Easy Versions of Hard Guitar Chords: F, B, Bm, F#m and More

Sooner or later, every beginner hits a song with F, B or F#m in it, and these chords are hard. In their full form they're barre chords, where one finger presses several strings at once, and that takes strength and practice to make ring.

You don't have to stop playing songs until your barre chords are perfect. Almost every hard chord has an easier version that sounds right in the song. This guide covers the best simplified shapes, when to use each, and how to work toward the full versions at the same time.

Why some chords are hard

Open chords like G, C and D are easy because the nut does some of the work: open strings ring without fingers. Chords like F, B and F#m don't fit around the open strings, so the full version uses your index finger as a "moving nut" across five or six strings. That's the barre, and it's the hard part.

The easy versions in this guide work by playing only the top three or four strings, where you don't need a full barre, or by swapping in a related chord that sounds almost the same.

F major: the classic hard chord

F is the first barre chord most people meet, and it shows up constantly in songs in C and F. Start with Fmaj7, which needs no barre at all, then move to the small F.

• Fmaj7: ring finger on the 3rd fret of the D string, middle on the 2nd fret of the G string, index on the 1st fret of the B string; high e open. Strum the top four strings. It has a softer, jazzier sound than F, but it works in most pop songs.
• Small F: the same shape, but flatten your index finger so it presses both the B and high e strings at the 1st fret. Strum the top four strings. This is a real F chord.
• Full F: the six-string barre. Work toward it gradually.

Our complete F chord guide has four easier versions and a seven-day plan for the full barre.

B major: the one everyone dreads

B shows up in songs in E, B and F#. The full version is a barre chord on the 2nd fret with three fingers squeezed onto the 4th fret. Here are easier options:

• Easy B: index finger on the 2nd fret of the high e string, and your ring finger flattened across the D, G and B strings at the 4th fret (or three separate fingers). Strum only the top four strings.
• B7: a no-barre open chord. In songs in E, especially blues and rock, B7 can replace B completely. It sounds a little more "bluesy."
• B5 (power chord): just the root and fifth. Perfect for rock songs and anything with distortion.

For the full barre and a step-by-step plan, see our guide on how to play the B chord.

B minor: an easy four-string shape

Bm appears in countless songs in D and G. The full version is a barre on the 2nd fret. The four-string version is much easier and is what many players use anyway:

• Easy Bm: index on the 2nd fret of the high e, middle on the 3rd fret of the B string, ring on the 4th fret of the G string, pinky on the 4th fret of the D string. Strum the top four strings.
• Bm7: an open shape with no barre. It has a mellow sound and works in many songs where Bm moves to G or Em.

Our B minor chord page lets you hear the full chord.

F# minor and C# minor

These two minor chords appear all the time in songs in A, D and E. Both have neat shortcuts.

• Easy F#m: index finger flattened across the G, B and high e strings at the 2nd fret, ring finger on the 4th fret of the D string. Strum the top four strings.
• Easy C#m: middle finger on the 2nd fret of the D string, index on the 1st fret of the G string, ring on the 2nd fret of the B string; high e open. Strum the top four strings.
• C#m7: an open chord with a lovely, airy sound. Strum from the A string.

For more on each, see our guides to F#m and C#m.

G minor, B flat and C minor

These three turn up in songs in F, Bb and minor keys. Each has a compact top-string version:

• Easy Gm: index finger flattened across the G, B and high e strings at the 3rd fret, with the open D string underneath. Strum the top four strings.
• Easy Bb: ring finger flattened across the D, G and B strings at the 3rd fret, index finger on the 1st fret of the high e. Strum the top four strings.
• Easy Cm: a three-string shape at the 3rd to 5th frets: index on the 3rd fret of the high e, middle on the 4th fret of the B string, ring on the 5th fret of the G string. Strum just those three strings.

See our guide to G minor for full and partial versions of Gm.

Use a capo to avoid hard chords entirely

When a whole song is full of hard chords, a capo is often the best tool. Clip it on a fret and play the song with easier open shapes. The capo raises everything to the right key.

Our guide on how to use a capo explains how it works, and how to transpose guitar chords shows you how to work out the shapes for any song.

When to use the easy version (and when not to)

• Use it when you're learning a song and want to play it all the way through today.
• Use it in a band or jam, where the bass covers the low notes anyway.
• Use it when the chord goes by quickly and a full barre would slow you down.
• Switch to the full version when playing solo, especially fingerpicking, where the missing bass notes are more noticeable.
• Switch to the full version once you can hold a barre comfortably; it gives a bigger, fuller sound.

How to work toward full barre chords

Easy versions keep you playing, but keep a few minutes a day for barre practice too. Here's a gentle path:

1. Start with a small barre. The small F (two strings under the index finger) builds the same skill with much less strength.
2. Try the barre higher up the neck. At the 5th or 7th fret the strings are closer to the fretboard and easier to press. Move down a fret at a time.
3. Roll your index finger slightly onto its bony outer edge, which presses more evenly than the soft middle.
4. Pull with your arm, not your thumb. A gentle backward pull from your arm adds pressure without squeezing.
5. Practice for a minute at a time. Barre practice tires your hand fast. Short bursts, several times a day, work best.

Our guide to barre chords for beginners goes into detail, including the two movable shapes that unlock every major and minor chord.

Make your guitar easier to play

If even the easy versions are a struggle, the guitar may be part of the problem. High action (strings far from the frets) makes every chord harder, especially near the nut. A basic setup at a guitar shop is inexpensive and can make barre chords dramatically easier. Lighter strings help too; see how to choose guitar strings.

Quick reference

Fretwork's path introduces barre chords gradually, after your open chords are solid, so you can keep playing songs the whole way. The first two stages are free, no card required.

Frequently asked questions