F Ukulele Chord

F is the F major chord. It has three notes: F, A and C. The open shape needs two fingers: index on the E string at the 1st fret, middle on the G string at the 2nd, with the C and A strings open. On a ukulele, F is a beginner chord.

The open F: middle finger on the G string at the 2nd fret, index on the E string at the 1st, C and A strings open.

How to play F on ukulele, step by step

Index finger: 1st fret, E string
Middle finger: 2nd fret, G string
Leave the C and A strings open. Strum all four strings.

Guitarists flinch at the name F, but on the ukulele it is one of the friendliest shapes there is. The two fingers sit diagonally, middle above index, and the two open strings do the rest of the work.

More ways to play F

There are 3 common F shapes: the standard one at the top of the page, plus these further up the neck. You only ever need one. Tap any card to hear it.

F ukulele chord diagram, frets 3 to 5, played 5553 — Frets 3 to 5

F ukulele chord diagram, frets 5 to 5, played 5550 — Frets 5 to 5

If your F will not ring

The open C string is muted: The middle finger on the G string is leaning back into it. Arch the finger so its tip presses straight down and the C string underneath stays clear.
The E string buzzes: The index is sitting too far from the 1st fret. Tuck the fingertip right behind the fret wire, where light pressure is enough.
The chord changes are sloppy: F shares its index finger position with several chords around it. Practise C to F and F to G slowly, moving both fingers as one shape rather than one at a time.

What makes it an F

F · A · C 1 3 5

F major is the root F, the major third A and the fifth C. In the open shape the third appears twice: once fretted low on the g string and once as the open A string on top, wrapping the chord's brightness around the open C in the middle.

F is the I chord in the key of F, the IV chord in C and the V chord in B flat. The IV of C job is the big one: C is the ukulele's home key, and F is the warm chord that answers it, which is why F appears within days of starting the instrument.

F vs Fm

One note drops: the A in F becomes A flat in Fm, and the warmth turns overcast.

On the ukulele the moving note lives on the g string, which slides from the 2nd fret down to the 1st; Fm then adds a fretted C on the A string as well. F is two fingers, Fm is three, and the mood change is bigger than the finger count suggests.

F chord questions

Is F hard on the ukulele?

No. The guitar F's fearsome reputation does not transfer: on ukulele F is two fingers and two open strings, learnable in a first week.

Why is F easy on ukulele but hard on guitar?

Guitar's F needs a barre because its open strings sit in the wrong places. The ukulele's gCEA tuning happens to put two of F's three notes on open strings.

Which strings stay open in F?

The C and A strings. Only the g and E strings are fretted, at the 2nd and 1st frets.

What is the difference between F and Fm?

The third: A in F, A flat in Fm. The g string finger moves back one fret and the ring finger adds a C on the A string at the 3rd.

What keys use the F chord?

F is home in the key of F and the essential IV chord in C, the most common ukulele key. Most beginner songbooks use it on nearly every page.