bar chords Article

How To Sneak Up On The F Bar Chord

Novice guitarists often have a hard time learning the F bar chord. There are two reasons why this chord is one of the hardest to learn.

1. You have to bar all six strings at the first fret where the string tension makes them hard to press down.

2. The wide spacing of the first frets makes it a stretch for your other fingers.

The F chord is often one of the first bar chords attempted by beginner guitarists. This is a mistake, though, and can lead to discouragement. It is easier to start learning bar chords further up the neck where string tension is lower and frets less widely spaced.

A good place to start is the A, D and E chords at the 5th and 7th frets. The tension and fret widths are quite comfortable here; further up the neck things get harder as the frets get narrower. If you are ready to tackle the F bar chord, though, you can make things easier by following the progressive approach described below.

* 3 Note Chord

The three note F chord form below is one easy way to get started, strum only the three fingered strings.

e x||---|---|---|

b ||-1-|---|---|

g ||---|-2-|---|

d ||---|---|-3-|

a x||---|---|---|

E x||---|---|---|

Three note chord forms like this are called triads. This one gets you used to the F position without barring the strings.

* Add Two String Bar

You can build on the F triad by adding a partial bar on the 1st and 2nd strings. Use the same fingering as the triad

but lay your first finger down to press the first two strings.

* E Chord Fingering

Play open E chords using your middle, ring and little fingers instead of the first, middle and ring fingers usually used. You prepare your fingers for the F chord using this position.

e 0||---|---|---|

b 0||---|---|---|

g ||-2-|---|---|

d ||---|-4-|---|

a ||---|-3-|---|

E 0||---|---|---|

Slide your fingers up one fret to the 2nd and 3rd frets and play only the fingered strings and you've got another F triad.

* Another Two String Bar

Now you can extend the E chord form with a small bar on the first two strings. Slide the E form up to the 2nd and 3rd fret, then bar the 1st and 2nd strings with the first finger. You are nearly there, you have five of the six strings covered.

* Full F Bar Chord

Now you just have to extend your first finger to bar all six strings. Place the middle finger first as an anchor point to position the others around. Then lay your index finger across the strings behind the 1st fret and squeeze it onto the fretboard by pulling back your elbow.

Take your time to build strength to hold the bar down firmly. Work for short periods and stop as soon as your hand feels tired.too much haste could lead to a hand injury.

The step by step approach described above will give you the confidence to learn the F bar chord. Practice slowly and in small doses, your patience will pay off in the long run.