“F” The full bar “F” is arguably the “hardest” chord to learn to play on the guitar but it is also one of the most important. Take a good look but you may wish to refer to the “Bar Chord” section before you try it.

Based on my own experience and countless others, you too can play this chord with a little patience and effort. Treat it not as a roadblock but as a challenge to overcome. The full bar “F” is not always the best choice. Unless your only desire is to play “Classic Rock” and you have an electric guitar with light gauge strings, start with the four or five string versions of “F”.

Try to play each of the following chords. You must keep the knuckle of your first finger flat and your other fingers arched. Practice sounding the first and second strings by themselves. If you can’t sound the first string, you must at least lay your first finger flat enough to dampen it.

Whether “beginner” or advanced For many songs using Many “fingerpickers” find this this is a good chord to be able to “basic strumming”, this version of “F” very useful since it play. Unless you have a very version of “F” is not only has the advantage of having the strong hand, this is a good starting sufficient but the best root on the sixth string but is more point. It is especially useful as the choice. flexible for adding melody notes. basis for a “lead” guitar pattern.

Repeat 1000 x’s Choose the best “F” for your style and practice this very essential chord change:

Related Chords:

Practice this change using the four string version of “F”:

Practice this change using the A full “Bb” has a five string version of “F”: barred 1st fret. This is an easier substitution.

The Basics, Page 39 Revision: Friday, October 05, 2018 Nortunes.com The “Related” Minor

Each has a “related” that has the same root note but is built on a different structure of intervals. Each is a “triad” of three tones although one or more can be repeated for a fuller sound.

The musical structure of the related minor chord is the same as the major except that one of the tones is lowered a half step. In the following diagram, notice that the “E minor” chord is the same as the “E major” except that the string has been lowered from the first fret to the open string.

The sixth string can be played for a full strum, but the fifth string should remain the main note. You may find the 3rd finger easier than 4.

One of the most interesting uses of the “related minor” involves ending a song in key with chord. In music this is called a “Picardy Third” .

Listen carefully to the difference between each of the following major chords and its related minor. Some listeners interpret the change as suggesting the moods of “happy” to “sad”. This is the reason minor intervals are important to the music of the “Blues”. The example of “Am” to “A” best describes the “Picardy Third”.

The Basics, Page 40 Revision: Friday, October 05, 2018 Nortunes.com “Relative” Minor

Just as each major chord has a related minor chord, each major chord has a “relative minor”. As opposed to the related minor, the relative major and minors have different root notes but are otherwise very similar to the point of being “relatively the same”. Their root notes are separated by a distance of three half steps which in music terminology is a “minor third” interval. On the guitar, there are two frets in between the relative major and minor root notes.

Notice that you only have to move one finger to change between “C” and “Am” . The “G” to “Em” change is also similar. Practice these changes.

Relative Minor Relative Minor To “C” major To “G” major

The concept of “relative major and minor” is very important in music. The diatonic scale of the relative minor key is the same as the major except that it starts on the sixth note. “A” is the relative minor to “C” . The “C” major scale contains all the natural notes beginning and ending on “C”. The “A” natural begins and ends on “A” and uses the same notes as the “C” scale.

The natural minor is called the “” of the diatonic scale. It was very prominent in early musical history and is therefore sometimes referred to as the “Ancient Minor”. Refer to the “Musical Structures” section for more information on modes and on the more modern “harmonic” and “melodic” minor scales.

The relative pentatonic major and minor scales are also similar except with a different tone center (root). This is a very important concept in improvising and playing lead guitar.

The Basics, Page 41 Revision: Friday, October 05, 2018 Nortunes.com A Few Minor Changes Memorize the minor chords and practice each of the following progressions:

The Basics, Page 42 Revision: Friday, October 05, 2018 Nortunes.com