Full barre F major....

[airborne1]

Chord is a pain!! I am just now starting to get some improvement on my barre chords but, that chord is really tough for me! Especially arpeggiating, and or, hitting the low bass note. As most of you know, using a capo at the first fret alleviates much of the problem and the notes ring clearer. I know things should get better with time and practice, but should I stop “cheating”, by using a capo on the first fret?

[David Eastwood]

Originally Posted by airborne1

Chord is a pain!! I am just now starting to get some improvement on my barre chords but, that chord is really tough for me! Especially arpeggiating, and or, hitting the low bass note. As most of you know, using a capo at the first fret alleviates much of the problem and the notes ring clearer. I know things should get better with time and practice, but should I stop “cheating”, by using a capo on the first fret?

If using a capo at the first fret makes it that much easier, it would suggest to me that your nut slots might be a bit high. A quick setup could easily fix that for you.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by airborne1

As most of you know, using a capo at the first fret alleviates much of the problem and the notes ring clearer.

To confirm what eatswodo said: this means your nut is too high. Have a set-up done.

[cliff_the_stiff]

Wait one second- are you
A-Using a capo on 1 st fret and then playing the F shape Barre chord (F#)
or B-using a capo and playing an E maj shape to create the Fmag?
If it’s A, then probably have some nut work needed as others stated.
If it’s B, stop using the capo.
If you play a power chord F- Index on root, and r- on 5th m- on the octave-
Start with this shape and then flatten out the index after you arpeggio past the E.
I find playing an F min is an easier stepping stone towards Fmag.

[1neeto]

Beginners should stay away from a capo unless you’re setting up neck relief. Start with the Fm shape but on the fifth fret (Am), and then move towards the nut (Abm, Gm, Gbm, F). Keep doing this until you’re getting comfortable. Now add the middle finger on the third string and make the major shape and do the same. Eventually muscle memory will kick in, but it will take weeks, if not months. Barre chords is one of the hardest things to learn on guitar.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by cliff_the_stiff

Wait one second- are you
A-Using a capo on 1 st fret and then playing the F shape Barre chord (F#)
or B-using a capo and playing an E maj shape to create the Fmag?
If it’s A, then probably have some nut work needed as others stated.
If it’s B, stop using the capo.

Yes! crucial clarification!

Originally Posted by cliff_the_stiff

If you play a power chord F- Index on root, and r- on 5th m- on the octave-
Start with this shape and then flatten out the index after you arpeggio past the E.
I find playing an F min is an easier stepping stone towards Fmag.

Do you really mean middle finger on the octave F? Pinky surely?

[rllink]

The F is stubborn and hard to play. I took a unique approach to it. I got really mad at it. So I took every song that I like to play, transposed them into a key that had as many F chords in it as I could possibly get, then played them with gusto until I beat that F chord into submission. It was one stubborn chord. It took a month before it would even try to cooperate. But eventually it gave up and we are quite good friends now.

One thing I also did was work on just the bar first. I spent a couple days strumming just the bar until the strings rang out true, then added the rest one string at a time making sure I got that before adding the next.

By the way, the big F battle took place in February, I'm fairly new to this. But because February starts with an F I decided it would be my month to conquer it.

[airborne1]

Originally Posted by rllink

The F is stubborn and hard to play. I took a unique approach to it. I got really mad at it. So I took every song that I like to play, transposed them into a key that had as many F chords in it as I could possibly get, then played them with gusto until I beat that F chord into submission. It was one stubborn chord. It took a month before it would even try to cooperate. But eventually it gave up and we are quite good friends now.

One thing I also did was work on just the bar first. I spent a couple days strumming just the bar until the strings rang out true, then added the rest one string at a time making sure I got that before adding the next.

By the way, the big F battle took place in February, I'm fairly new to this. But because February starts with an F I decided it would be my month to conquer it.

In that case, I’ll begin in the month of Fuly!

[NormanKliman]

Haha, excellent post, rllink. Kind of metaphysical, too.

Don’t know if it happens to others, but sometimes old strings make it harder for me to fret all the notes in that F chord clearly. I’ll think it’s me getting old, but it’s actually due to worn-out strings. Heh, gotta get old but not worn-out yet!

I always thought country blues in C (Broonzy, Hurt, etc.) provide an excellent workout for that F chord, especially the combination of the chord tones on the bass strings and non-chord tones on the trebles.

[cliff_the_stiff]

Originally Posted by JonPR

Yes! crucial clarification!
Do you really mean middle finger on the octave F? Pinky surely?

You’re right- pinky for sure.

[TBman]

Using a capo to reduce the angle of the arm makes the F chord easier when learning. If that was what the OP was doing, its fine. If its because the guitar was too hard to play without the capo then its time for a setup as was pointed out.

[M Hayden]

Practice practice practice.
I learned to play it at like 8 years old.
Be patient. You’ll get there.
And like eatswodo says, check your nut action! http://frets.com/FretsPages/Musician...nutaction.html