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Thread: The Fm Chord...

  1. #1
    M@ñdº|¡ñ - M@ñdºce||º Keith Erickson's Avatar
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    Unhappy

    I don't know if it's just me, but I'm having some trouble with the fingering on the Fm chord.

    Currently my ring finger is holding down the G#/Ab on the E strings and my index finger is holding down the C & the F on the A & D strings. #The G's are muted with my thumb.

    Now we all know that this is not correct, but for some reason this is the most comfortable way for me to handle this chord without the discomfort.

    I guess my question would be...

    ....what exercises would I need to do in order to correct this without making my chord hand feel uncomfortable?

    I would love to be able to play the Fm correctly.

    Much oblidged #

    EDIT: You're right!!!! No C#'s!!! A perfect example of a lack of coffee this morning.



    Keith Erickson
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  2. #2
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    play it 10, 6, 8 on the low strings

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    Registered User Jonathan Peck's Avatar
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    or with the V on the bottom - 5, 6, 8

    minor chord I, bIII, V (F, Ab, C) There's no C#



    And now for today's weather....sunny, with a chance of legs

    "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." - Abraham Lincoln

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    M@ñdº|¡ñ - M@ñdºce||º Keith Erickson's Avatar
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    Alan & Captain,

    The coffee hasn't kicked in yet so forgive my follow ups....


    Alan, Would that be 10 on the A's, 6 on the D's and 8 on the G's?

    Captain,

    Would that could require me to mute the E's?

    Thanks-a-bunch

    gurgle, gurgle, gurgle...
    Keith Erickson
    Benevolent Organizer of The Mandocello Enthusiast

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    How about (G to e): X-3-3-4 ?
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    10 on G, 6 on D, 8 on A

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    I do it like the Captain and I mute the E by making a sloppy bar at the 5th fret with my index finger (if it were a major chord, then it would be slightly less sloppy )
    "First you master your instrument, then you master the music, then you forget about all that ... and just play"
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    Registered User Jonathan Peck's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (8_String_Keith @ Sep. 14 2006, 11:38)
    Would that could require me to mute the E's?
    Yes,

    5-6-8-X

    I also use this one,
    5-3-3-4

    but you need to make sure you hit the G# on the E string to make it sound minor. It's the III of the scale that gives a Major or Minor chord it's identity. Play around with it and you'll hear what I mean.
    And now for today's weather....sunny, with a chance of legs

    "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe." - Abraham Lincoln

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    Chief Moderator/Shepherd Ted Eschliman's Avatar
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    I like:
    1-3-3-x
    Use the 1st finger on the lowest string (Ab) and the 3rd finger both on the F and C. If you hang the same finger over to the E string:
    1-3-3-3
    you get a lovely Fm9 chord, depending on whether or not you mute the E string or not. Not intended for Bluegrass, but it's a nice color for Pop & Jazz!
    Ted Eschliman

    Author, Getting Into Jazz Mandolin

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    5-3-3-4 is the one I'll normally reach for first since it's voiced fairly low or 1-3-3-4 which is voice a little lower.




  11. #11
    M@ñdº|¡ñ - M@ñdºce||º Keith Erickson's Avatar
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    WOW!!!

    Folks, I am truly humbled!!! It's just a plain ol' Fm chord and I'm just moved by the number responses.

    Thank you All

    Actually I was trying to play the Fm chord as 1-3-3-4 which is the reason why my hand has been hurting. I should have thought of 5-3-3-4 but the coffee kicked late.

    Okay if I can throw another question out to the world?

    Our church choir is working on a song (the name escapes me now) that is sung on both English & Spanish and is in 6/8 time. It actually sounds like an old Richie Valance tune. There is a switch from an F to Fm.

    Which Fm chord would work in this case?

    Again much oblidged to All
    Keith Erickson
    Benevolent Organizer of The Mandocello Enthusiast

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    I do

    F = 233X
    Fm = 133X

    When i'm playing "Wave" (bossanova).



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    Quote Originally Posted by (8_String_Keith @ Sep. 14 2006, 14:04)
    #There is a switch from an F to Fm.

    Which Fm chord would work in this case?
    That is an interesting question. The very reason that I do it at the 5th fret is because something I play with one of my neighbors goes from an F to Fm and in that song it needs to change the feel without the movement, if that makes any sense. In other words, I sometimes (very often, actually) use the form Glauber mentioned as an F, but moving from it to the Fm has a "movement" that doesn't sound right for the particular song (I think it is a 50s rock song) I play it in. So I use 5-7-8-5 to 5-6-8-x (though I really don't try too hard to sound the E strings on the major). It depends on whether or not that step down on the G string sounds right in the song you are doing. In another song we play, I do use the forms Glauber mentioned on different frets to go from a G to an F#m.



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    I dig that 5-6-8 w/o playing the e strings, as per da Capt'n

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    Registered User Brad Weiss's Avatar
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    I'm partial to 5-6-8-x, but 5-6-3-1 is cool, too

  16. #16
    Registered User adgefan's Avatar
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    The one tune where I switch from F to Fm I play the F as

    G: 5 [r]
    D: 3 [m]
    A: x
    E: x

    and the Fm as

    G: 5 [r]
    D: 3 [i]
    A: 3 [i]
    E: 4 [m]

    - with the letters in brackets being the fingers I would use. However, this is for bluegrass where I merely need to make a chop sound. If you want full sounding chords these might not be the best voicings.

  17. #17
    M@ñdº|¡ñ - M@ñdºce||º Keith Erickson's Avatar
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    Howdy Folks,

    I had a few moments yesterday to try out my new Fm chord. #Gosh, it's like having a new toy

    The Fmin chord with the 5-3-3-4 seems to give my hand a much easier time than if I was to chord using 1-3-3-4.

    However I've yet to try the F to Fmin switch on the other patterns.

    Again you folks are the best!!! #Thank you to All!!! #

    Cheers!!! #



    Keith Erickson
    Benevolent Organizer of The Mandocello Enthusiast

  18. #18
    M@ñdº|¡ñ - M@ñdºce||º Keith Erickson's Avatar
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    Okay Folks I just wanted to follow up and send a "Big Thank You to all who assisted.

    First of the name of the song is [I]Quién dicen que soy yo/ Who says that I am[/QUOTE]

    The chords are as follows:

    C Em F Fm
    C Am Dm7 G7

    I tried the different Fm chords that were suggested here and the Fm chord that I finally settled on for this particular song was 5-3-3-4. It sounded perfect.

    After finding the Fm that I wanted to use, it gave me the confidence to try different little riffs on this song.

    Posted by Mandohack:

    Quote Originally Posted by
    If you hang the same finger over to the E string:
    1-3-3-3
    you get a lovely Fm9 chord, depending on whether or not you mute the E string or not. Not intended for Bluegrass, but it's a nice color for Pop & Jazz!
    Ted, Just for kicks I tried the 1-3-3-3 to see what would happen and it didn't sound right for this song (not to take anything away from the chord). However I'm sure that I will be using this chord in the not so distant future. I whole heartedly agree that it is a very pretty chord.

    Again Thank You All!!!
    Keith Erickson
    Benevolent Organizer of The Mandocello Enthusiast

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