F!!

I bested the dreaded F chord yesterday! Sorry, In my newb realm that's huge. Now I'll probably attempt it today and totally misfire. But you know what??.. That's ok. Yesterday proved to me that the beast can be tamed.

do you mean the "F" open chord or barre chord? I'm not quite sure why they teach the open chord version here so early in beginners lessons. It's a tough one. Both versions are tough!

In either case if you go back and struggle don't worry about it. Yes, you did master it. Each time you go back you will progressively hit it more often.

My first encounter with the 6th string barre chords was hugely frustrating. Now I can hit it and all the strings sound clear every time. It's the 7 versions that are now driving me crazy!

Congrats on getting the F chord down. That is one of the more difficult ones because it has the double whammy for a beginner - it has a partial barre and it is a four fingered chord. You should feel good about it.

Being able to get it consistently will come over time - just keep practicing it! Many times I find I struggle with something and when I pick it up the next day, I nail it the first time through.

Have you worked through changing to the F chord from either a C or a G? Those are common chord changes.

I think the F chord is a major mind changer for beginners.

They fight and fight to get it right. Then begin to believe they will never be able to play it right, till one day it just works.

So many things work that way playing guitar, its what inspires beginners to keep practicing.

It's the open chord Matonanjin. Yes, I see that the barre chord is even more daunting. Yes Maggior, I'm Slowwly working those chord changes in as well.
Thanks all for your support!!

Originally Posted by: Richirie I see that the barre chord is even more daunting. Yes Maggior, I'm Slowwly working those chord changes in as well.

Stick with the open chords for now. Here's a tip... now that you have those chords, and you're working on changes, find something you like that uses those chords. For example, if you are at all remotely interested in learning fingerpicking, check out Lisa McCormick's fingerpicking lessons... find a simple finger picking sequence that you like, and learn it using the C and F chords, changing slowly back and forth. This way, you're kind of getting two things practiced at once, and its a lot more fun too. By putting those new chords to work in a context you like, they'll stick much more, and I'll bet they become fluid quickly.

Since the chords are new to you (you raise a good point that you might go back and find the beast is still giving you trouble!) try practicing like this:

-2 minutes with no tempo, just changing from open C to open F, making sure that you only strum when you believe the strings will sound cleanly.

-2 minutes of simple strumming, in time (to a metronome) changing back and forth between chords (say, two bars of C, to bars of F, repeat). Chords still need to sound cleanly.

-2-3 minutes of fingerpicking (or, if you prefer, learn a new strumming pattern), in time, playing with a metronome, changing back and forth.

Practice like that, and you'll have the chords down pat in no time. Then you can move on to barre chords. They are not that bad. Like Hagh says, once you start getting them, they get a lot easier. Just make sure you play cleanly over quickly. In other words, don't play fast but sloppy... I did that when I was first learning, and seriously, I had to go back and retrain myself to learn how to play the chords cleanly.

Originally Posted by: matonanjindo you mean the "F" open chord or barre chord? I'm not quite sure why they teach the open chord version here so early in beginners lessons. It's a tough one. Both versions are tough!

I don't know what I was thinking when I wrote this! My excuse is that I have been sick. The chord that I was referring to that "I'm not quite sure why they teach the open chord version here so early" is the open B not F.

Ignore me.

Richirie,

Someone jokingly said that Bob Dylan wrote Lay Lady Lay just to practice barre chords. So playing this song is how I learned to play the full barre chord on the 6th and 5th strings. Try it out:

A C#m G Bm <-- Just repeat this progression strumming each chord like this: ddu ud

5---4---3---2---e
5---5---3---3---B
6---6---4---4---G
7---6---5---4---D
7---4---5---3---A
5---x---3---x---E

Same shape chord, just moved from 6th string to 5th string and down the neck.

Originally Posted by: mblaideSo playing this song is how I learned to play the full barre chord...

Exactly the kind of thing I was talking about... great suggestion!

Originally Posted by: Slipin LizardStick with the open chords for now. Here's a tip... now that you have those chords, and you're working on changes, find something you like that uses those chords. For example, if you are at all remotely interested in learning fingerpicking, check out Lisa McCormick's fingerpicking lessons... find a simple finger picking sequence that you like, and learn it using the C and F chords, changing slowly back and forth. This way, you're kind of getting two things practiced at once, and its a lot more fun too. By putting those new chords to work in a context you like, they'll stick much more, and I'll bet they become fluid quickly.

Since the chords are new to you (you raise a good point that you might go back and find the beast is still giving you trouble!) try practicing like this:

-2 minutes with no tempo, just changing from open C to open F, making sure that you only strum when you believe the strings will sound cleanly.

-2 minutes of simple strumming, in time (to a metronome) changing back and forth between chords (say, two bars of C, to bars of F, repeat). Chords still need to sound cleanly.

-2-3 minutes of fingerpicking (or, if you prefer, learn a new strumming pattern), in time, playing with a metronome, changing back and forth.

Practice like that, and you'll have the chords down pat in no time. Then you can move on to barre chords. They are not that bad. Like Hagh says, once you start getting them, they get a lot easier. Just make sure you play cleanly over quickly. In other words, don't play fast but sloppy... I did that when I was first learning, and seriously, I had to go back and retrain myself to learn how to play the chords cleanly.

How timely! I spent the weekend ruminating how to change or add more chord work to my practice sessions. I just got a wonderful 12-string for a wonderful price. And guess what! The courses of double strings and the wider neck make my fingering pretty shaky and the sound of the chords not to spiffy.

Thanks for the advice, Slipin Lizard.

____________________________________________________________
“Is a 12-string guitar harder than a six-string guitar to play?”
No, not really. It’s just, easier I guess, to play a six-string guitar.”

-- Brent Vance http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ntn8-lswzUY