Need Help playing "F" Chord

Hey Guys,

I'm having real hard time playing the F chord..I tried various postions of my fingers but I just can't do it....So its very sad that I cannot play any song which has F chord in it....

Can somebody please provide me some help/technique on playing F chord....

Thanks a lot !!

Ha ha ha, the dreaded F chord!!!
The quitters chord!!!
We all have had some trouble with that didnt we?

Dude, understand that you were not born with the guitar in your hand.
Its not like teaching your hand to scratch, the action happens automatically.
But in this case, it takes TIME
of course some people get it faster out of sheer luck or extreme hard work, but the softer hands have a problem. I had a problem...

some tips:
1. place each finger exactly behing the fret. not ON the fret and not somewhere in the middle but just behind. This helps you not to press too hard to get the ringing sound and also there is less buzz.

Example

THIS IS NOT GOOD

E...A....D....G....B...E
================
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....X....X
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....X....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....X....X....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|....|....|....|....|....|


THIS IS BETTER

E...A....D....G....B...E
================
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....X....X
|---|---|---|---|---|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....X....|....|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....|....|....|....|....|
|....X....X....|....|....|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|....|....|....|....|....|

Notice the Xs are closer to the FRET than the previous diagram

This tip is not restricted to the F chord, but everytime you play anything, make a conscious effort to place the finger right behind the fret

whoa.. the F chord was really a heck for me.. but dude keep practising and you will get it right... as Baaja said we are not born with a guitar in hand.. so we have to train ourselves.

if you understand Hindi/Urdu then theres a saying that
"Guitar bajana Dheeth Logon Ka Kaam Hai"

and if you wana be a gud guitarist and not jus limited to a bunch of few songs then you need to practise and practise and practise...

2) The problem is generally never with string that you are applying force to.
The string thats below may buzz.
Example if you pressing the F too hard on the 4th D string 3rd fret with your 4th finger/3rd finger, chances are that some part of that finger is touching the 3rd G string which is why that string gives a buzzing sound.

This problem needs to be tackled in a basic way.
DO NOT LET YOUR FINGERS CLIMB string by string when u move into that chord position, meaning: dont first place the first finger, then the second finger and then the third and so on like youre crawling over the fretboard from bottom to top

START with the A chord, abd the C chord.
Try to place all fingers at the same time at one go, not one by one.
Once u master this, try this with the F chord.

3) except for the first 2 strings that you hold with one finger, for the notes that u hold ONE per finger, its very important that you press it with the TOP TIP of your finger and not sideways. Meaning the palm side of your finger should only be used in case youre holding more than 2 strings at a time. Like a barre chord ka barre part.
For individual note fingers, the TOP TIP part is ideal (the part which is exposed like an arch over a freshly NAILcut finger.

Thats IT, apart from this PRACTICE.

Open out your hand, say "F" and immediately try to grasp your guitar in the F position and strum. keep repeating this..

PS: Do not over practice, do not get inspired by Rishi Kapoor playing while his hands are bleeding :O If it pains, just stop, and try after some time..


AND YES FINAL WORDS... The F chord is your test, you will feel like breaking your guitar because everyone else you know is able to play it and youre stuck. BUT DONT!!! Persever and practice

man the F chord is a pain....but trust me...ull eventually get it....i mean if i could do it....ull be able to...lol

seriously...i had trouble with it as well....so what i just did...eventually i mean....is i just played whatever i could....if it sounded wrong...then so be it.....then eventually...it just started working...lol

Oh man How i remember the time when i learnt the F chord, i broke three sets of strings, so it's not exactly forgettable Baaja, amazing advice, you've told him everything. I just wanted to add upon that, keep trying dude, dont give up, and dont break any strings Practice and you'll get it

'F' chord aint dat hard...of course the buzzing sound gets on ur nerves...i think the "trick" has been discussed before.

when u have to use your index finger to hit notes on more than one string you dont have to use the flesh part of the finger i.e the part which you use to push a button like you doing it rite now by pressing the keys on keyboard; instead of using dat mascular part...you have to use the left side of the index finger where the there r no muscles, just a bone. to be more precise the region on the index finger which is used to hold a pen while writing. this bone gives you a decent amount of stress to put it on the string so dat they wont buzz.

just refer this link.

http://www.cyberfret.com/chords/dm-F/page2.php

Thanx guys. I was going to post my own question regarding this. The one thing that makes me glad is that even u gurus had trouble with this F chord.
Thx agaiin

ok.... kinda made me worry if i knw the F chord or not....coz i dint have half as much trouble ....not 1/4th as much trouble playin it as u guys mentin ....i am not that good a player too...but i can play the F chord ....as its sposd to be...dont mean to brag..
if u can play the C chord i ts just the matter of flattening ur first finger...and it aint that hard....a lot of practice might b requird...but i did get it in the first 3-4 go's....
might sound crazy....the esiest soln if u ask me is chuck the open chord...and play F barre...in the same postion.......its easier...and once u get that move to the open F....that should help...
and of course....BAndbaaja has told u everything else..
@baaja...quiet comprehensive there man.........with the diags.a and evtig....pretty impressive..rep comming ur way....

^^^u dont need to worry.....even if you barre technique to play 'F' chord it aint wrong, just take care that u dont strum the 6th string.

AMAZING???
The guy who asked for this thread has not responded?????

Hi there. As Rizaaz bhai said, you have practice like 'dheet' to get over the 'F' chord. Even i feel the same. As iam a Newbie in playing CHords like F, iam trying hard to control the F Chord.

Well best of Luck ....

i guess he quit playing????