F#minor

Ted

Is this difficult or what?

I am playing it the 'easy way' with the first finger barring the first three strings on the second fret and the third finger on the fourth string of the fourth fret.

Trouble is it seems to be a hit or miss affair whether I play it properly and at the moment i can't do at anything like 3 second intervals I need.

I really like the chord and it fits in well with a tune I wrote so need to persist but any advice appreciated.

monquixote

It's the sadest of the keys.

Philtre

Can you play the full barre version and just strum/pick the strings you need?

Philtre

monquixote said:

It's the sadest of the keys.

Did you mean "sadistic"?

mgaw

practice practice practice, just stick at it mate, every thing gets easier as you progress frustrating at first but once the strength builds up in your hand and muscle memory takes hold you will scoff at F#m

thecolourbox

monquixote said:

It's the sadest of the keys.

I always thought F minor was more sad

Ted

Ok - I think i might I have nailed it, I suffer from the 'collapsed hand' syndrome which you can get away with on most main chords but not,it seems, this one. With the thumb acting as part of a pincer on the back of the neck the chord becomes much more possible.

thecolourbox

Alternatively tune down a semi tone and play G minor

monquixote

thecolourbox said:

monquixote said:

It's the sadest of the keys.

I always thought F minor was more sad

Strictly speaking it should be d minor, but I can't resist a spinal tap reference.

thecolourbox

monquixote said:

thecolourbox said:

monquixote said:

It's the sadest of the keys.

I always thought F minor was more sad

Strictly speaking it should be d minor, but I can't resist a spinal tap reference.

I suppose A Flat Minor is more sad for their family members

Philtre

thecolourbox said:

monquixote said:

thecolourbox said:

monquixote said:

It's the sadest of the keys.

I always thought F minor was more sad

Strictly speaking it should be d minor, but I can't resist a spinal tap reference.

I suppose A Flat Minor is more sad for their family members

A Flat Minor Diminished for the smaller family members.

bigjon

A lot of the time this easy-to-play F#m7add11/C# sounds just as good in context - x44200

Or you can wrap your thumb over the neck and play 244200, a full-sounding F#m7add11 chord
.
As heard in Had Enough by Mr Big, or Mandela Day by Simple Minds, which I discussed in my chord--of-the-week thread on open-position F#m chords at
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/15928/chord-of-the-week-10-5-14-f-m

ToneControl

sev112

Stick a capo on the second fret and play Eminor instead

then D becomes C, Em becomes Dm, G to F, etc
all easy peasy now

DulcetJones

The best fix is to master using barre chords.  Both 6th string root and 5th string root, then you'll be able to G#m, G#Major, C#m etc, etc,.    It can take a few months but how old will you be in a few months if you don't learn them?  A good practice bit is the verse from Bob Dylans "Lay Lady Lay", all full barre chords, "A" 5th fret, "C#m" 4th fret, "G"  3rd fret, "Bm" 2nd fret.

sev112

Or just don’t use chords that involve more than 4 strings
there is no rule that says you have to play all 6 strings
and therein lies a root to why so many people give up guitar in the first year
we should just teach them 3 and 4 string chords

vasselmeyer

Use a capo

octatonic

Don't use a capo.
Do consider having a lesson with someone who has good technique and make sure you aren't doing something counterproductive.

thecolourbox

sev112 said:

Or just don’t use chords that involve more than 4 strings
there is no rule that says you have to play all 6 strings
and therein lies a root to why so many people give up guitar in the first year
we should just teach them 3 and 4 string chords

And that's presumably why so many acoustic buskers bash out full six string chords all the damn time as well

Roland

DulcetJones said:

The best fix is to master using barre chords. 

This. A and E shapes are the most common, followed by C. G and D shapes are possible, although I don’t find much use for their voicings.

Some chords are easier to play thumb-over, some are easier with a full barre. You need to be able to play both ways. A couple of day’s practice will get you started with the Am and Em shapes. If it doesn’t then find someone to guide you about hand placement.

DulcetJones

Another case for full barre chords is that you have the ability to mute strings when you want to emphasize a progression with powerchords.  Plus, you can easily mute all the strings to add percussion(try playing Nirvanas "Smells Like Teen Spirit" with just 3 string chords).  Sometimes people spend more energy and time trying to get around difficulties than the time and energy it takes to do it the right way.