For some, it's the chord that makes them put their guitar back in the closet. But it doesn't have to be. The reason why the
F is basically the “E” chord played 1 fret higher. The bony part of your index finger acts as a new “nut” - which makes your guitar 1 fret shorter (and 1 pitch higher). The tricky part is getting your index finger to hold down all the strings - without your hand starting to hurt. It ain't easy.
The chord of F is probably the first chord that really gives a beginner a lot of bother so take your time and try out a few of these. Find what works best for you and what you like the sound off and then get learning one of the above songs using it.
There's a tendency to try to make it sound better by pressing harder. Instead try adjusting the angle of the hand and moving the first finger closer to the first fret (not on top of it). It's a balance of the right position and just enough pressure to make them sound good.
The F chord is typically the first major test in a beginner's journey. Many give up after attempting to learn the F chord. This is because it is a bar chord. If you have never played a bar chord before, the F is going to take extra patience and resistance to frustration.
The easy F chord starts with your index finger on the 1st fret of the 2nd string. Then use your middle finger on the 2nd fret of the 3rd string. Your ring finger and pinky will play the 3rd fret on the 5th and 4th strings respectively. For this version of the F chord, you won't play the high or low E strings.
It's Finally Your Time To Learn It!
It might take you weeks, if not months, to master this chord. It's a process - so be patient with yourself! The key is to get the finger placement right and to make the F chord ring out clearly. Then, you'll learn how to change chords to and from them and incorporate them in songs!
One way of avoiding F is to use a capo – you could capo the third fret and play a D major chord, or the fifth fret and play a C major shape. You could also capo the first fret and play E, but in each case all the other chords in the song will need to be adjusted to the new key.
The F chord on guitar can be especially challenging. In fact, so much so that you may well develop an aversion to playing it. The B chord presents its own set of challenges. These two chords don't have open shapes, and that makes them more difficult to play.
The biggest determining factor for how easy a guitar is to play is the 'action' - distance from the strings to the neck. When it is very low it is easy to press the strings down to touch the fret; when it is too low the strings will buzz when you play.
Some of the saddest guitar chords include the C Major 9th, C Minor 7th, Csus4, Csus2, C Minor 9th, and regular C Minor chords, just to name a few. These chords can be used in other keys too. However, a big part of what determines a chord's sadness is the musical context as well as how it's used.
The easiest guitar chords for beginners are the Em, C, G and D chord.
1. C - G - Am - F (I - V -vi - IV) This just might be the most popular chord progression in Western popular music.
Overall, the guitar is easier to learn than the piano. If you consider the layout, learning songs, the ability to self-teach and a few other things, it is an easier instrument. However, it's the easiest on average for everyone.
Long practice sessions, in general, will waste your time and it can even harm your progress if it drags on too long. For some people, this means anything past 2 hours per day is too much practice. Other people may be able to practice for 4 hours per day before their focus and memory retention starts to slip.
You can definitely learn on an electric guitar, but overall, acoustic guitar wins out every time. It's easier to sound good, easier to play and it's easier to learn. Overall, it's a simpler experience. The best beginner guitar is a steel-stringed acoustic guitar.
Start with your index finger on the 1st fret 2nd string, 2nd fret of the 3rd string with your middle finger. Then your ring finger and pinky will play the 3rd fret of the 5th and 4th strings respectively. When you're playing this easy F chord on your guitar, you won't play the low or high E strings.
Once you practice these tried-and-tested methods, you have just learned every time you pick up your guitar, your chord changes will start to sing out like an angel. Remember, the more you practice, the faster you master your chord changes. It's that simple.