F Chord does it matter which one?

[Bluepoet]

Originally Posted by xmytruck

I can do this chord but on this song going from G maj to that cowboy is a stretch for me. I know I need to work on my Barre Chords.

If I understand you correctly, you're having a problem, going from the Gmaj chord to F? I would consider learning the G chord, with different fingering, then, in order to transition more smoothly...

[Earwitness]

Originally Posted by Trawlerman

I usually play basically an F major 7 chord but my index finger "barres" the B and high E on the first fret. That usually sounds good enough for me instead of the challenging, full barre.

I have heard it called the cowboy F or almost F.

E
A
D 3
G 2
B 1
E 1

That's not an "almost F"--that's a full-bred F. F-A-C-F. Root on bottom and on top, not even inverted. It's just that an F with the bass note on the lower E string--i.e., a whole octave down--has the ability to put that bass F note below a G or a C or an A or whatever, and some songs are going to want that.

[Earwitness]

Originally Posted by Bluepoet

If I understand you correctly, you're having a problem, going from the Gmaj chord to F? I would consider learning the G chord, with different fingering, then, in order to transition more smoothly...

This is really true. Someone a long time ago advised me to learn to play a G with my ring finger on the bass G note; I tried a while and quit. In the last year or so, however, I have done so much scale work and work on walk ups and downs, that my ring finger is pretty solid and independent. I have noticed that now, without even thinking about it, I play about half my G chords with the middle finger and half with the ring finger. Just however my hand wants to fall.

It's a very beneficial thing from a practical viewpoint. I'll endorse this advice!

[LouieAtienza]

Originally Posted by Bluepoet

If I understand you correctly, you're having a problem, going from the Gmaj chord to F? I would consider learning the G chord, with different fingering, then, in order to transition more smoothly...

There's a good point... When I first started as a teenager, I didn't have any books to learn from. I always looked for the most efficient (re: easiest) way to finger a chord. An easy one for G was just to wrap my index over string 1 and 2 fret 3, and wrap my thumb around string 6 fret 3, mute string 5. I jokingly called them "pinch chords," because that's how they felt. It was in essence G5, but it ended up working well as I could use it either in major or minor context. Eventually I was able to add the middle to string 3 fret 4, then ring on string 4 fret 5. Further exploring my "pinch" technique, I would barre the first 4 strings on fret 3 with my index and wrap my thumb on string 6, mute string 5, for a Gm7.

I digressed a bit here, but I think it's great to learn a fingering that works for YOU and gives you the cleanest sound. To this day, I still finger my chords "incorrectly" although I can now also do the correct way, but they're more comfortable to me and allow me to transition smoother between certain chords.

[TBman]

It depends on what's going on, and like others have said, its good to have the root as the bass so I wrap or barre as needed.

[Hotspur]

Originally Posted by xmytruck

High string F maj I am assuming is the following

Not quite. Actually it's

EX
Ax
D3
G2
B 1
E 1

Your index finger is forming a mini-barre that's covering the first fret on both the B and high E strings.

and the thumb over is ?

No, it's:

E 1
A x
D 3
G 2
B 1
E 1

Again you're using the index finger as a mini-bar on the b and high e strings. Your thumb wraps around the back of the neck to get the low E string, and just lightly touches (not frets!) the A-string so that you're muting it. This is a very common and useful grip.

The other way is the full-barred E, where your index finger forms a barre on the first fret, and you make an e-shape with your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers. You'll want to learn this eventually, too, as it's the key to being able to play in any key, anywhere on the neck.

[amyFB]

I play "short F " every chance I can, but I suffer the pain of a fat barred F when the song needs it.


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[s0cks]

I like F, so many variations around the same shape, which can be moved anywhere on the neck (though I guess you could say it's the E shape).

[Scootch]

I use the before mentioned COWBOY F.
Unless I have played a barred G immediately before. Then I bar it.

Then again, when I am really feeling crazy, I'll play D shape F
E x
A x
D optional open
G 5
B 6
E 5

Which is really an F6/D or or and F/C if you play the D string but it sounds good if you do at the right time.

Also this one:
E x
A x
D 3
G 2
B 3
E 3

Which is and F6 something(F6no5add2). (I dont really care what it is. I use it as an F sometimes when it sounds good) Usually in a G, F6, Cadd2, G as in Tuesday Afternoon by The Moody Blues.

[mwalk]

Originally Posted by xmytruck

Hello
Got a great book while back a Mels Bay Guitar Chords. When playing a song that requires an F Major chord I have always defaulted to the inside F major chord. Does it matter when your playing a song which F chord you use. The song I am playing requires a A minor --> G Major --> F Major --> E minor. MY hand flows better with an inside F major.


Inside F Major

E
A 3
D 3
G 2
B 1
E

Thx

In general, no it doesn't matter. As long as you're playing notes F, A and C at the same time, you're playing an F chord. Now some "shapes" of F might make more sense than others in certain songs. But shapes are just shapes. The group of notes is what makes the chord.

[xmytruck]

Great advice!!

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Scootch

I use the before mentioned COWBOY F.
Unless I have played a barred G immediately before. Then I bar it.

Then again, when I am really feeling crazy, I'll play D shape F
E x
A x
D optional open
G 5
B 6
E 5

Which is really an F6/D or or and F/C if you play the D string but it sounds good if you do at the right time.

Not really crazy!
Except you've got your tab upside down:
E 5
B 6
G 5
D optional open
A x
E x

With the D, that's Dm7, or F/D. F6/D too, but the "6" is redundant.
Without the D, it's a plain F chord. I know what you mean by "F/C", but it doesn't make a lot of sense here (IMO), because the C is too high to be a bass note. "F/C" usually means the bass player is playing a C note, and you are playing an F chord (any shape you like).

Most times, you're right, that will do in place of F, because (in key of C anyway), Dm7 and F are usually interchangeable - certainly if G is next.

How do you mute the two bass strings, btw? Or do you just avoid them?

Originally Posted by Scootch

Also this one:
E 3
B 3
G 2
D 3
A x
E x

Which is and F6 something(F6no5add2). (I dont really care what it is. I use it as an F sometimes when it sounds good) Usually in a G, F6, Cadd2, G as in Tuesday Afternoon by The Moody Blues.

It's a nice chord, which could have various identities: F69, Dmadd4, G9(no 3rd).

The simple alternative I often use for F is this:
E x
B 1
G 2
D 3
A 3
E x

That could be called "F/C", but again it depends on what the bass player is doing. If there's no bass player, then yes "F/C". If the bass is playing F, then it's just plain "F".

[stanron]

Can I pipe in and say that there is a convention when presenting music visually to put the low notes at the bottom and the high notes at the top. This convention has been adopted for centuries both in tablature and in early and standard notation. It makes it much easier to read and understand if you present standard tuning as

E
B
G
D
A
E

and not the other way round.

Edit; Again, whilst typing this JonPR got in ahead of me.

[trueviper]

I've loved reading this thread, a really great discussion! I would agree with everything that's already been said and also say to you just play whatever sounds right for the particular song you want to play. If it sounds right, then it is right!
I use a standard F major chord (but not the barre version) but sometimes I'll use Fmajor7, if it sounds right because it's easier for me to play. But in my experience it doesn't work as a substitute Fmajor chord for everything, and in fact Fmajor7 is a chord in it's own right and not just a replacement for Fmajor.
Just my two cents and I hope that makes sense. I'm a beginner guitar player and have only recently learned Fmajor, it took me ages too! But I'm so glad I took the time to learn it, it is a very important chord to have at your disposal. And it sounds beautiful too!
In fact Cmajor to Fmajor is probably my favourite chord progression and used in so many Bob Dylan songs that I'm currently learning.

[MC5C]

With that chord sequence - A-G-F-E - there is no way that I would not play the descending bass line on the fifth and sixth strings if I was playing mostly open chords, or just on the sixth string if I was playing barre chords (Hit The Road Jack, amps on 10, grade 10 high-school comes to mind). I always play a barre F if I want that low note, I don't do thumb wraps. Just never saw the point. To me it forces the left hand closed so you lose mobility in your fingers, which might well be playing some melody line over your F chord. One thing is I don't stress over playing all six notes in a barre chord. If one or two get muted by a fingers getting lazy, that's fine.