All those who are approaching, for the first time, the study of classical guitar will surely have come to terms with the most complicated chord to perform: the major FA (F in the English nomenclature). This difficulty is caused by the position that the fingers of the left hand must assume by pressing the strings on the neck. In particular, the main difficulty is the use of the barrè, a technique that involves pressing all six strings of your instrument with your index finger. In addition to this peculiar position of the index finger you will have to use other fingers of your left hand to press other keys. If you are interested in this topic continue reading the following guide, where you will be explained how to make such an agreement step by step.
Before you try your hand at chords, you need to know what a bar is and how to make it. A barrè is a technique that involves using a single finger to cover several or, as in our case, all the strings of the guitar on the same key. This procedure implies that the index finger assumes a certain position transversally to the keyboard, and that it produces a well calibrated pressure on the pressed strings, which will be difficult and complicated for beginners. Train so that with your index finger you can play all the strings at the first fret. It will be very laborious and also a bit ‘painful, but you can help by tilting your finger a little so that with the phalanx you can make a greater pressure.
F major chord
Practice a lot because it is one of the fundamental bases for good sound. After practicing for hours with the technique of the barrè you can move on to learn the major FA chord. First you have to set up the bar by pressing the index finger on all the strings at the first key on the keyboard of your guitar. After that, use your middle finger and place it on the second fret of the third string. With the fourth finger (the ring finger) cover the third fret on the fifth string, and finally with the last finger (little finger) press the third fret on the fourth string. With your right hand hold the pick and try until you can produce a harmonious and not shrill sound. To check the correct position of the fingers and the correct pressure you can play one by one the 6 strings. If all the pinched strings resonate well then your fingers are in the correct position. If you find that some strings don’t sound or don’t sound right, you probably need to position your fingers better or apply more pressure.
Practice must be constant
Needless to say, the difficulty is high as this is, without a doubt, the most complicated agreement to learn. Once you are familiar with this chord, you will be able to play almost every chord because you will find it in a lot of scores. Moreover, with the barré technique, but changing the position on the neck and that of the three different fingers of the index finger you can play almost any chord.
Alternative fingering
Like many other chords, the F major chord can be played in different positions or with different fingering, even simplified. If you have difficulty with the barrè you can try to perform the chord by pressing with your index finger the first key on the second string, with your middle finger the second key on the third string, with your little finger the third key on the fourth string and, finally, with the ring finger the third key on the fifth string. In this case, however, avoid making the first and sixth strings of the guitar resound. The sound effect will certainly not be the same, it is a chord that will be less full when listening to it but it is a good compromise. It is used especially in particular musical styles such as funky.
It plays all chords thanks to the barrè
In conclusion, I would like to point out that thanks to the F major bar position that I have illustrated in this guide, you could play almost any major chord. In fact, you just have to move one key forward, without changing fingering, to raise your chord by one semitone. The same position on the second key will then be an F major sharp, on the third will be a G major, on the fourth will become a G major sharp and so on.
Practice will lead you to the result
Don’t be discouraged if it all seems too difficult at first. If you can’t understand why the chord is strident or just doesn’t sound, try patiently to slightly change your fingers’ position. I assure you that constant practice and patience will lead you to the desired result. When you have practiced enough, it will seem so natural that you think you can do it all along. Playing the guitar is like riding a bike, once you’ve learned, you won’t forget how to do it.