songs!
(wivout f)
i cant play it cus my wrist hurts
even tho i want 2

also i bought a ukulele and was wunderin if any1 knos how 2 tune it
cus it sounds horrible!

xxx

[cerebral_89]

im a beginner and although i can do barre chords, the f chord is not working for me, but i have came up with a solution that may help people however it involves using your pinky. Instead of barring b and e, use your index and middle finger for b and e, your ring finger for g 2nd fret and your pinky for d 3rd fret. it was much easier for me than the tradional method of f! i think if if you find some easier way of doing a chord that gives you problems then do it, even if its not the way its "supposed" to be done. jimi hendrix didnt conform to tradition, or the "proper" way of playing, and he's considered the best guitarist to live due but not exclusive to his eccentric method of playing. So play however you like as long as it sounds right, cause the sound waves are all that matters people.


Cer3bral

[porsamini]

Hello there! Yes the wrist do hurt until you gain some finger strength. Take this advice if you guys can. Get the fret board lifted up a bit and chord playing would be a lot softer. I have this guitar Gb&a. I practiced F for around 5 months and I was getting nowhere near to progress. And finally got my guitar serviced and got the fret board lifted up towards the strings and I could make out the difference straight away. More in couple of weeks practice, F is just like a normal chord

[Tourniquet]

And finally got my guitar serviced and got the fret board lifted up towards the strings and I could make out the difference straight away.

......Ok... I'll bite.... How exactly was the fretboard "lifted up".
Short of a neck pocket shim it kinda sounds like taking the mountain to Mohammed.

[porsamini]

Well, I dono if this is a feature in my guitar. Fretboard and the neck are in two pieces. And there's a slot inside the soundhole which can be used to manipulate the "action". It'd have made more sense if I said feather-touch if you didn't get it.

[Tourniquet]

Well, I dono if this is a feature in my guitar. Fretboard and the neck are in two pieces. And there's a slot inside the soundhole which can be used to manipulate the "action". It'd have made more sense if I said feather-touch if you didn't get it.

Ok, That's a truss rod adjustment. A metal rod running down the inside of the neck has been tightened to generate additional countertension and straighten up the neck.
It's got nothing to do with action or the fretboard, they're just along for the ride

[JoeShmo]

WOO WHO!  I made an F chord!

Mommy when will the hurting stop?

I couldn't get the two highest notes to ring out at all, untill a very dear friend of mine -- who happens to be a music teacher-- sugested a little finger strengthening exercise.  It may sound strange, but it's sorta fun.  I did this a couple minutes a day for a week, and the F chord just sorta happened.

The idea is to use your first finger like a fleshy capo.  Fret all six strings  with the first finger while using the second finger on top of the first to assist in pushing down on the fret board.  You have to cross your fingers a bit to do this.  Rolling the finger back a bit is fine, and it dosen't matter which fret.   

Use the strum pick strum method  to make sure you have all six notes ringing clearly.  Once you can make all six notes sound clearly. slide your crossed fingers up and down the neck stopping at random frets, and using strum pick strum to make sure you are getting all 6 notes.

Make sure your first finger is right up on the fret.  It might look like the fleshy part of your finger is sticking over the fret, but it is the bony part of your finger that is actually doing the fretting.  It's ok if your first finger curves a bit.

Good luck all!

Regards,

[davemoss]

Hey Joeshmo, please tell us how to do the pinky strengthening exercise.

[close2u]

he did

re-read

press first finger down all 6 strings with 2nd finger helping no other fingers involved

simples

 

[davemoss]

Ah, I see, it's a little, finger exercise not a little finger exercise.

(Punctuation)

[JoeShmo]

Simple, but it works, at least it did for me.

Near as I can figure it helps the first finger learn what it needs to do to hold down all six strings.
 
I appologize for the unclear text.

Regards,

[mynewguitar]

I remember the F Chord ("The Dreaded F Chord" - exactly) so well. 

I started learning guitar in the summer, and we didn't have air conditioning, so the sweat would be pouring off of me as I struggled with, not only the F chord, but my resolve to learn guitar as well.

I would meticulously avoid any song that had an F chord in it - as I would any song that had a B chord in it. Eventually I made peace with the fact that I had to learn it, and, to this very day, I use the model of learning the F chord as a reminder when I'm am working on something that seems overwhelming and impossible to do.