F major chord

F major chord for guitar with diagrams, fingerings and notes.

All chords More F chords

Alternative shapes

F

Relevant chords

F/E

F/D

F/A

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Description and theory

F major is usually played as an open chord, but it's common to play it as a barre chord as well.

Chords that sound good together with F major

The primary chords to combine with F in chord progressions are: Gm, Am, Bb, C, Dm.

Follow-up chords

Chords that are likely to follow F major in progressions:
› C
› Dm
› Bb

Finger position (F chord)

Index (1st) finger on 1st and 2nd strings, 1st fret.
Middle (2nd) finger on 3rd string, 2nd fret.
Ring (3rd) finger on 4th string, 3rd fret.

Theory of F chord

The notes that the F chord consists of are F, A, C. The main presented version (XX3211) includes a doubled root, a third and a fifth.
To get F7 add Eb.
To get Fmaj7 add E.
To get F6 add D.

Comments

The main alternatives for the F major is the full bar fingering (133211) or the small bar fingering (XX3211).
The alternative shape XX321X uses inside strings. The first string should be omitted and muted with the side of the index finger.
F/A (XX756X): A tip is to combine it with C/G (XX555X) and Bb/F (XX333X).
F/D (XX0211): The F with D as bass note can also be played as XX0565, an F chord at the 5h fret, which also can be written FV.

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Alternatives with capo

E shape with a capo on 1st fret.
D shape with a capo on 3rd fret (see picture).
C shape with a capo on 5th fret.

Inversions

1st inversion: F/A (means that A is the bass note).
2nd inversion: F/C (means that C is the bass note).
Diagrams of these inversions

Assorted slash chords

Versions with alternate bass notes in short notation:

F/G: 303211
F/Bb: X13211
F/B: X2321X
F/E: 003211

Alternative chord names

F/E is identical with Fmaj7/E.
F/D is identical with F6/D and Dm7.
F/G is identical with Fadd9/G.

Omissions

F (no3) is an F major with no third (A). F(no3) is theoretically identical with F5.
F (no5) is an F major with no fifth (C).

Written in tab format

- 1 -
- 1 -
- 2 -
- 3 -
- - -
- - -

Chord progressions

Examples of progressions featuring F.

Progression 1: I - IV - V - IV - I progression.
F 133211	Bb X13331	C X35553	Bb X13331	F 133211

Progression 2: Standard I - IV - I - V progression.
F 133211	Bb X13331	F 133211	C X35553

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