F to G chord change
Your index finger, middle finger and ring finger lift and move; your little finger comes off. Your strumming hand does not change: both chords use all six strings.
Numbers are fingers: 1 index, 2 middle, 3 ring, 4 little finger. o means play the string open, ✕ means don’t play it.
Finger by finger
- Lifts and movesIndex finger (1) lifts and moves from the barre across all six strings, 1st fret to the A string, 2nd fret.
- Lifts and movesMiddle finger (2) lifts and moves from the G string, 2nd fret to the low E string, 3rd fret.
- Lifts and movesRing finger (3) lifts and moves from the A string, 3rd fret to the high e string, 3rd fret.
- Lifts offLittle finger (4) lifts off (it was on the D string, 3rd fret).
| Finger | On F | On G | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Index finger (1) | barre across all six strings, 1st fret | A string, 2nd fret | Lifts and moves |
| Middle finger (2) | G string, 2nd fret | low E string, 3rd fret | Lifts and moves |
| Ring finger (3) | A string, 3rd fret | high e string, 3rd fret | Lifts and moves |
| Little finger (4) | D string, 3rd fret | not used | Lifts off |
How to practise F to G
- Play F and pick each string on its own. Fix any string that buzzes before you start changing.
- Lead with the middle finger. In G it plays the lowest note (the low E string, 3rd fret), which is the first string you strum, so aim it there first and let the other fingers follow.
- Do “ghost changes”: switch from F to G and back 20 times without strumming. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, and land them all together.
- Now strum: four strums on F, four on G. When that is clean, try two strums each, then one.
- Time yourself with the trainer below: one minute, counting every clean change. Do it once a day and watch the number climb.
An easier way to play it
F to G (G as a barre chord at the 3rd fret): the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger slide instead of lifting. It is the same pair of chords, just fingered so the change is shorter.
F to G (Small F on the top four strings, then G with ring, middle and little finger): fewer fingers have to travel. It is the same pair of chords, just fingered so the change is shorter.
- Lifts offIndex finger (1) lifts off (it was on the barre across the B to high e strings, 1st fret).
- Moves across, same fretMiddle finger (2) moves across from the G string to the A string, staying on the 2nd fret.
- Moves across, same fretRing finger (3) moves across from the D string to the low E string, staying on the 3rd fret.
- Goes downLittle finger (4) goes down on the high e string, 3rd fret.
One-minute F to G trainer
Press Start, hold F through the count-in, then change back and forth for one minute. Tap the big button (or press the space bar) every time you land a clean chord. Your best score is kept.
Want other chords? Open the full chord change trainer.
Songs that use F to G
These songs in our free song library change between F and G. Each one has a play-along that counts you in and lights up the chord to play.
F to G: questions
Which finger stays down when you change from F to G?
None stays in exactly the same place with the standard shapes. Your index finger, middle finger and ring finger lift and move; your little finger comes off. With the easier fingering on this page, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger can stay in contact.
How do I change from F to G faster?
Practise the change on its own, not inside a song. Lift your fingers only just off the strings, land them all at once, and lead with the finger that has the longest trip. Then do one minute of changes a day with a timer and count them. If it still feels slow, try the easier version: F to G.
How many F to G changes a minute is good?
Count every clean change: F to G is one, and back again is two. Around 30 in a minute is a solid start and enough for slow songs. At 40 most songs at a relaxed tempo start to flow, and at about 60 (one change a second) the change is ready for almost anything.
What songs use F and G?
In our free song library, Barbara Allen and Trouble in Mind use it. F to G is IV to V in the key of C, the change that leads back to C.
Is G to F the same as F to G?
It uses the same moves in reverse. Practise both directions: the trainer counts each switch either way.
More chord changes
Learn the chords in the right order
Fretwork’s lessons teach one chord at a time, with a ring test and a one-minute change check before you move on. The first two stages are free.