f major chord- any tips??

hi, im about 2 weeks in learning to play the guitar and havent had any problems that practicing hasnt solved but ive hit a wall in learning the f major chord.

anyone got any tips or suggestions?

thanks

The F chord simply takes more than 2 weeks to master. Yes, some people learn faster and other practice for 5 plus hours a day. But most people take longer than that.

Originally Posted by: haghj500The F chord simply takes more than 2 weeks to master. Yes, some people learn faster and other practice for 5 plus hours a day. But most people take longer than that.

i understand that it can take time to learn the chord and people learn at different speeds. What i wanted to know is if anyone give any tips on how they do the F chord and if they could give any pointers...

Originally Posted by: mahvish_91i understand that it can take time to learn the chord and people learn at different speeds. What i wanted to know is if anyone give any tips on how they do the F chord and if they could give any pointers...

Try barring the first 3 strings, since you're freting the G string in the second fret anyway. Another way is to angle your index finger so that the side of it is barring the first three. Aside from that, it's going to take practice and watch you thumb position. I've been playing for two years and its still not easy, but my fingers and hand have gotten strong enough that I can do it fairly quick in transition, using both methods above. The best sounding F or course is the full barre version, and if you don't know what that is, then play E maj and move you fingers up one fret, barring the first fret with your index finger completely. As an FYI, you can continue on down playing F#, G, G#...etc. Wouldn't worry about barre chords right now, but it helps to know.

Mahvish

Sorry, I’ll try to be more help this time. First figure out how to get your 1st finger to cover the B and E in the first fret, so d,g,b,e strings ring as they should.
2nd Place your 2nd finger on the G string 2nd fret. Only use your 2nd finger right now, get the G string to ring as it should. Now remove your finger, put it back. Does the string ring as it should. Cool, so now add your 1st finger back with your second finger.
Adjusting the angle of your hand up/down or closer/further from the neck, (your elbo should be moving to, if it is not you have more angles to try.) doing that can make a big difference. Do all d,g,b,e ring as they should? If no adjust the angle of your hand or change the string size you are using. Sets that the small E string starts at 9/10 are easier to bend and it takes less effort on your part to make them ring right or your guitar may need set up or….

3rd Now just work on your 3rd finger placing it and removing it till the string and the strings around it rings true each time. Once you get that, add your second finger back, when they ring right add your 1st finger back. That will be the hard one. But if you have fingers 2,3 working, then the battle is half over. You just have to find the angle that work when you add your first finger back and so on for your pinky.

I hope you find that useful. Your hand is learning to walk, it's all about little steps when you start. Just like walking the more you practice the better and faster you get.

Originally Posted by: haghj500Mahvish

Sorry, I’ll try to be more help this time. First figure out how to get your 1st finger to cover the B and E in the first fret, so d,g,b,e strings ring as they should.
2nd Place your 2nd finger on the G string 2nd fret. Only use your 2nd finger right now, get the G string to ring as it should. Now remove your finger, put it back. Does the string ring as it should. Cool, so now add your 1st finger back with your second finger.
Adjusting the angle of your hand up/down or closer/further from the neck, (your elbo should be moving to, if it is not you have more angles to try.) doing that can make a big difference. Do all d,g,b,e ring as they should? If no adjust the angle of your hand or change the string size you are using. Sets that the small E string starts at 9/10 are easier to bend and it takes less effort on your part to make them ring right or your guitar may need set up or….

3rd Now just work on your 3rd finger placing it and removing it till the string and the strings around it rings true each time. Once you get that, add your second finger back, when they ring right add your 1st finger back. That will be the hard one. But if you have fingers 2,3 working, then the battle is half over. You just have to find the angle that work when you add your first finger back and so on for your pinky.

I hope you find that useful. Your hand is learning to walk, it's all about little steps when you start. Just like walking the more you practice the better and faster you get.

thanks i really appreciate the help. i will follow your advice and try this way and see how it goes

Originally Posted by: shayes012900Try barring the first 3 strings, since you're freting the G string in the second fret anyway. Another way is to angle your index finger so that the side of it is barring the first three. Aside from that, it's going to take practice and watch you thumb position. I've been playing for two years and its still not easy, but my fingers and hand have gotten strong enough that I can do it fairly quick in transition, using both methods above. The best sounding F or course is the full barre version, and if you don't know what that is, then play E maj and move you fingers up one fret, barring the first fret with your index finger completely. As an FYI, you can continue on down playing F#, G, G#...etc. Wouldn't worry about barre chords right now, but it helps to know.

thanks for the pointers ill try it out and see how it goes

I'm just sitting here practicing this f chord and wondering if the reason i'm having more difficulty with it is because i have a classical guitar (wider fretboard)? Doesn't help that I have short fingers either. I think until my hands and fingers get stronger i'm going to have to "muck" through the f.

Make shure that you don't try to get all the power from pressing your thumb and first finger together... this is hard and your hand is getting fatigued very soon. So... here's the secret: pull your whole arm back (from your shoulder). Make shure that your posture is good and your right forarm is in front of your guitar body to keep the guitar in place. Done right, you could play the F bar chord even without your thumb touching your guitar neck. (of course you don't play like this in real life, but practice it to get a feel for "pulling the arm back")