"F" chord is now outlawed (Page 1 of 6)

Ha ha ha!  Tommydone... while I agree, a good work around helps!  Try this:

That's the "F" I use when a song calls for one.  It's close enough for me, for now anyhow.  Someday I'll visit the mutant research facility and get zapped with some of that special serum to allow me to play a real F and get a B7 fretted quickly!

I swear I have never had trouble with the F chord, mutant that I am.  Although I use mekidsmoms chord , but hold down the bottom two strings.  This has never presented a problem for me.   There are lots of chords I have trouble with, but I use cheater chords for them.  They sound good when I am singing.  Maybe my bad singing covers them up and I don't notice.

Whether you play the 4 string version of the F chord (beginer) or the barred full 6 string version (mutant), getting the index finger to play across two or six strings is not particularly easy and some of my students have the same problem as you. Postion of the hand can help, with the 4 string version I have the neck in my palm and with the barred chord my thumb in the centre of the neck. Can you get an experienced player to give you some help?

At the end of the day the old adage of "Practice, Practice and then more Practice" is the only way and one day you will become a mutant like the rest of us

Roger

of course I am joking as I have only been playing for 4 months...this was more an homage to those out there that can do it....I applaud you

Hehe! I have been playing guitar for two months now. I hated the F chord with a vengeance and avoided it. Then I decided I had to do it. I use the barre chord. Then I just learned it, and had a stroke and went to hospital, losing the use of my fingers. I came back home and was so stubborn I have worked on it for the past two weeks and I have it back. It is possible. If I can do it anyone can.

Try this. Put your fingers as if you are going to play E but instead of using the normal fingers, use the next three, leaving the index finger ready to do the barre. Then slide the fingers across to the next fret, and place the index finger as a barre over all the strings in the first fret. This is what my teacher taught me. I tried and tried, and something I discovered was that the position of the guitar makes a difference to clean sound. Then you can slide your hand down through the frets to get a feel for the barre chords. I am not that good yet, but I have achieved the F. The Bm looks almost impossible as I don't have that many fingers.

YIPPPEEEE I'm almost a mutant!!!! Working very hard at it.

It's just a partial Barre Chord.  It's easier for some because you don't have to play the whole barre chord. Try playing a barred F chord (133211) versus the short version (XX3211). Some people find the more complex chord easier because of a leverage advantage. Others have an easier time with the abbreviated version.  Either way, you're gonna learn one, or both.  You will be assimilated.:)

Glad to be of help Zurf!  If you also fret the first string first fret then it's a true Fmaj7.  I can get that B7 but I am so slow to get it fretted... good for me the few songs that have called for it so far are at slow spot in the song where I can pick it out one note at a time as I'm getting my fingers in position.  I'm also working on a "cheater" Bm using just the three high strings.  I do continue to TRY the others tho!  Thanks to your advise I found the B7 actually fits just as well as the Bm in that spot in the song!  LOL

An easy way to learn the "F" chord (E shape barre) is to learn simple songs in the Key of "C". These songs will go "C" - "F" - "G" (1 - 4 - 5) Here's the trick. Make your basic open "C" chord and strum. Now without moving your ring finger (this will be your anchor) move your index, middle and pinky into the "F" chord position and strum. (your index finger will be at the 1st fret). Now, without changine  ANY finger positions slide your fingers until the index finger is at the 3rd fret. This will be a barre "G" chord. To go back from the "G" barre chord to the open "C" position your ring finger will stay in position and never loose contact with the string.

nela

I can't do barre chords.... I agree with mekidsmom....play a Fmaj7 it is much easier, also brighter sounding.

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