Fm Guitar Chord
Fm is the F minor chord. It has three notes: F, A♭ and C. Like F major, it is a full six string barre at the 1st fret, the hardest spot on the neck for a barre. The consolation: Fm is actually the simpler grip of the two, with only two fingers above the barre.
The Em shape barred at the 1st fret: index across all six strings, ring and pinky stacked at the 3rd fret.
How to play Fm, step by step
- Index finger: press flat across the low E to high E strings at fret 1
- Ring finger: 3rd fret, A string
- Pinky finger: 3rd fret, D string
- Strum all six strings.
If you are mid battle with F major, add Fm to the same practice session. It is the same barre with one finger lifted, so the two chords train each other.
Easy Fm for beginners (no barre)
The no barre route is xx3111: ring finger on the 3rd fret of the D string, index flattened across just the top three strings at the 1st fret. Holding down three thin strings is a small job compared with clamping all six.
It is still every bit an F minor. A minor chord lives in its root, third and fifth, and this shape has the complete set: F, A♭, C and a second F on top. The two bass strings are all you give up.
There is a hidden bonus: that three string index press is a miniature barre. Every clean strum of this shape quietly builds the strength and angle the full 1st fret barre will need.
More ways to play Fm
There are 4 common Fm shapes in total: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these, easiest first. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.
Light and clear, with the root still at the bottom of the shape.
Punchier and brighter, since the strings give more in the middle of the neck.
Trim and clear, good when the six string versions feel too thick.
Songs that use the Fm chord
If it groans instead of rings
- The G, B or high E buzzes
- Those strings speak through the barre alone, and at the 1st fret the strings push back hardest. Keep the barre tight against the fret wire and roll it slightly onto the bony edge of the finger.
- The A or D string thuds
- The ring and pinky at the 3rd fret are landing on their pads. Come up onto the tips, and check the thumb sits behind the neck, roughly opposite the middle of the grip.
- Your hand cramps within a verse
- You are squeezing instead of leaning. Pull the guitar gently toward your chest with the fretting arm and let that force do half the pressing; the thumb should assist, not carry everything.
What makes it an Fm
F · A♭ · C 1 ♭3 5
Fm is a minor triad: F, a minor third A♭, and a fifth C. It is the relative minor of A♭ major and the ii chord of E♭, both flat keys that guitar songwriters rarely start from. Where you do meet Fm on guitar is as a visitor: in the key of C it is the classic borrowed iv chord, and the F to Fm to C move is a sound you will recognize from countless song endings.
Fm vs F
One string separates them. In F major the G string is fretted at the 2nd fret, giving an A; in Fm it stays under the barre at the 1st, giving an A♭. That makes the minor the easier grip: the middle finger simply lifts off. Since both live behind the same 1st fret barre, learning them as a pair costs almost nothing extra.
Fm chord questions
Is Fm harder than F major?
Slightly easier, if anything. Both need the same six string barre at the 1st fret, but Fm uses one finger fewer above it.
Can I play Fm without a barre?
Yes: xx3111 replaces the full barre with a small index press over the top three strings plus the ring finger on the D string.
Why does Fm sound so dark?
The A♭ sits a half step below the A of F major, and that lowered third is what every ear reads as minor. In the low 1st fret position the whole chord sits deep as well.
What keys use Fm?
It is the ii chord of E♭ major, the vi chord of A♭ major, and a favorite borrowed chord in the key of C, where F to Fm to C is a classic ending.
What shape is the Fm barre chord?
The open Em shape with a barre behind it, moved to the 1st fret. The identical grip gives Gm at the 3rd fret and Am at the 5th.
Chords to learn next
Other F chords
Fm guitar chord chart (133111) from melodician.com