F Guitar Chord
F Major · F–A–C
F is the F major chord: F–A–C. Its sound is bright and resolved — the foundational happy sound of pop, rock, country, and folk.
You'll meet F constantly because it lives in several common keys: it's the I chord in F major, the IV chord in C major, and the V chord in Bb major. That makes it a building block of I–IV–V and I–V–vi–IV progressions in those keys.
The most common way to play F is the e-shape barre at the 1st fret (1 3 3 2 1 1, low E string to high E string). Below you'll find 6 ways to play it across the neck, from open position to barre and shell voicings, with the theory behind the chord and the progressions it lives in.
How to Play F: 6 Voicings
Frets are listed from the low E string to the high E string. x = don't play that string, 0 = open string.
F Chord Theory
| Interval | R | 3 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Note | F | A | C |
F is built from the F major scale.
F Chord FAQ
What notes are in the F chord?
F contains 3 notes: F (R), A (3), C (5). The interval formula for a major chord is R–3–5.
What is the easiest way to play F on guitar?
Use the e-shape barre at the 1st fret: 1 3 3 2 1 1 (frets listed from the low E string to the high E string, x = don't play that string). F has no open-position shape in standard tuning, so this movable form is the standard starting point.
What is the difference between F and Fm?
One note: the 3rd. F major uses the major 3rd (A) while F minor flattens it to Ab. That half-step is the entire difference between the bright major sound and the darker minor sound.
What keys use the F chord?
F appears diatonically in F major (as I), C major (as IV), and Bb major (as V) — plus D minor, its relative minor key.
Related Chords
Hear yourself play F
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