What Is The Hardest "beginner" Chord To Play? Options

[Bear Rose]

Hey everyone,

I'm wondering what everyone considers to be the hardest "beginner" chord to play. I'm putting "beginner" in quotation marks because I want you to define what you think a beginner chord is.

So, if you are a beginner starting out with your chords, which is the hardest one for you to play properly?

And if you are past the "beginner" stage, what was the hardest chord to learn when you were starting out?

[slash48]

When I first started it was the dreaded F chord. Barring the first finger on the E and B strings while keeping track of the other fingers and managing to keep everything clean and every note clearly ringing was not easy at the time.

[Fran]

It has to be F

It's the first barre chord I learnt, and I still remember how much I hated it

[Chris Evans]

yup, agree with the others, F barre chord, actually I can remember struggling with barre chords full stop, I used to have to use my right hand to physically put my left hand fingers into the correct positions!

[thefireball]

I agree with the others as well...but I didn't play the F chord for this reason. Instead, I stuck with some other chords. At first, the G chord was hard to get used to (the version where you use 3 fingers). I couldn't get my middle finger to stay on the A string. It kept wanting to hop up on the low e with my ring finger. This was my battle for a while when I first started.

[steve25]

Definitiely F for me. I just couldn't do it at first. I actually found it easier to barre all the strings rather than just the ones needed I guess that helped

[Crazy_Diamond]

+1 for the F chord and maybe the B also

Beginner is define here has: First month of playing.

[Bear Rose]

Yeah, when I teach students locally, I always save the F chord and the B chord for last, because they are definitely 2 of the hardest ones to learn when you are just starting out.

[CathShadow]

Funny enough, my first barre chord was actually the G, not the F so when I started, I found that one most difficult...

followed for my by D minor (purely cause I got used to D, and couldn't get my fingers to go to the correct places!!!...

[jafomatic]

I'm voting for that F as well. I had no trouble barring chords at any other fret but that F barred at fret 1 ... well, yeah, you know. Seems we all know

[Gitarrero]

Hm, I was always comfortable with the barre chords, even the dreaded F. But I remember that a friend of mine struggled a long time with the F. It think for me some 7th chords were pretty difficult, but I don't know if they are considered beginner chords...?

[whiskey5]

I'm a newb to the forum, and to guitar. Been lurking mostly, but alas - a forum for Absolute Beginners

Been playing for 4 months now, got an ESP LTD EC1000 that I absolutely love.

My problem chord was, and still is to an extent, the A chord.

Initially I thought my fingers were too "fat" to fit in there. The problem being my middle finger would mute the D string, or my pinky muting the high E.

After googling "fat finger guitar", i realized fat fingers aren't the problem, and I just am not ensuring proper placement of fingers. Which requires me to slow down when practicing, and get the fingers right.

I was close to resolving the issue by telling myself "just go ahead and let the high E be muted if it happens...", but I decided against that and continue on the take it slow and get it right approach.

I finger the chord with index on D, middle on G, ring on B.

I know C A G D E F B, and A is the trickiest one for me.

Conversely, I picked up the F chord pretty easily.

[kaznie_NL]

F ofcourse haha, and probably learning to play the A# chord using the 'easy' form, with the flat ring finger

[Bear Rose]

I'm a newb to the forum, and to guitar. Been lurking mostly, but alas - a forum for Absolute Beginners

Been playing for 4 months now, got an ESP LTD EC1000 that I absolutely love.

My problem chord was, and still is to an extent, the A chord.

Initially I thought my fingers were too "fat" to fit in there. The problem being my middle finger would mute the D string, or my pinky muting the high E.

After googling "fat finger guitar", i realized fat fingers aren't the problem, and I just am not ensuring proper placement of fingers. Which requires me to slow down when practicing, and get the fingers right.

I was close to resolving the issue by telling myself "just go ahead and let the high E be muted if it happens...", but I decided against that and continue on the take it slow and get it right approach.

I finger the chord with index on D, middle on G, ring on B.

I know C A G D E F B, and A is the trickiest one for me.

Conversely, I picked up the F chord pretty easily.

Thats pretty unique! Very cool that you picked up the F chord easily. And it is interesting that the A is the hardest for you.

Another way that you might try to finger the chord is like this: middle on D, ring on G, and pinky on B. That may help because it will be easier to fit your fingers in there. I've started playing the chord that way sometimes and I like it.

[whiskey5]

Another way that you might try to finger the chord is like this: middle on D, ring on G, and pinky on B. That may help because it will be easier to fit your fingers in there. I've started playing the chord that way sometimes and I like it.

Thanks for the great tip.

The intro to "The Shock of the Lightning" by Oasis has A am, and now I can play along

This post has been edited by whiskey5: Nov 13 2010, 09:48 PM

[Bear Rose]

Thanks for the great tip.

The intro to "The Shock of the Lightning" by Oasis has A am, and now I can play along

Awesome! I remember when I would learn new chords and they would be like keys that would unlock new sets of songs that I could learn.

This post has been edited by Bear Rose: Nov 15 2010, 10:01 PM

[Kael]

F seems to be the one im struggling with so far, im not getting a clean tone consistantly, still...its good to see im not the only one having some trouble with it

[Bluesberry]

I remember my brother saying to me that the worst part of the day at home was when I was practicing chords. And definitely the most difficult one to get right was F for me, too. However, when we are talking about chord progressions, I'd also add B7 and C7 (from the open position) to the list since they are kind of tricky for the left hand.

But practicing chords is definitely worth it. I think it may have done more to my playing than anything else.

[quadrium]

I remember the barre chords are the most challenging chords for me when i was learning.

[del-4fr53e3]

I remember my brother saying to me that the worst part of the day at home was when I was practicing chords.

Practice without amp
Why would anyone practice finger placements with an amp?

This post has been edited by Sollesnes: Dec 30 2010, 07:35 PM