F Major Guitar Chord....Whats all the Fuss?
With the F Major chord shape feeling so alien to beginning guitar players, discovering new places to play the chord is especially useful.This has the added bonus of helping the beginner learn the locations of the notes on the fretboard, and so aid their playing as a whole.
Moving chord shapes is a good skill to practise at any time, and will be handy in lots of musical situations.
So back to the F major chord, try playing the chord at the 5th fret. To do this form the D major chord in its normal position using the fingering of fret 2, G string, using the 2nd finger. Fret 2, top E string using the 3rd finger, and fret 3 on the B string, using your pinky. The note under the 4th finger is the D note, which is the root note of the chord D major.
Remember this, as now where ever you move the shape you will always know the name of the chord. It has the same name as the note under the 4th finger.
So if you now move the D major shape up the neck so that the 2nd and 3rd fingers are now at the 5th fret and the little finger is on the 6th fret of the B string.
This is now a triad containing the notes C, F and A. Playing the open D string must now be avoided, as this is not part of the F chord. Play the chord by strumming the top 3 strings.
Another strategy to help with the harder F shape is to avoid using it in songs altogether. If you focus on playing songs in the keys of G and D and also E and A, then you can then take the F chord out of the equation totally.
In the long run though the F major chord is so useful, that it is essential to persevere and conquer it.
Its advisable to try and progress very gradually. Try just fretting across fret one of the B and E strings with your index finger flat, until you get a nice clear sound.
Once this is achieved, you can introduce the 2nd and 3rd fingers. But always remember that playing guitar is supposed to be an enjoyable pastime.
If you find yourself becoming agitated or annoyed just put the guitar down and go and do something relaxing. When you come back things will be that little bit easier.
Before long you will soon be wondering what all the fuss with the F major is about.