Topic: "F" chord is now outlawed

you are no longer allowed to put the "f" chord in any songs and all songs that contain it shall be destroyed as it is not humanly possible to play this chord. If you are caught playing this chord you will be deemed a mutant and escorted to a research facility by the United States Army. Once there you will be poked and proded to figure out what kind of mutation you have that enables you to play that damned chord.

there are laws being passed as we speak to also outlaw the "B" chord.Thank you

2 (edited by KAP54 2010-04-25 12:31:20)

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Hey Zurf....
I do believe that tommydone would like a word with you big_smile
Cheers

Kenny

Just Keepin on Keepin on
Martin DC15E
Cort MR710F
Squire Strat (Chinese)

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Ha ha ha!  Tommydone... while I agree, a good work around helps!  Try this:
http://www.chordimages.com/ramimages/i4/Fmaj7slashAchord_N03210_1.png
That's the "F" I use when a song calls for one.  It's close enough for me, for now anyhow.  Someday I'll visit the mutant research facility and get zapped with some of that special serum to allow me to play a real F and get a B7 fretted quickly!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

You'll look back at this and laugh when you are a fully fledged mutant.

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

I swear I have never had trouble with the F chord, mutant that I am.  Although I use mekidsmoms chord , but hold down the bottom two strings.  This has never presented a problem for me.   There are lots of chords I have trouble with, but I use cheater chords for them.  They sound good when I am singing.  Maybe my bad singing covers them up and I don't notice.

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Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Sing loud, sing proud and drown out your shortcomings. A motto to live by. smile

Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Whether you play the 4 string version of the F chord (beginer) or the barred full 6 string version (mutant), getting the index finger to play across two or six strings is not particularly easy and some of my students have the same problem as you. Postion of the hand can help, with the 4 string version I have the neck in my palm and with the barred chord my thumb in the centre of the neck. Can you get an experienced player to give you some help?

At the end of the day the old adage of "Practice, Practice and then more Practice" is the only way and one day you will become a mutant like the rest of us lol

Roger

"Do, or do not; there is no try"

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

alvee33 wrote:

You'll look back at this and laugh when you are a fully fledged mutant.

+1 lol   

They are a pain to learn for most but they are really a blessing in disguise smile You'll be amazed at the doors that open for your playing when you tackle this hurdle! Don't give up!! As alvee says, You'll look back and wonder what the big deal was after it finally clicks smile

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
[/color][/b]         [b]Peace of mind. That's my piece of mind...[/b]

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

of course I am joking as I have only been playing for 4 months...this was more an homage to those out there that can do it....I applaud you

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

I am on the verge of being a mutant. I can hit the F more times that not right now. I have seen it progress thru lots of practice. I can only switch to it from Am and C. But that's two changes closer to mastering it. It is difficult to learn but it has to be done. Just think, you look at barre chord players with awe. Someday others will see you in the same light. Such a simple thing, the barre chord, but what a world of diff it makes.



Keep at it and you will nail it down.

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Hehe! I have been playing guitar for two months now. I hated the F chord with a vengeance and avoided it. Then I decided I had to do it. I use the barre chord. Then I just learned it, and had a stroke and went to hospital, losing the use of my fingers. I came back home and was so stubborn I have worked on it for the past two weeks and I have it back. It is possible. If I can do it anyone can.

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

I do have to admit that I am working at becoming a mutant.  I don't use the barre chords when I play, but I have been practicing them.  I literally push my fingers into position with my right hand and can get a good clean sound.  They'll stay in place once there, but they do not want to move like that on their own yet.  I hope someday they will because there are a LOT of songs that I like which call for the F and Bm!  I will admit that I've been doing this occasionally for a while, and I could NOT get a good sound before... so it is working at least a little.  Keep practicing Tommydone!

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Try this. Put your fingers as if you are going to play E but instead of using the normal fingers, use the next three, leaving the index finger ready to do the barre. Then slide the fingers across to the next fret, and place the index finger as a barre over all the strings in the first fret. This is what my teacher taught me. I tried and tried, and something I discovered was that the position of the guitar makes a difference to clean sound. Then you can slide your hand down through the frets to get a feel for the barre chords. I am not that good yet, but I have achieved the F. The Bm looks almost impossible as I don't have that many fingers.

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

tommydone wrote:

there are laws being passed as we speak to also outlaw the "B" chord.Thank you

Welcome to the brotherhood, my friend and brother! 

LONG LIVE THE MUTANTS!!!

- Zurf




p.s.  See Russell Harding.  If he's in a good mood, he might grant you B chord amnesty.  I am now fully authorized in writing to play B7 in lieu of B on Russell's very own original song.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

YIPPPEEEE I'm almost a mutant!!!! Working very hard at it.

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Breakin the law, breakin the law

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

It's just a partial Barre Chord.  It's easier for some because you don't have to play the whole barre chord. Try playing a barred F chord (133211) versus the short version (XX3211). Some people find the more complex chord easier because of a leverage advantage. Others have an easier time with the abbreviated version.  Either way, you're gonna learn one, or both.  You will be assimilated.:)

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Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

mekidsmom wrote:

Ha ha ha!  Tommydone... while I agree, a good work around helps!  Try this:
http://www.chordimages.com/ramimages/i4 … 3210_1.png
That's the "F" I use when a song calls for one.  It's close enough for me, for now anyhow.  Someday I'll visit the mutant research facility and get zapped with some of that special serum to allow me to play a real F and get a B7 fretted quickly!

Brilliant.  I'm going to try this.  "F" isn't that much of a problem for me.  Usually a little slow getting there, and it remains a bit muddy, but I can see a day when I'll be able to play it right.  Probably the same day I get the action on my guitar set up better.  But "B".  There's little hope for me of "B"ecoming a proper mutant. 

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Glad to be of help Zurf!  If you also fret the first string first fret then it's a true Fmaj7.  I can get that B7 but I am so slow to get it fretted... good for me the few songs that have called for it so far are at slow spot in the song where I can pick it out one note at a time as I'm getting my fingers in position.  I'm also working on a "cheater" Bm using just the three high strings.  I do continue to TRY the others tho!  Thanks to your advise I found the B7 actually fits just as well as the Bm in that spot in the song!  LOL

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

I think the secret is to bring the pinky into play as soon as possible by playing Am and E shape chords with your 2nd, 3rd and pinky, you can then just progress to using the 1st finger as a barre.  It took me a about 10 months to get there and about 12 months to get ok at it.  I still miss a few tho. 

But the A shape barre chords like B is a different story I'd rather not talk about! MOVE ON!

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Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

An easy way to learn the "F" chord (E shape barre) is to learn simple songs in the Key of "C". These songs will go "C" - "F" - "G" (1 - 4 - 5) Here's the trick. Make your basic open "C" chord and strum. Now without moving your ring finger (this will be your anchor) move your index, middle and pinky into the "F" chord position and strum. (your index finger will be at the 1st fret). Now, without changine  ANY finger positions slide your fingers until the index finger is at the 3rd fret. This will be a barre "G" chord. To go back from the "G" barre chord to the open "C" position your ring finger will stay in position and never loose contact with the string.

nela

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

NELA wrote:

An easy way to learn the "F" chord (E shape barre) is to learn simple songs in the Key of "C". These songs will go "C" - "F" - "G" (1 - 4 - 5) Here's the trick. Make your basic open "C" chord and strum. Now without moving your ring finger (this will be your anchor) move your index, middle and pinky into the "F" chord position and strum. (your index finger will be at the 1st fret). Now, without changine  ANY finger positions slide your fingers until the index finger is at the 3rd fret. This will be a barre "G" chord. To go back from the "G" barre chord to the open "C" position your ring finger will stay in position and never loose contact with the string.

nela

C to F was my first open to barre change as well and I agree it is easier than most. I conquered my F with "Imagine"  The C Cmaj7 F progression really helped with getting used to moving from open to barre. It's got a fairly slow tempo and allows time for the change....  Especially since the Cmaj7 before the F frees up the index finger giving you time to position it for a barre.

[b][color=#FF0000]If your brain is part of the process, you're missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something.
[/color][/b]         [b]Peace of mind. That's my piece of mind...[/b]

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

I can't do barre chords.... I agree with mekidsmom....play a Fmaj7 it is much easier, also brighter sounding.

Life isn't about how to survive the storm, But how to dance in the rain... smile

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

When I first started playing,, I wanted to play Old Man by Neil Young ,, but could NOT get the F. I bet it was a year before I could play the "folk F" not a barre.  Got to learn to use your thumb for the F note on the E string.   I dont mind barre chords ,, but not down that low.

Maybe capo up a couple of frets ,, to try to get used to it without so much stretch.
  either way ,, It will come to you, probably quicker than you think.
Steve

Re: "F" chord is now outlawed

Hi all, I thought I'd chime in here on this one. A banjo player once told me, when I was learning the guitar several years ago, to make as few finger movements as possible when making chord changes. This has been hit on by some of the post above i.e. using 2nd,3rd, and pinky fingers to chord E and Am. This was real good advice for me as a guitar noobie because I was learning from chord charts and books with finger positions in them. I thought these positions were set in stone and that you must finger the strings exactly as it was shown. So, make it easy on yourself and think about these chords and see what works for you,,,,oh yeah and practice, practice smile

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