Guitar · Chapter 16 of 23
The F Chord and Barres
F is the chord that stops many beginners. Take it in steps, and the full barre chord opens the whole neck to you.
A barre is one finger, usually finger 1, laid flat across several strings at the same fret. It works like a movable nut. The first barre most players meet is F.
F in three steps
Step 1: Fmaj7
Fingers 3, 2, 1 on strings 4, 3, 2, with string 1 open. A pretty chord on its own, and it fits in place of F in many songs.
Step 2: small F
Lay finger 1 flat across strings 2 and 1 at the 1st fret. Roll it slightly onto its bony side, toward the headstock: the side is harder than the soft middle and presses better.
Step 3: full F
Finger 1 across all six strings at the 1st fret, then the E-major shape in front of it with fingers 2, 3 and 4. Shown below.
Making a barre ring
- Place the barre finger just behind the fret, straight across.
- Use the weight of your arm, pulling back slightly, more than thumb squeeze. The thumb sits low behind the neck, about opposite finger 2.
- Check each string. A dull one usually sits in a crease of the finger: move the finger a little up or down.
- Short tries, many times. Rest the hand between tries; stop if it hurts.
B minor and B7
Bm is an A-minor shape with a barre at the 2nd fret across strings 5 to 1. If it’s too hard yet, play only the top four strings. B7 needs no barre at all: four fingers, and it’s the chord that leads home to E and Em.
Remember
- F in steps: Fmaj7, small F (xx3211), full F (133211).
- Barre with the bony side of the finger, using arm weight, not a hard squeeze.
- Bm x24432; B7 x21202 needs no barre.