If you are learning how to play the guitar, then learning your basic chords is one thing that you need to do. Now, there are plenty of easy chords for beginners to start with. However, there is one chord on the guitar that is notorious for giving beginners trouble.
The issue is quite simple, the F chord is just hard to play. The main reason why the F chord is so hard to play is because getting your fingers into the right position can be a challenge. It’s hard to move your fingers in some ways, and getting them in the right position for the F chord is not easy.
What we want to do today is to teach you how to play the F chord on guitar. However, we also want to teach you how to warm up for the F chord, as well as how to play some of its variations, so let’s get right to it.
Warming Up to Play the F Chord
The reality here is that all too many people struggle with playing the F chord. Not only can it be hard to get your fingers in the right position, but it can also be difficult to remember where to position your fingers in the first place. Therefore, we first want to provide you with some good warmup exercises so you can learn to easily play the F chord on your guitar.
One thing to keep in mind here is that playing the F chord on your guitar requires extensive use of your index finger, otherwise known as your pointer finger. The issue here is that your index finger has to stretch over all six of the guitar strings, all the way over the fretboard. Therefore, having a strong yet loose and nimble index finger is important.
You really need to learn how to use your index finger for this purpose. First, you need to get comfortable using your index finger in terms of the amount of pressure you need to apply to the strings. Next, you also need to figure out where the best points of contact on those strings for your index finger are.
You then also need to do some experimenting with the placement of your index finger. A good tip here is to try to use your other fingers to apply a significant amount of force onto your index finger, and then onto the string.
A Good F Chord Warmup Exercise
What we want to do now is to take a quick look at a good warmup exercise that will allow you to easily play the F chord on your guitar. One good tip here is to make sure that you treat your index finger like a button, one that allows you to apply and release pressure.
For this exercise, also remember to only use downstrokes, not upstrokes. You are then going to lay that index finger across all six guitar strings, all the way up the fretboard. You now want to apply pressure to the low E string, downward pressure, and then also pluck that string.
You will then apply pressure on the A string, and then pluck the A string, but without moving your index finger from over the E string. You want to continue this exercise until you get to the high E string. Keep fretting and plucking strings, while applying pressure with your index finger, but without ever moving that index finger from all six strings.
This is a really good exercise for playing the F chord because it really gives you a good feel for how much pressure is required to barre all six of the guitar strings.
How to Play the F Chord on Guitar
Now that you know how much pressure to apply to the strings, and that your fingers are limber and loose, let’s play the F chord. To play the F chord on your guitar, take your index finger and place it across all six strings on the first fret, the fret closest to the tuning pegs on your guitar.
You will then take your middle finger and place it on the second fret of the third strength. You will then place your ring finger on the third fret of the fourth string. Finally, take your pinky finger and place it on the third fret of the fifth string. Do keep in mind that this F chord is difficult to play due to the fact that you need a whole lot of finger strength and mobility.
The other difficult aspect here, what our warmup was all about, is barring all six strings using your index finger. If you are still having trouble with this, we recommend going back to the warmup stage. Moreover, besides your index finger that is barring all of the strings, make sure to use the tips of your fingers to fret the other strings.
Easier Versions of the F Chord
In case you are having trouble barring all six of the strings with your index finger, there are easier versions of the F chord that you can play.
The first variation here involves using your index finger to fret just the sixth and fifth strings, placing your middle finger on the second fret of the third string, placing your ring finger on the third fret of the second string, and placing your pinky finger on the third fret of the third string.
Keep in mind that this F chord starts on the fifth scale degree of the F, not on the actual F itself. However, if you are having troubler barring the six strings, this is a good option to consider.
The other variation of the F chord that you can try is muting the first and second strings with your palm, placing your ring finger on the third fret of the second string, your middle finger on the second fret of the fourth string, and fretting the first frets of the fifth and sixth strings using your index finger. Keep in mind that this F chord sounds much lighter as there are fewer bass notes present.
Making the F Chord Easier to Play
There are some tips that we can provide you with to make the F chord easier to play, so let’s do that right now.
- One thing that you can do to make the F chord easier to play is to lower or decrease the action on your guitar. The action refers to how high off of the fretboard the strings are. The less action there is, the lower the strings are, and the less pressure you will need to apply.
- Another thing that you can do is to play other barre chords. Remember that the closer the frets are to the tuning head of your guitar, the tighter they are, and the more pressure needs to applied. Therefore, playing other barre chords closer to the center of the neck of the guitar will allow you to build up some finger strength and get in some practice in terms of finger positioning.
Playing the F Chord on Guitar – Final Thoughts
To play the F chord on your guitar, start with the warmup exercises and then get right to it. If that is too hard, try the F chord variations first.
