F Guitar Chord
F is a major chord. Major chords sound bright and stable, the most basic chord sound there is. Its notes are F, A and C. Below are 3 ways to play it, each with a chord diagram, tab and finger numbers.
Notes in F
| Note | Degree | Interval |
|---|---|---|
| F | R | Root |
| A | 3 | Major 3rd |
| C | 5 | Perfect 5th |
Formula: 1–3–5
F chord shapes
Finger numbers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 pinky. In the tab, x means don't play that string and 0 means play it open. In the diagrams the top line is the 1st (thinnest) string and the nut is on the left.
Barre 1fr
- Tab (6th → 1st string)
- 1 3 3 2 1 1
- Fingers
- 1 3 4 2 1 1
Mini (4-string)
Easiest- Tab (6th → 1st string)
- x x 3 2 1 1
- Fingers
- – – 3 2 1 1
A-shape 8fr
- Tab (6th → 1st string)
- x 8 10 10 10 8
- Fingers
- – 1 3 3 3 1
How to play F (easiest shape)
Shape: Mini (4-string), tab x x 3 2 1 1 (6th to 1st string).
- 1Press the 2nd and 1st strings at the 1st fret with your index finger (1).
- 2Put your middle finger (2) on the 3rd string at the 2nd fret.
- 3Put your ring finger (3) on the 4th string at the 3rd fret.
- 4Don't play the 6th and 5th strings.
- 5Strum down from the 4th string to the 1st string.
F: common questions
- What notes are in the F chord?
- F has 3 notes: F, A and C. Counted from the root, that is 1–3–5.
- Is there an easier way to play F?
- The easiest shape on this page is "Mini (4-string)" (x x 3 2 1 1). It only needs a short barre: your index finger (1) covers 2 strings at once.
Related chords
More guitar tools
See all 231 chords in the chord library, find a scale to play over them, or tune up before you start.