The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #61  
Old 08-23-2013, 01:13 PM
skitoolong skitoolong is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 992
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Stone View Post
F was a challenge when I first started playing back when Dinosaurs roamed the earth. But the Bb was easy - I use a doube barre for Bb, my index finger covers all 6 strings and my ring finger on the D, G, and B, then curved up a bit so the E rings freely. Don't know why, but this double barre chord was very easy from the start.
You disgust me.....

I'm getting there, I just can't get in and out of it quickly yet. The ring finger just isn't quite accurate enough or strong enough in that position yet.

Give me another month or two.
__________________
Breedlove C25/CRe-h
Taylor 516e FLTD
Taylor GS6
Gibson J-30
Walden CO500 (camper)
Fender FSR BSB Telecaster
Reply With Quote
  #62  
Old 08-23-2013, 01:19 PM
RobertForman RobertForman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 214
Default

OK everybody in here gets an F





.................... and F chord, and an A for your participation.
Reply With Quote
  #63  
Old 08-23-2013, 01:25 PM
KevWind's Avatar
KevWind KevWind is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Edge of Wilderness Wyoming
Posts: 19,884
Default

For many years the F chord was synonymous with the F word but now not so much.
__________________
Enjoy the Journey.... Kev...

KevWind at Soundcloud

KevWind at YouYube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...EZxkPKyieOTgRD

System :
Studio system Avid Carbon interface , PT Ultimate 2023.12 -Mid 2020 iMac 27" 3.8GHz 8-core i7 10th Gen ,, Ventura 13.2.1

Mobile MBP M1 Pro , PT Ultimate 2023.12 Ventura 12.2.1
Reply With Quote
  #64  
Old 08-23-2013, 01:34 PM
roylor4 roylor4 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: McLeansville, NC
Posts: 7,449
Default

I'm a relative newbie (1.5 years on acoustic) and F was a big problem for me for a while. To repeat what all the more experienced guys are saying - 1) Practice F shifts repeatedly and cleanly as possible 2) Good setup on your guitar, especially at the nut 3) Proper gauge strings for your strength and skill level

I see Bluegrass pickers using medium-heavy gauge strings playing and it makes me wince just to watch. Looks easy for them - wouldn't be for me.. I use Martin Silk & Phosphors. They sound like custom lights but are equal to Extra lights in gauge. (.11-.47)

Keep practicing and it will come.
__________________
Roy


Ibanez, Recording King, Gretsch, Martin
G&L, Squier, Orange (x 2),
Bugera, JBL, Soundcraft

Our duo website - UPDATED 7/26/19
Reply With Quote
  #65  
Old 08-23-2013, 01:34 PM
Rockguy475 Rockguy475 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Greenwell Springs, Louisiana
Posts: 1,435
Default

I used to think it was impossible...
__________________
Martin D-14 Custom Shop
Martin DX-175th
Reply With Quote
  #66  
Old 08-23-2013, 01:59 PM
RobertForman RobertForman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 214
Default

I said this twice already, and I will say it a third time, this entire thread is predicated on a false assumption and a misguided conception that an F chord equals a full on six string barre chord starting on the first fret.

having played guitar for like forty years, from my experience, I can tell you that the F chord we are describing in this thread isn't even the most desirable form of the F chord. If you think about it, that F chord has three, yes three F notes in it; two C notes; and one A note. allow me to explain that three F notes are wholly unnecessary and are most certainly redundant and overkill, why play it that way?

when you play a fully barred F chord you are playing three instances of the tonic and two instances of the 5th, the 3rd is drowned out and it's really just a busy and messy and unclear sound that you are producing. there is nothing manly or desirable about playing an F chord with this voicing.

allow me to suggest two alternatives. now there are seven or eight or more alternatives, but here are two. Consider that fully barred F chord and now remove all the notes but those on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings. play C on the second string first fret, A on the third string second fret, and F on the fourth string third fret. That is an F chord, and that is all that is required to play an F chord. And not only that, that F chord sounds better than the fully barred F chord. note also that you can tap into a second F note on the first fret of the first string, and a second C note is accessible on the fifth string. a second alternative is simply take a D chord and move it up to the fifth fret, now you are playing F. That's all. that's it.

Last edited by RobertForman; 08-23-2013 at 02:02 PM. Reason: typo
Reply With Quote
  #67  
Old 08-23-2013, 02:06 PM
GuitarDogs62 GuitarDogs62 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Mount Laurel, New Jersey
Posts: 1,372
Default

My instructor started me on Bar Chords on the 5th fret or A. He told me if I practice the Major and minor chords on this fret that my fingers and hand would strenthen so I could play the F and G bar chords. He was so right. After working at it for three weeks I was able to get the sound to ring out of the barred F-chord. It was not easy and it took more time to get the chord to ring out consistantly. Now that is a thing of the past. Barred Chords needs to be practiced and worked at daily when they are first be learned. After that the next issue to over come is to move to a Barred chord from and open chord and from another barred chord consistanly like you would on open chords meaning G to D or C to A and so on. Learning to make the full barred Chords chime out takes time and practice and most of all patience.
__________________
Gibson J-45 Studio Rosewood
Gibson J-45 Studio Walnut
Martin DX2 GPC Rosewood
Taylor 214e SB DLX
Reply With Quote
  #68  
Old 08-23-2013, 02:07 PM
mc1 mc1 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: nova scotia
Posts: 14,146
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertForman View Post
I said this twice already, and I will say it a third time, this entire thread is predicated on a false assumption and a misguided conception that an F chord equals a full on six string barre chord starting on the first fret.

having played guitar for like forty years, from my experience, I can tell you that the F chord we are describing in this thread isn't even the most desirable form of the F chord. If you think about it, that F chord has three, yes three F notes in it; two C notes; and one A note. allow me to explain that three F notes are wholly unnecessary and are most certainly redundant and overkill, why play it that way?

when you play a fully barred F chord you are playing three instances of the tonic and two instances of the 5th, the 3rd is drowned out and it's really just a busy and messy and unclear sound that you are producing. there is nothing manly or desirable about playing an F chord with this voicing.

allow me to suggest two alternatives. now there are seven or eight or more alternatives, but here are two. Consider that fully barred F chord and now remove all the notes but those on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th strings. play C on the second string first fret, A on the third string second fret, and F on the fourth string third fret. That is an F chord, and that is all that is required to play an F chord. And not only that, that F chord sounds better than the fully barred F chord. note also that you can tap into a second F note on the first fret of the first string, and a second C note is accessible on the fifth string. a second alternative is simply take a D chord and move it up to the fifth fret, now you are playing F. That's all. that's it.

well, first of all, this thread isn't really about F chords in general, it's specifically about the barred E form that uses 6 strings. regardless of your feelings about the voicing (which i can relate to), it's a common chord.

the E form is common as an E chord, an F chord, an F# chord, and every other major chord up the neck. often all 6 strings aren't strummed, but this chord form has been played countless times by countless players in countless songs. i haven't done the math and added it up, but that sounds like a lot.

i do, however, appreciate your point.
Reply With Quote
  #69  
Old 08-23-2013, 02:14 PM
RobertForman RobertForman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 214
Default

if you added up all those F barre chords they would likely stretch from here to the moon.
Reply With Quote
  #70  
Old 08-23-2013, 02:41 PM
scottishrogue scottishrogue is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Minneapolis...the "mini" apple in Mini-soooo-tah!
Posts: 3,311
Cool Does the F Chord CHALLENGE EVERYONE?

I probably had trouble when I first began playing, but I just play the first 5 strings (in the E shape), moved up 1 fret, barring the first 2 strings only. If I play a G (barre) Chord (using the E shape), that's not a problem for me.

Glen
__________________
Yamaha FG-375S Jumbo
Martin DXME/D-35E/DC Aura/000-14 Custom/D-16E Custom/
000C Nylon/0000-28HE/Concept IV Jumbo/00-16C/D-4132SE
Gibson LP Deluxe/ES-347 TD/Chet Atkins CE
Fender MIA Deluxe Strat
Art & Lutherie 12-string
Bellucci Concert
Sigma CR-7
Recording King ROS-06 FE3/RPH-05
D'Angelico "New Yorker"
New Masters "Esperance SP"
Hermosa AH-20
“I never met a guitar I didn't like.”

Last edited by scottishrogue; 08-24-2013 at 07:43 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #71  
Old 08-23-2013, 03:00 PM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The Isle of Albion
Posts: 22,068
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrMartyr View Post
The F chord is where proper posture becomes important. You have to be either standing and strapped in, or sitting in performance posture. The chord is easier to play when the rest of your body is properly postured. So sit up straight, just make sure to relax your shoulders. It does take a while to develop the hand strength. Make sure to get a good foothold on the apex of the neck with the meat of your thumb.

And I know this is going to sound like the opposite of what you should do, but try this. Relax when you play it. Relax and strum a Reggae rhythm.
Mr Martyr,speak with true tongue"!

Good posture becomes more important the more you learn (I/'m still learning - aren't we all),
Try this :
Make an E shape with your 2,3,4 fingers, then move it u one fret, thumb over for the bass note and let your index finger cover the 1st & 2nd strings. do it until you are truly fed up with it.

Then: make a four finger C chord, then move it up one string , again bringing your thumb over to the F on the 6th, and flattening your 1t finger over the 1st & 2nd. Again do it until you are sick and tired of it.

Third - put your guitar on a stand. Learn t pick it up one handed by grasping the neck in such a way that it makes an F chord - -really ! - try it!
Reply With Quote
  #72  
Old 08-23-2013, 03:06 PM
roylor4 roylor4 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: McLeansville, NC
Posts: 7,449
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mc1 View Post
well, first of all, this thread isn't really about F chords in general, it's specifically about the barred E form that uses 6 strings. regardless of your feelings about the voicing (which i can relate to), it's a common chord.

the E form is common as an E chord, an F chord, an F# chord, and every other major chord up the neck. often all 6 strings aren't strummed, but this chord form has been played countless times by countless players in countless songs. i haven't done the math and added it up, but that sounds like a lot.

i do, however, appreciate your point.
I didn't read the OP's post that way. He said he had trouble playing an F and he also had trouble creating a simple barre as well.

"I not only have a problem with the F, but I am having a time using my index finger to bar all the way across the fret board!"

Maybe I'm mis-reading it. Sounds like he's having trouble with the simplest F w/a partial 2-string barre (F# shape) and creating barre chords as well. Perhaps the originator will give some clarity here?
__________________
Roy


Ibanez, Recording King, Gretsch, Martin
G&L, Squier, Orange (x 2),
Bugera, JBL, Soundcraft

Our duo website - UPDATED 7/26/19
Reply With Quote
  #73  
Old 08-23-2013, 03:41 PM
mc1 mc1 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: nova scotia
Posts: 14,146
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by roylor4 View Post
I didn't read the OP's post that way. He said he had trouble playing an F and he also had trouble creating a simple barre as well.

"I not only have a problem with the F, but I am having a time using my index finger to bar all the way across the fret board!"

Maybe I'm mis-reading it. Sounds like he's having trouble with the simplest F w/a partial 2-string barre (F# shape) and creating barre chords as well. Perhaps the originator will give some clarity here?
yes, i re-read the post as well, and i see what you mean. i had focused on the F chord and barring all the way across the fretboard, as well as the thread title. perhaps he meant that he had trouble with 2 aspects of the fully barred F chord. or perhaps something else. i suspect we may have scared the op off.

i am now the top poster in this thread, something i am not proud of. we need a subforum for the F chord.
Reply With Quote
  #74  
Old 08-23-2013, 03:50 PM
RobertForman RobertForman is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 214
Default

all due respect to the OP, and I know he is off practicing, but one cannot control where these threads lead. but so far on this one, we are pretty true to the OP. I did notice a few people mentioned the infamous B-flat chord, but that's not really a guitar chord, it's a brass instrument chord. sometimes guitar players have to adapt and B-flat is a good example.

Last edited by RobertForman; 08-23-2013 at 03:50 PM. Reason: typo
Reply With Quote
  #75  
Old 08-23-2013, 04:04 PM
Guest316
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by RobertForman View Post
. . . the infamous B-flat chord, but that's not really a guitar chord . . . .
Ok, I'll bite - Why isn't a Bb a guitar chord? I can play it on my guitar . . .
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > PLAY and Write

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:09 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=