For most guitarists, their journey begins with some basic open chords. E, A, D, G, C, maybe some minor chords. But then the day of reckoning finally comes as you flip through songs and see it – The F chord. Guitar, up to this point has been more about co-ordination and training your fingers to go to the right place but suddenly it’s all for naught. The F barre chord breaks your fingers and crushes your spirits.. it’s too powerful!

If you find yourself in this position, you need to realize that you’re not alone. In fact, guitarists have figured out a work-around that allows you to play the F chord on guitar without barring the strings. In this video we go over an F chord without barre’ing (is that a word?) which is FAR easier to play than the F barre chord. Although, it doesn’t sound as rich as the full f chord on guitar so it’s a bit of a compromise. Either way, it works and will allow you to play all those songs you’ve haven’t been able to.

Now if you feel that you really want to learn to play the F chord on guitar but just haven’t figured out how to approach it, we have a 3 part series on barre chords that will work your fingers into shape.

Part 1 – Most Common Shapes + Building Initial Strength
Part 2 – Navigate The Fretboard + Learn To Play Barre Chords In Any Key
Part 3 – 4 Tips And Tricks That Make Barre Chords Much Easier To Play