Playing an F chord...

[OveriseFan]

I can't seem to get my index finger to get both of the bottom strings. Anyone have any advice?

is it my guitar?

Maybe the strings are too far off the fretboard?

[Hilikus]

how long have you been playing?

[OveriseFan]

how long have you been playing?
Seriously, about 2 months.

But I've fooled around with guitar for a while. I guess I just started learning actual songs and how to play about 2 months ago though.

[Sal]

only thing i can think of...

try getting your fingers used to the C chord...and once youre good at that, try the F chord, since the fingering is sort of similar

and i think everyone has hated the F chord when they first started playing guitar...so dont be too worried

[iHATEapril]

I can't seem to get my index finger to get both of the bottom strings. Anyone have any advice?

is it my guitar?

Maybe the strings are too far off the fretboard?
It's hard when you first start, but seriously just keep trying and you'll get it. I learn F last year, and shit clunked at first, but now it's easy for me to bar all over the fret board.

[OveriseFan]

only thing i can think of...

try getting your fingers used to the C chord...and once youre good at that, try the F chord, since the fingering is sort of similar

and i think everyone has hated the F chord when they first started playing guitar...so dont be too worried
I can play C chords, D chords, G chords, B chords, most chords(except bar chords) fine...

It's that stupid F chord I can' t play very well.

It's hard when you first start, but seriously just keep trying and you'll get it. I learn F last year, and shit clunked at first, but now it's easy for me to bar all over the fret board.
Thanks a lot.

[aminorthreat55]

If you're having trouble just transpose the fingering up a string so you play it in 5th position.

[iHATEapril]

If you're having trouble just transpose the fingering up a string so you play it in 5th position.
Do you mean play it on the 12th fret? I'm not good with guitar terms lol. Or do you mean play it A/someother form

[xglassjawx]

I hate F chords lol

[aminorthreat55]

Do you mean play it on the 12th fret? I'm not good with guitar terms lol. Or do you mean play it A/someother form
5th position = starting at the 5th fret, an F chord is just the notes F, A, C and another F, so you transpose those notes so you play the chord at the 5th, 6th and 7th frets instead of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

[iHATEapril]

5th position = starting at the 5th fret, an F chord is just the notes F, A, C and another F, so you transpose those notes so you play the chord at the 5th, 6th and 7th frets instead of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd.oh oh oh now I get what you mean

[OveriseFan]

5th position = starting at the 5th fret, an F chord is just the notes F, A, C and another F, so you transpose those notes so you play the chord at the 5th, 6th and 7th frets instead of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd.
Hm, good idea.

Thanks a lot.

[youcomebeforeyo]

Even with a crap guitar you should still be able to finger the chord, it takes a while though to get used to streching.

I'd suggest you try exercises streching your fingers up the fretboard to help you out on this.

[The Revisionist]

What I would even do is not bother hitting the root F on the low E or the high E string, and just hitting it with:

A String 3rd Fret
D String 3rd Fret
G String 2nd Fret
B String 1st Fret

Like somebody said, get used to the C chord, and then making the transistion from that (especially to an easier format like what I just gave you) shouldn't be too hard.

[wastedspacejm]

or just play it without the root low F.
as in...

e|x
b|1
g|2
d|3
a|3
e|x

or switch the 2 to a 1 to play F minor.

edit: what revisionist said.

[btbam > you]

only thing i can think of...

try getting your fingers used to the C chord...and once youre good at that, try the F chord, since the fingering is sort of similar

and i think everyone has hated the F chord when they first started playing guitar...so dont be too worried



agreed. at first, i could grab every chord i was taught except that. it definitely took some practice to get it down.

[xYouFailMex]

An F chord is so easy I don't know how you can have trouble playing that. Put your first finger on the first and second string on the first fret. Put your second finger on the third string second fret. Then put your third finger on the fourth string on the third fret. Try it in 5th position first. Trying chords there makes alot of the stuff more easier because the frets are closer together then just work your way down the fret board.

[merv the perv]

An F chord is so easy I don't know how you can have trouble playing that. Put your first finger on the first and second string on the first fret. Put your second finger on the third string second fret. Then put your third finger on the fourth string on the third fret. Try it in 5th position first. Trying chords there makes alot of the stuff more easier because the frets are closer together then just work your way down the fret board.

That's not the true F chord the person is talking about. They are having trouble with this:

e- 1
b- 1
G- 2
D- 3
A- 3
E -1

I just cheat and play this:

e-1
b-1
G-2
D-3
A-3
E-x

[InochiSagashi]

if everything is hard to bar/play, try checking the action on your guitar. if it's too high, it takes more effort to press the strings down.

[patrickhowell]

Dude, just practice. It just takes finger strength, and you'll get it.