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[Jangaroo]

So I've been trying to be serious about learning how to play the guitar so now I'm a point where I'm trying to start to play bar chords, but dear lord the F chord is just absolutely infuriating. I know how to do it but it takes forever for me to switch my fingers into the position and it's a bit of a crapshoot as to whether or not I can even get all of the strings to ring clearly. So I'm wondering how long it took for some of you guys to learn how to play the chord efficiently and quickly. Did it take weeks? Months? I'm not giving up on this but there's no way I'm expecting myself to rely on the sissy F forever.

 

[Menelaus]

I'm self taught on acoustic, and I'm man enough to admit that I suck at barre chords. I cheat on open F.

 

[Digital Enhancement]

It took me a few months. Focus on building strength in your index finger. That's what really helped me with barre chords.

 

[Iceman]

Takes a long time.. 9 months to a year of steady playing maybe.

But you don't have to play it barred. Some people actually prefer to play it with an open lower E, i.e. 0-3-3-2-1-1. Some songs only require you to hit the last four strings to play the F, i.e. x-x-3-2-1-1.

 

[BlueMagic]

You'll get better in time. I remember I used to avoid it the first times, reading music that didn't use bars, or doing the same basic exercises. One day I woke up (a couple of months later?) and said 'Oh let's try F' and BAM it was easy as fuck. I felt like Hendrix or something.

 

[Menelaus]

Yeah, I'll pick which E to leave open depending on the song. It sounds close enough :lol

 

[Jangaroo]

Takes a long time.. 9 months to a year of steady playing maybe.

But you don't have to play it barred. Some people actually prefer to play it with an open lower E, i.e. 0-3-3-2-1-1. Some songs only require you to hit the last four strings to play the F, i.e. x-x-3-2-1-1.

Well the open F that I was using sounds more like an Fm and though it does get the job done there's still a noticeable difference between the F barre chord and the way I play the F so I guess I just want to have my options open.

It took me a few months. Focus on building strength in your index finger. That's what really helped me with barre chords.

That's probably my biggest problem right now. I have a sissy index finger due to a surgery I had on it long ago so I guess I just gotta hammer at this.

it's because the B string falls under the crease of your finger. just slightly tilt your index finger toward the tuning pegs. that's how i did it. and/or you could get lower gauge strings.

Yeah, that B string tends to be the one that doesn't ring as clear most of the time. I've been tilting my finger like you wrote and it definitely does help though.

 

[ntropy]

it's because the B string falls under the crease of your finger. just slightly tilt your index finger toward the tuning pegs. that's how i did it. and/or you could get lower gauge strings.

 

[Mr Cola]

I promise you if you stick at it and do it correctly you will get it, and once you do you just dont forget how to do it. Ah bliss i remember when i couldnt do barre chords at all.

But seriously from someone who believed he would never be able to do them, you CAN do them.

 

[StuBurns]

Using your index finger to cover the whole neck or fretting the low E with your thumb? Thumb is king.

 

[Tashi]

It took me a long time before I became very comfortable with barre chords. Probably a couple years.

 

[Iceman]

it's because the B string falls under the crease of your finger. just slightly tilt your index finger toward the tuning pegs. that's how i did it. and/or you could get lower gauge strings.

Fair warning: I use lower gauge strings myself and I still have a heck of a time barre'ing the first fret. I've played enough that I don't 'fret' over it - I'll just slap my index finger over the strings in the middle of a song without thinking about it - but some strings are buzzing or muted about a third of the time. (I'm at two years of accoustic experience almost to the day.)

 

[Simon Belmont]

The 'F' is the hardest of the initial batch of chords you're going to learn, but stick with it. Once you get it you'll be fine. Just remember to push with your thumb, as opposed to pulling with your index finger. If you're having trouble getting your fingers into position, I'd recommend practicing switching from 'c' to 'f' specifically. It's a really easy transition in terms of how many fingers you actually have to move. If you're having trouble with it though, the only real remedy is to just practice over and over again. You'll get it.

 

[Mr Cola]

Fair warning: I use lower gauge strings myself and I still have a heck of a time barre'ing the first fret. I've played enough that I don't 'fret' over it - I'll just slap my index finger over the strings in the middle of a song without thinking about it - but some strings are buzzing or muted about a third of the time. (I'm at two years of accoustic experience almost to the day.)

One trick a friend taught me was to make the shape as best i can and strum each individual string over and over again, reworking as best I can to get a good clean sound on each string, do this a few times and if the pain gets too much take it off and try again later. I would do this for chords i couldnt do everytime i picked up the guitar as the first thing id do, after a while the wiggling you have to do to make the notes clean becomes less intensive and you can hold the shape longer.

 

[blame space]

Dat thumbstrength

 

[Raistlin]

Yeah it takes time. The fret-spacing makes it the widest stretch, while the proximity to the nut requires the most force for the chord to ring true. A double whammy.

Spoiler

horrible pun

If you're doing exercises and this is really causing frustration - try moving up the neck a bit. Find the bar that feels most comfortable and do your practicing from there. As you gain strength and dexterity, move down the neck more and more. One you get to the F, it'll be a piece of cake.

 

[NGAMER9]

Ah, if you think that's bad wait until you start barring all six!

But yeah, it took me a good couple months to get it, but once you get there it's super easy.

 

[mokeyjoe]

Bb is harder. Especially if you play it with proper classical fingering.

Practice playing songs with barre chord versions of all the chords, you should get it soon enough. It's more to do with the shape of your barre-ing finger and making sure you're right up behind the fret than raw hand strength. You should be able to do it with little effort if you're doing it right. Also, the set up on your guitar is a factor, a high action will make it considerably more difficult.

 

[Fusebox]

Ah, if you think that's bad wait until you start barring all six!

If he's doing the F bar chord properly he'd already be barring all six.

 

[Mr Cola]

Bb is harder. Especially if you play it with proper classical fingering.

Practice playing songs with barre chord versions of all the chords, you should get it soon enough. It's more to do with the shape of your barre-ing finger and making sure you're right up behind the fret than raw hand strength. You should be able to do it with little effort if you're doing it right. Also, the set up on your guitar is a factor, a high action will make it considerably more difficult.

I play it like this

But ive seen musicians play it with 2 fingers, 1 barre and the other contorting to cover the 3rd/4th/5th strings. Mutants i call them.

 

[TheLastCandle]

I've been playing guitar for over 13 years and I still hate having to play bar chords. :lol

 

[mokeyjoe]

I play it like this

But ive seen musicians play it with 2 fingers, 1 barre and the other contorting to cover the 3rd/4th/5th strings. Mutants i call them.

You play it correctly. I usually play it the mutant way.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

But ive seen musicians play it with 2 fingers, 1 barre and the other contorting to cover the 3rd/4th/5th strings. Mutants i call them.

That's what I do! Can fly through every power chord there is that way.

I shoulda been in a punk band. I can hammer out barre and power chords like nobody's business. It's about all I can do, though. Never learned to pick (properly, anyway) or solo.

 

[Mr Cola]

You play it correctly. I usually play it the mutant way.

Hot damn i was convinced i was doing it half assed and wrong :lol. I would say Bb is about 7 fractions of magnitude harder than F personally, but i guess its how you learn, I always thought with practice i could get F but when i was starting out i was flat out convinced, short of extending my fingers, i could never do Bb. This thread has made me feel quite proud of how far ive come, so easy to take these steps for granted when you know them and forget the times when they were the biggest pain in the ass.

 

[Bildocube]

:lol :lol :lol :lol

I was in the OP's position once, trying to barre that fucking F. It tooks me MONTHS before I could do it. But once you get it, you never forget it, now I can barre it in my fucking sleep. But god those months of trying to get that damn B string to not mute but string... :lol

just keep it up, work on bending / arching your fingers, and push hard with that thumb. eventually you'll find the sweet spot. even if you feel like fucking throwing your guitar through something like i did many many times. :lol

 

[Mr Cola]

You play it correctly. I usually play it the mutant way.

See that makes me think of a guiness world record picture i saw where a tribe had webbed toes.

YOUR ALL FREAKS! :lol

 

[mokeyjoe]

Hot damn i was convinced i was doing it half assed and wrong :lol. I would say Bb is about 7 fractions of magnitude harder than F personally, but i guess its how you learn, I always thought with practice i could get F but when i was starting out i was flat out convinced, short of extending my fingers, i could never do Bb. This thread has made me feel quite proud of how far ive come, so easy to take these steps for granted when you know them and forget the times when they were the biggest pain in the ass.

Yeah, the first way is correct but a lot of guitarists do it the second way because it's easier to switch between that and the 'F' shape and it's also easier to achieve on a lower slung guitar.

 

[Anarchistry]

Just echoing what most people have said: practice, practice, practice. It's they key to everything.

 

[Fusebox]

You play it correctly. I usually play it the mutant way.

Same. I'll switch between those two ways depending on whether I need all the notes to ring out cleanly or if I'm just stabbing out a thick chord.

I also go thumb-over-top sometimes when I'm gettin real loose...

 

[NGAMER9]

If he's doing the F bar chord properly he'd already be barring all six.

Oh, derp. I thought he was only barring the high e and b. Nevermind me then.

 

[mokeyjoe]

Same. I'll switch between those two ways depending on whether I need all the notes to ring out cleanly or if I'm just stabbing out a thick chord.

I also go thumb-over-top sometimes when I'm gettin real loose...

Never been a fan of the thumb over the top myself, my hand position puts my thumb more in ine with the 2nd fret in that position. I guess if you hold the neck in more of fist-type grip it makes sense.

 

[Fusebox]

Maybe you got long thumbs. I got short thumbs like in the pic so they naturally fall around the root note.

 

[Dante23]

You play it correctly. I usually play it the mutant way.

I see a lot of guitarists doing this, and I freak out, I can't do that -nor I want to-. I've been playing guitar around 5 years and now I'm pretty good, but there are some jazzy chords that are just damn near impossible without doing that kind of mutant fingering.

I remember that I had almost no problems with the F chord, but the B chord was a whole another story, that was really hard for me.

But anyway OP, you will get good with time and you'll forget entirely that the F chord was a tad difficult.

 

[Jangaroo]

You play it correctly. I usually play it the mutant way.

Jesus christ, I think I saw a guitarist in my school's coffeehouse doing that one time. That is a freaky way of playing a chord I tell you. I don't even think my fingers can fold that way all at once.

 

[Raistlin]

I see a lot of guitarists doing this, and I freak out, I can't do that -nor I want to-. I've been playing guitar around 5 years and now I'm pretty good, but there are some jazzy chords that are just damn near impossible without doing that kind of mutant fingering.

I do that sometimes, and sometimes the thumb wrap-around. Being double jointed occasionally has an actual use.

 

[Tashi]

Never been a fan of the thumb over the top myself, my hand position puts my thumb more in ine with the 2nd fret in that position. I guess if you hold the neck in more of fist-type grip it makes sense.

I do it both ways. For some songs it's just easier than others.

 

[temp]

Haha man I was just thinking about how I wish I was better at the guitar, but I always do the double barre for A-shape barre chords. You guys are making me feel great.

 

[Earl Cazone]

Haha man I was just thinking about how I wish I was better at the guitar, but I always do the double barre for A-shape barre chords. You guys are making me feel great.

i have problems with those as well, but never thought of doing the 2 finger style. need to try that out.

 

[Fusebox]

I do that sometimes, and sometimes the thumb wrap-around. Being double jointed occasionally has an actual use.

Hey yeah, I'm double-jointed in my thumbs and pinkies, maybe that's why thumb-over-top is comfy for me.

 

[dvolovets]

As a classically trained guitarist, I have to admit that it bothers me when people play with their left-hand thumb. Just build up the muscles for bar chords, guys... you'll get there eventually.

 

[gblues]

Yeah, barring the F chord is a PITA.

Sometimes it's a ton easier to just throw a capo on the first fret and play an E.

 

[Raistlin]

:lol

 

[Fusebox]

As a classically trained guitarist, I have to admit that it bothers me when people play with their left-hand thumb. Just build up the muscles for bar chords, guys... you'll get there eventually.

It has nothing to do with muscles (for me anyway) it's just an alternative fingering option which I ripped off Hendrix. I don't think I've seen anyone learn thumb-over as a way to actually avoid learning barre chords.

 

[dvolovets]

It has nothing to do with muscles (for me anyway) it's just an alternative fingering option which I ripped off Hendrix. I don't think I've seen anyone learn thumb-over as a way to actually avoid learning barre chords.

I have. In the long run, it limits harmony/chords significantly. There are definitely certain jazz chords that have very weird fingerings, but they're a piece of cake if you work up the muscles and coordination to play bar chords properly.

 

[Fusebox]

That may be a stupid way to learn, but it detracts nothing from the thumb-over technique.

 

[SRG01]

Same. I'll switch between those two ways depending on whether I need all the notes to ring out cleanly or if I'm just stabbing out a thick chord.

I also go thumb-over-top sometimes when I'm gettin real loose...

Thumb-over-top is a great way to wreck your wrists over time.

By the way, if you're having trouble with the index-bar (and not the actual chord), try switching to a lighter gauge or get a guitar with a better fretboard.

 

[dvolovets]

That may be a stupid way to learn, but it detracts nothing from the thumb-over technique.

It does, actually. The thumb-over technique may initially seem easier (especially if the guitar neck is shorter), but with it come many coordination problems that severely limit your ability to play more complex chords. If you don't intend to move beyond basic harmonies then I guess it's functional, but otherwise I would very much discourage it.

Edit - As the poster above me stated, it also causes wrist issues. I've seen that happen...

 

[Fusebox]

It does, actually. The thumb-over technique may initially seem easier (especially if the guitar neck is shorter)

Problem here is, you're fixated on the idea of using it to avoid barre chords, when in fact I'm using it as an alternative fingering option whichs offers a different tone, allows to lift to open strings on individual notes and allows me an easier launch in and out of certain positions.

http://guitarmusictheory.blogspot.com/2010/03/guitar-thumb-position-wrapped-around.html

Sometimes the thumb is actually used to fret notes. Jimi Hendrix was famous for fretting bass notes along the sixth string with his thumb and then using his remaining fingers to play chord fragments, riffs and solos. Many fingerstyle guitar players also use their thumbs to play bass notes ala Merle Travis and Chet Atkins. Some chord shapes are simply not possible without the use of the left-hand thumb.

There has been a long tradition in some music circles to teach that the use of the left hand thumb is incorrect. This is especially true in classical and jazz. But this myth has been demonstrate to be false by everyone from Eric Clapton to Les Paul, and Stevie Ray Vaughan to John Mayer. In fact, almost every pop, rock, blues, folk and country guitar player wraps their thumb from time to time.

Once you get past the idea of people using this method to 'cheat' barre chords you'll see it offers way more than that...

 

[dvolovets]

I'm aware of the different uses of the left-hand thumb. Thing is, I'm against it in any case. Unless all your fingers happen to be extremely long and even more flexible, it offers no advantages. You can easily have a bass note and play a melody on top without resorting to the left-hand thumb. Personally, my fingers are pretty long and I've never needed to resort to the thumb-over method.

I wasn't necessarily talking about bar chords with the sentence you quoted, either. The thumb-over technique may seem easier for anything at first, but trust me -- it's physically harmful down the line.

Edit - Also, LOL @ that blog's example of bassists using the thumb to justify the technique. Upright bass technique is a totally different bag.

 

[mokeyjoe]

That may be a stupid way to learn, but it detracts nothing from the thumb-over technique.

Hendrix had a weird way of playing and freakishly large hands, I wouldn't use anything he did as a blueprint for technique, you'll find yourself getting very limited pretty quickly.