Explore chords · Guitar
F chord on guitar (F major)
Also called or written F, Fmaj, FM or F chord
F major contains the notes F, A, and C. The 1st fret barre shape is often the first full barre chord a guitarist learns.
How it is built
Formula 1, 3, 5
- Root positionF–A–CF1-3-3-2-1-1
- First inversionA–C–FF/A×-0-3-2-1-1
- Second inversionC–F–AF/C×-3-3-2-1-1
How do you play an F major chord on guitar?
F major is played at the 1st fret as 1 3 3 2 1 1: barre your index finger across fret 1, ring finger on the A string at fret 3, pinky finger on the D string at fret 3 and middle finger on the G string at fret 2.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 3 | C (5) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 4 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 2 | A (3) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
IntermediateThe index barre must fret all six strings cleanly while the other fingers stretch to the 3rd fret.
8th fret
F major is played at the 8th fret as × 8 10 10 10 8: barre your index finger across fret 8, middle finger on the D string at fret 10, ring finger on the G string at fret 10 and pinky finger on the B string at fret 10. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | 8 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
| 4 (D) | 10 | 2 | C (5) |
| 3 (G) | 10 | 3 | F (1) |
| 2 (B) | 10 | 4 | A (3) |
| 1 (e) | 8 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
13th fret
F major is played at the 13th fret as 13 15 15 14 13 13: barre your index finger across fret 13, ring finger on the A string at fret 15, pinky finger on the D string at fret 15 and middle finger on the G string at fret 14.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 13 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
| 5 (A) | 15 | 3 | C (5) |
| 4 (D) | 15 | 4 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 14 | 2 | A (3) |
| 2 (B) | 13 | 1 (barre) | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 13 | 1 (barre) | F (1) |
F/A inversion · open position
F major is played in open position as × 0 3 2 1 1: pinky finger on the D string at fret 3, ring finger on the G string at fret 2, index finger on the B string at fret 1 and middle finger on the high e string at fret 1. The A string rings open. The low E string stays muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | muted | — | — |
| 5 (A) | open | — | A (3) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 4 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 2 | 3 | A (3) |
| 2 (B) | 1 | 1 | C (5) |
| 1 (e) | 1 | 2 | F (1) |
F/A inversion · fret 3
F major is played at the 3rd fret as 5 3 3 5 × ×: ring finger on the low E string at fret 5, index finger on the A string at fret 3, middle finger on the D string at fret 3 and pinky finger on the G string at fret 5. The B and high e strings stay muted.
Full note and interval breakdown
| String | Fret | Finger | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 (E) | 5 | 3 | A (3) |
| 5 (A) | 3 | 1 | C (5) |
| 4 (D) | 3 | 2 | F (1) |
| 3 (G) | 5 | 4 | C (5) |
| 2 (B) | muted | — | — |
| 1 (e) | muted | — | — |
Why it sounds like that
F major is built from the formula 1, 3, 5, with the major third A giving it its bright quality. Compare it to F minor, which lowers the third to A♭.
What goes wrong with F major?
- Not pressing the barre hard enough, causing the high e to buzz.
- Letting the middle finger touch the D string and deaden it.
When to use it
F major is the tonic in F major, so it anchors progressions like F–B♭–C, the I–IV–V. It also appears in B♭ major and C major keys. Use it for pop, rock, and folk.
Changing to and from F major
- Sliding the shape up one fret to the 2nd fret gives F♯ major.
- From F major to C major, move the barre to the 3rd fret and adjust the other fingers to the C shape.
Which voicing to use
The 1st fret barre shape is the standard, but the F/A inversion with A in the bass offers a different sound. The 8th fret barre shape gives a higher voicing.
Other F chords
Common questions
How is F major written?
F major is written as F, Fmaj, or FM. There is no alternate root spelling for F major.
What is the difference between F major and F minor?
F major has a major third (A), while F minor has a minor third (A♭). This changes the chord from bright to somber.
Why does the 1st fret F major shape use a full barre?
All six strings are chord tones, so they can all ring out. The barre allows the chord to be played with F in the bass.