F guitar chord: 6 ways to play F major

Ways to play F

Lowest on the neck first. Tap a shape to put it on the fretboard above and hear it. The numbers are fingers (1 is your index), × means leave that string out, and ○ means let it ring open.

What's in F

A major chord stacks a major 3rd (four half steps) and a perfect 5th (seven half steps) on the root. For F that gives F, A and C. Every shape below is some arrangement of those three notes, with a few doubled in another octave.

Note	Formula	Interval from F
F	1	Root
A	3	Major 3rd
C	5	Perfect 5th

Major chords sound settled and bright. They are the I, IV and V of every major key, which is why so many songs get by on three of them.

The key of F major

One flat (B♭). The F barre at the 1st fret is the first real barre most players learn. B♭ and C are the IV and V.

The seven chords built from the F major scale:

IF
iiGm
iiiAm
IVB♭
VC
viDm
vii°Edim

Songs in F major

Hey Jude, The Beatles
Free Fallin', Tom Petty (D shapes with a capo on the 3rd fret)

Keys that use F

Every major and minor key whose scale contains all of F, A and C, and the chord's Roman numeral in each. Minor keys marked harmonic get the chord from the raised 7th of the harmonic minor scale.

Key	F is the
F major	I
C major	IV
B♭ major	V
B♭ minor (harmonic)	V
A minor	VI
D minor	III
G minor	VII

Progressions to try

I–IV–V in F major

The three-chord backbone of folk, blues and early rock and roll.

I–V–vi–IV in F major

The loop under a huge share of pop songs since the 1980s.

I–vi–IV–V in F major

The 1950s doo-wop progression. Same chords as above, different order, very different mood.

The relative minor is Dm, which shares its key signature. The parallel minor is Fm, same root with the 3rd lowered.

Other chords on F:

See every chord in the library

F major chord