Which strings do I strum for F major?

6 strings, from the thick E string down to the thin e. All six ring.

What notes are in a F major chord?

F, A, C. The F is the root, the note the chord is named after. The A makes it major.

What chords go with F?

Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Bb and C, and its relative minor, Dm. Songs move between these because they share notes.

major chord

F major chord on guitar

The first barre chord: the index finger presses all six strings at once. Hard for everyone at first.

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Where the fingers go

1
index finger, thick E string, fret 1
The thickest string, nearest the ceiling.
2
ring finger, A string, fret 3
Count from the thick string: E A.
3
pinky, D string, fret 3
Count from the thick string: E A D.
4
middle finger, G string, fret 2
Count from the thick string: E A D G.
5
index finger, B string, fret 1
Count from the thick string: E A D G B.
6
index finger, thin e string, fret 1
The thinnest string, nearest the floor.
7
Strum 6 strings, from the thick E string down
All six strings belong to this chord.

The same shape seen along the neck, thin e on top. Numbers are fingers; 0 is an open string.

The notes in F

A chord is three or four notes played together. F major is built from these:

Note	Job in the chord	Where it is in this shape
F	root	thick E string, fret 1; D string, fret 3; thin e string, fret 1
A	major third	G string, fret 2
C	fifth	A string, fret 3; B string, fret 1

The root, F, is the note it is named after. The second note decides the mood: a major third sounds bright, a minor third sounds sad. This chord sounds bright and settled.

Where it sits on the circle of fifths

The circle of fifths lines up the twelve keys so that neighbours share the most notes. Chords next to each other on the circle sound good one after the other, which is why songs move between them.

Bb and C are F’s neighbours. Most songs in F use one or both.
Dm is its relative minor: the same notes, a different home. Swapping between them changes the mood without changing your hand much.

The mistake everyone makes

Watch out

Pressing with the flat of the finger

Roll the index finger slightly onto its side, the bony edge, and pull back with the arm rather than squeezing with the thumb.

Tip

Start with four strings

Play the top four strings only (skip both thick strings) until the barre feels natural. Then add the rest.

Songs that use it

Songs in C and F. Once F works, every barre chord on the neck is the same shape moved.

In those songs, F is followed by C G7 G . Practise those changes first.

Questions people ask

Which strings do I strum for F major?: 6 strings, from the thick E string down to the thin e. All six ring.
What notes are in a F major chord?: F, A, C. The F is the root, the note the chord is named after. The A makes it major.
What chords go with F?: Its neighbours on the circle of fifths, Bb and C, and its relative minor, Dm. Songs move between these because they share notes.